The “pink it and shrink it” approach to women’s skis is a thing of the past. Now, ski manufacturers regularly tailor the construction of their female-specific models to suit the needs of those with dual X chromosomes. Whether it’s utilizing lighter wood and composites in the core, strategically placing those materials to accommodate female anatomy or cutting down on heavier materials, today’s top brands are going the extra mile to help women get the most bang for their buck, energy expenditure-wise.

While some women may choose to pursue a unisex option, the planks below were made with the intention of giving ladies the confidence to follow in the footsteps of skiers like Monod, Dyer, Backstrom, Bowman, Raymond, Voisin, Parker and Collinson. So scroll ahead and rest assured that all of these sticks have been put through the ringer in our annual ski test by a rippin’ group of ladies and chosen as Editor’s Picks in our 2017 Buyer’s Guide.

Read more about how FREESKIER tests skis.

1. Armada ARW 86

Park

Overall Score: 9.80

“The ARW 86 was the undisputed favorite among our female park testers, receiving near-perfect scores across the board. Armada utilizes a combination of midweight poplar wood with denser ash in a rocker-camber-rocker profile for the best of both worlds—stiffness and stability, playfulness and pop…” Click for full review and scores.

2. Black Crows Atris Birdie

100-114 mm Freestyle

Overall Score: 9.64

“The go-to ski for pro shredder Michelle Parker, the Atris Birdie performs on all aspects of the mountain. Rocker in the tip and tail allows it to pivot on a dime and float through the deep, while camber underfoot ensures stability through chunder, chop and hardpack…” Click for full review and scores.

3. Nordica Santa Ana 100

100-114 mm Freeride

Overall Score: 9.58

“Judging by the scores below, the Santa Ana is more playful than a gaggle of puppies. Nordica’s CamRock profile pulls the traditional contact points back—25 percent in the tip and 5 percent in the tail—for a killer combination of float and maneuverability…” Click for full review and scores.

4. 4FRNT Hoji W

100-114 mm Freeride

Overall Score: 9.41

“The Hoji W can do it all (hello, perfect versatility score!), but its bread and butter is arcing huge turns down steep, pow-filled faces. A full reverse-camber profile aids in flotation and maneuverability, while 4FRNT’s ReflectTech (matching rocker and sidecut radii) ensures you can lay them on edge predictably…” Click for full review and scores.

5. Blizzard Samba

90-99 mm Freeride

Overall Score: 9.24

“The Samba is a lively dance, and it’s fitting that Blizzard’s 98-mm-waisted all-mountain ski bears the name. It utilizes poplar wood in its core for a solid balance of weight, dampening and pop, combined with beech wood for added stability…” Click for full review and scores.

6.Armada ARW 96

90-99 mm Freestyle

Overall Score: 9.19

“The ARW 96 is one seriously smooth cat, built for rippers who spend most of their time on the frontside. Rockered tips and tails, complemented with carbon-Kevlar stringers, ensure agility across all terrain, while trusty camber underfoot helps stabilize the ride…” Click for full review and scores.

7. Blizzard Sheeva

100-114 mm Freestyle

Overall Score: 9.09

“The Sheeva is back with its third-straight Editors’ Pick distinction, and received a makeover in the form of an updated core for 2017. Responsive, snappy poplar merges with burlier beech wood for a highly maneuverable build that still boasts the rock-solid stability Blizzard is known for…” Click for full review and scores.

8. K2 MissConduct

Park

Overall Score: 9.05

“The MissConduct is stiff enough to handle the pipe and huge jumps but plenty playful for jib enthusiasts, too. K2 has struck a nice chord with this one, folks…” Click for full review and scores.

9. Völkl 100Eight W

100-114 mm Freestyle

Overall Score: 9.04

“Testers had a resoundingly positive response to the 100Eight W’s on-edge capabilities. Comments ranged from ‘very stable, easy on edge’ to ‘lays turns hard and skis true to its length’…” Click for full review and scores.

10. Atomic Vantage 95 C D

90-99 mm Freeride

Overall Score: 9.03

“Made for quick, aggressive turns across the frontside, the Vantage 95 C W carves the slopes like a knife through a perfect Thanksgiving turkey…” Click for full review and scores.

11. DPS Foundation Nina 99

90-99 mm Freeride

Overall Score: 8.97

“In order to seamlessly integrate the flex pattern and sidecut of its new Foundation skis, DPS built each pair from the binding area outward. Focusing on the gut of the ski right under the foot lends to power, easy turn initiation and edge hold…” Click for full review and scores.

12. K2 FulLUVIt 95

90-99 mm Freeride

Overall Score: 8.92

“For the charging ladies out there who covet maneuverability, the folks at K2 (and The Beatles) believe ‘all you need is love.’ The FullLUVIt benefits from K2’s women-specific Bioflex Konic core…” Click for full review and scores.

13. Elan Ripstick 94 W

90-99 mm Freeride

Overall Score: 8.91

“With a goal of providing flawless turn initiation, Elan built the Ripstick 94 W with traditional camber on the inner edge for better grip and stability, and rockered outside edges for easier transitions between turns…” Click for full review and scores.

14. Scott Punisher 95 W

90-99 mm Freestyle

Overall Score: 8.89

“Testers unanimously noted that the Punisher 95 W was ideal for cruising in soft snow. A sidecut that fuses a traditional, curved tip and tail radius with straight line underfoot yields a divine combination of ultra-easy turn initiation, stability and power…” Click for full review and scores.

15. Rossignol Super 7 HD

115+ mm Freeride

Overall Score: 8.85

“An ABS-resin, honeycomb-shaped skeleton in the tip and tail helps improve turn initiation, decreases swing weight and ensures these babies float above the deepest of deep…” Click for full review and scores.

16. Head Great Joy 98

90-99 mm Freeride

Overall Score: 8.83

“In homage to one Jerry Lee Lewis, one tester said, ‘Great balls of fire, these skis are fun!’ Head utilizes a sandwich cap build with fiberglass and Graphene around the wood core…” Click for full review and scores.

17. 4FRNT Aretha

100-114 mm Freestyle

Overall Score: 8.78

“Give the Aretha some R-E-S-P-E-C-T because she charges hard and won’t apologize for it. A rigid blend of ash and beech wood with added fiberglass in the core helps achieve this burly, stiff nature…” Click for full review and scores.

18. Sego Up Pro

100-114 mm Freeride

Overall Score: 8.69

“The UP Pro is the ski Lynsey Dyer relies on whether she’s shredding spines in Alaska, pillows in British Columbia or deep pow in Jackson Hole. The ski is built with a midweight, responsive poplar wood core combined with fiberglass to bolster torsional rigidity…” Click for full review and scores.

19. 4FRNT Madonna

90-99 mm Freestyle

Overall Score: 8.57

“The Madonna is 4FRNT’s do-everything all-mountain offering for women. To increase stability on groomers, hardpack and variable terrain, the ski is built with a combination of dense ash and beech wood, with traditional camber underfoot…” Click for full review and scores.

Check out Gear Made Clear, our in-depth explanation of what all the ski-related terms you’ll come across mean so you can know before droppin’ your dough.