The flakes gently drift down outside your window as you make that early morning coffee. Butterflies in your stomach, you know that today Ullr has answered your snow prayers. Quick, to the garage! It’s time to break out the stallions; the steeds that will carry you through the feet of fresh snow. Below are the best powder skis on the market. When you want to make the most of the days we all dream of, these wide bodied beauties are what you need on your feet.
1. Salomon QST Blank
Lengths 178, 186, 194 cm
DIM 138-112-127 mm @ 186 cm
Radius 17 m @ 186 cm
The Salomon QST Blank continues to grow its cult following and garner awards season after season, winning over everyone from the Josh Daieks’ of the world to skiers looking for their first powder ski. A steadfast tool from Salomon’s QST line, the Blank hits the mark for powder hungry skiers who value versatility. With a 112-mm waist and a twin rocker profile with Double Sidewall Construction, C/FX Technology and Cork Damplifier, the QST Blank floats in soft snow, powerfully plows through chopped conditions and stays playful and nimble in any terrain. The ski dates back to when Salomon handed pro skiers on their team, like Daiek, a blank slate to design the ultimate quiver killer. “It’s the perfect ski—the perfect width, the perfect rocker profile… you can do everything with it, from hardpack and ice to deep pow,” says Daiek, who worked on the ski for three years and many prototypes before it was released. “It’s got good sidecut, which is great when it gets firm and chopped up or when you’re skiing moguls. There’s enough underfoot that it’s still got float and everything you need for high speed, big airs and landings.”
READ THE FULL DEEP DIVE REVIEW — [ CLICK HERE ]
2. Rossignol Sender Free 110
Lengths 176, 184, 191 cm
DIM 140-110-133 mm
Radius 20 m @ 184 cm
As a big mountain skier that’s clicked into a pair of Rossignol boards in recent years, you likely land in one of two camps: BlackOps or Sender. The BlackOps line has the characteristics of playful twin tip powder skis while the Sender line is a more powerful, flat tail directional ski. Rossignol athletes like Logan Pehota and Max Palm craved a hybrid of those two lines in a ski with that perfect waist width of 110-mm to surf deep snow but still rip arcs when needed. Thus, the Sender Free 110 was born. “This new Sender Free 110 has the shape of a Black Ops ski but the guts of a Sender,” Rossignol Alpine Category Manager Jake Stevens says. “What we’ve created is a twin tip rockered powder ski that is 110 underfoot but has the reactiveness and playfulness of the Sender.”
READ THE FULL DEEP DIVE REVIEW — [ CLICK HERE ]
3. 4FRNT Hoji
Lengths 170, 177, 184, 191 cm
DIM 128-112-120 mm
Radius 30 m @ 184 cm
Herculean, haus, hero, Hoji. All these words and many more describe the legendary Eric Hjorliefson, the big mountain-taming freeski pioneer from Alberta, Canada. Hoji has worked hand-in-hand with 4FRNT for several seasons to dial in the aptly named Hoji ski. Designed to be a workhorse on the resort, in the backcountry and on any steep in between, the Hoji caters to the skier who wants something they can lay into on every turn. The multi-radius rocker allows the rider to slash through pow, maximizing your ability to play in the deep end. It’s nimble in the trees and does a great job of eating up crud without holding you back. We can’t promise the Hoji will make you ski like the main man himself, but it’ll get you closer than most.
4. Völkl Revolt 114
Lengths 177, 184, 191 cm
DIM 146-114-128 mm
Radius 19 m @ 184 cm
In 2017, Völkl executives gathered a group of about 10 of their sponsored skiers and asked them to design a new ski. “It was one of the few times we’ve given athletes total control of the project,” says Chris McKenna, a Product Manager for Völkl. “We call the program ‘Built Together,’ it’s our best athletes working directly with the engineer, the freeski product and team manager, and the artist to make a great ski.” During that meeting, the skiers came up with the design for the Revolt 121. In 2020, they followed up that project with the Revolt 104. Both of those skis are free-ride twin tips—jibby boards designed to be slashed around and skied switch. When the group met again in 2021 to add to the Revolt series, they wanted something different. “We told the engineer that we wanted a ski that’s the pissed off little brother of the 121,” says Ian McIntosh, a professional skier, adventurer and guide, who has been part of the Völkl athlete team for 13 years.
READ THE FULL DEEP DIVE REVIEW — [ CLICK HERE ]
5. Blizzard Rustler 11
Lengths 168, 174, 180, 186, 192 cm
DIM 142-114-132 mm
Radius 19 m @ 180 cm
‘A rocket of a ski’ is a phrase we heard from several testers after they hopped off the Blizzard Rustler 11. If you’ve searched for the ski to hold up under full-throttle turns, today is your lucky day because you’ve stumbled across the Rustler 11. At 186-cm, the ski sits at 142-114-132; ideal for when Februburried has struck and your local hill is under a blanket (or many blankets) of fresh snow. Several Jackson Hole locals testing with us reported that this was their daily driver, which makes sense given the build of both Jackson Hole and the Rustler 11. The ski uses Blizzards FluxForm, which incorporates thin Titanal strips on the outsides and down the center of each ski. It delivers dampness and stability underfoot to hold an edge while remaining torsionally soft in the tip and tail. More adapted for softer conditions than the Rustler 9, the Rustler 11 is an easy choice for tough lines in deep pow.
6. Völkl Blaze 114
Lengths 166, 176, 184, 192 cm
DIM 154-114-136 mm
Radius 17 m @ 176 cm
This one’s for the faithful freeride powder hound. A directional, lightweight pow ski meant to surf and float with ease; the 114 is a new addition to Völkl’s Blaze lineup. Like a warm spoon dipping into a tub of ice cream, the Blaze 114 will help you maximize those days of free refills and high stoke. Need a quick bump run in between face shots? No problem. The Blaze 114 is surprisingly nimble and responsive, considering its girth underfoot. For the creative skier looking to take their time and poke into every pillow offering on their way down, the Blaze 114 is playful enough to cater to your wildest stunts and drops. Tester Connor Fayfield describes it as a “super lightweight powder ski that has all the attributes of a Völkl ski, including stability.” As the flakes stack up, the Blaze 114 will be your best friend in the cold smoke.
7. Atomic Bent 110
Lengths 164, 172, 180, 188 cm
DIM 133-110-124 mm
Radius 18 m @ 180 cm
The Atomic Bent 110 just might be the most popular ski in the world. And while one could say it’s all thanks to stylish topsheets and great marketing, the truth is you only get riders like Nick McNutt, Dennis Ranalter and Tess Ledeux on your skis if you make a great product. Created by freeride legend Chris Bentchetler, the Bent family has expanded in recent years beyond the traditional 120-mm underfoot. The 110 is one of the most versatile in the lineup, and it packs everything you need to get creative on the hill. Atomic’s classic HRZN Tech in the tip and tail make shmearing butters easier than slapping cream cheese across a bagel in the Big Apple. It’s a ski that makes skiing fun and easy. After all, who doesn’t want to be feeling ready for more at the end of a great day? That’s what the Bent 110 brings to the freestyle-minded rider.
8. Peak Skis 110 by Bode
Lengths 168, 178, 188 cm
DIM 139-110-129 mm
Radius 24.0 m @ 178 cm
As the largest underfoot ski Peak Skis offers, the 110 by Bode is an incredible addition to any skier’s quiver. Like any ski designed and tested by Bode Miller, the 110 by Bode is stiffer than most at similar dimensions. It’s a unique blend that sets it apart from most powder skis on the market today, and our testers were infatuated with the results. Few skis can carve a mean arc AND float through the deepest powder on Earth like the 110 by Bode. Legendary tester Leslie Resnick cheered, “This ski is mind-blowing. It held as much speed as I could throw at it and carved with a damp precision. Ridiculously quick in the moguls, it charged the steeps and was a perfect floatation device in pow.” Resnick tested the most skis out of anyone at Ski Test; no easy task, to say the least! If she endorses the 110 by Bode for the hard-charging powder hound, we do too.
9. Icelantic Shaman 2.0 110
Lengths 169, 176, 182 cm
DIM 160-110-130 mm
Radius 15 m @ 176 cm
The Shaman 2.0 110 pulled a Popeye. This ski ate the whole can of spinach and beefed itself up. The 160-mm shovel keeps you afloat in the deepest snow. But when you return from your dream caliber run, you can keep the fun going. This ski has a 110-mm width underfoot and boasts a short turn radius. Combine that with the shovel tip, and you have a weapon that can effortlessly link turns on the soft snow, through the trees and wherever your adventures take you on the hill. It’s not for the speed limit-breaking hot rod, but that’s not who you are anyway. You’re here for the style, the Zen and the indescribable feeling of linking turns without thinking. That’s exactly what Icelantic’s Shaman 2.0 110 brings to the table.
10. Faction Mana 3
Lengths 172, 178, 184, 190 cm
DIM 140-112-134 mm
Radius 21 m @ 184 cm
If you ski like a paintbrush, elegantly swiping your way down a snow canvas, the Mana 3 is sure to please. It’s the playful, surfy, quiver-killer freestyle ski from Faction. As the replacement to the Candide line, they took the knowledge they had gained from years of working with arguably the best skier on the planet and introduced a new line. The Mana 3 includes a rubber and carbon stomp pad underfoot that dampens landings and makes coming back to Earth that much easier. A lightweight poplar core, XL 2.5-mm edges and the carbon weave throughout the ski give it a beautiful balance of pop, edge control and playfulness. Faction proves time and time again that they go the extra mile for the environment. This ski includes recycled materials, sustainably sourced wood and is manufactured in a 100 percent renewable energy-powered factory. What’s not to love?
For those who chase ultimate powder ecstasy, these behemoths are here to help. Whether you’re slashing down an open bowl or sending floaty hits to switch, they will support you in your never-ending quest for face shots.
1. Rossignol Blackops 118
Lengths 176, 186 cm
DIM 146-118-141 mm
Radius 25 m @ 186 cm
If there’s one word to describe the BlackOps 118 from Rossignol, it’s beefcake—and we say that with total sincerity and love. At 118-mm underfoot, the BlackOps 118 isn’t necessarily a daily driver, but it’ll certainly be your first choice during and just after a big storm. Given the name BlackOps, there’s not much to report in terms of materials used in the construction of the ski because that’s the entire point. With a progressive sidecut and rocker profile, the BlackOps 118 shines in deep snow, steep exposure and massive drops, but it also won’t leave you hanging on the groomers back to the chair. “It’s hard not to like this ski,” says tester Max Kirshenblat. “Overall, very playful, floaty and fun. Gives you a lot of confidence to stomp those big drops, harvest all the pow stashes and still be able to look good on the groomer out.”
2. K2 Mindbender 116C
Lengths 177, 182, 187, 194 cm
DIM 143-116-132 mm
Radius 22.5 @ 187 cm
You can learn a lot about a ski by the skier who headlines it. Enter new K2 athlete Sam Kuch, a revered ski-film star from Nelson, BC, whose famous video edit Matchstick Productions titled “Is Sam Kuch the Best Skier in the World?” Kuch requires a ski that can stomp everything from rodeo 7s and dub 10s off backcountry booters to complex pillow lines and big cliffs on alpine faces. The ski needs to float in deep Kootenay powder, respond instantly in tight trees and maintain stability at high speed. It needs to perform at the highest level but maintain a playfulness that helps Kuch turn any mountain into a park. Kuch has found all that and more in the K2 Mindbender 116C. “It’s fat enough for deep pow, and with Spectral Braid construction, it’s stable and stiff enough to play around on the hill in any conditions,” says Kuch. “It’s held up to some big drops and saved me in some sticky situations—I rely on a stiff tail to save me on flat landings. It’s still damp—if you’re chattering through bumpy snow, you’re not going to get thrown around. I focus on being fast and poppy in my skiing—it excels when I’m charging, and it’s light and playful in pillows. It’s such a sick ski to accommodate both types of skiing.”
READ THE FULL DEEP DIVE REVIEW — [ CLICK HERE ]
3. HEAD Oblivion 116
Lengths 181, 189 cm
DIM 142-117-132 mm @ 189 cm
Radius 30.8 m @ 189 cm
If you’re a fan of Cole Richardson’s confident and creative style, you’ll love Head’s Oblivion 116. A powder ski through and through, the Oblivion 116 is “super playful with outstanding pop and remarkable control,” says one of our star testers, Ian Doherty. A carbon sandwich, twin tip construction with PET stringers integrated with the wood core makes the Oblivion 116 stiff enough to back you up when the ride gets a little rowdy. At the same time, a playful shape and responsive pop inspire self-expression all over the mountain. 116-mm underfoot provides a generous platform to dance, no matter how deep, and the funky topsheet was just one feature that caught the eye of our design guru, Gunter Jones. “I have SO much fun on these things,” Jones joyously exclaims. “They handle soft snow and powder extremely well but also crush the moguls and chunder bumps hard.”
4. Fischer Ranger 116
Lengths 180, 187, 193 cm
DIM 147-116-137 mm
Radius 20 m @ 187 cm
Fischer is throwing out some big stick energy with the Ranger 116. Unchanged since the brand completely overhauled the Ranger line in 2023 with its robust lineup of freeride athletes, the Ranger 116 lands on the pages of our Buyer’s Guide with the same love and praise as last year. The stability of the 116 never wanes thanks to its poplar and beech wood core and sandwich sidewall construction. You can throw these dogs around no matter the conditions and never hear them bark in protest. Strategically shaped Titanal and a freeski-inspired rocker profile give the Ranger 116-premium control in deep powder and cat-like agility in all terrain. Tester Mike Filander describes this ski as “a hard-charging machine,” and his counterpart, Michelle Cox, couldn’t agree more. “This is a do-it-all ski. Stable at high speeds and easy to maneuver.”
5. Dynastar M-Free 118
Lengths 180, 189 cm
DIM 145-118-135 mm
Radius 22 m @ 180 cm
The bigger, less-demanding brother of the M-Free line, the 118 is designed for those special days we only get a few times a ski season. You know the ones—a foot (or two) of fresh overnight, no lift lines and endless terrain to plunder. Arguably easier to throw around than the 108, the M-Free 118 delicately balances the line between playfulness and stability. A poplar wood core combined with a progressive shape offers both rigidity and responsiveness—two important traits for a good time. The 118-mm waist is plenty wide for most storm days, but don’t let these fatties fool you. They’ll pop and play all over the mountain at any speed. For legendary freeskier Shannon Schad, the Dynastar M-Free 118 was “one of [his] favorite skis for a big mountain like Jackson.” “Super easy to ski for a big ski,” adds Eric Peterson.
6. Blackcrows Nocta
Lengths 178, 186, 191 cm
DIM 145-122-136 mm
Radius 19 m @ 178 cm
Sometimes the smallest tweaks make the biggest difference, and for Blackcrows, that notion proves to be true with the updated Nocta. With a 122-mm waist, the Nocta is one of the fattest pow skis in the category but don’t discount this ski’s ability to rip around the resort sans deep powder. For 2024, the new Nocta features a touch more camber underfoot and a slightly wider tip and tail to boost float and edge hold on firm and groomed snow. Our faithful tester Ian Doherty described the Nocta as “the Ferrari of pow skis. Open up wide for this tongue depressor; she’ll deliver supper and ice the cake.” The bright orange topsheet harkens back to the brand’s roots, as does the unique chevron tip and tail shape—making these skis look as fast as they ride.
7. Atomic Bent Chetler 120
Lengths 176, 184, 192 cm
DIM 143-120-134 mm
Radius 19 m @ 184 cm
Since the inception of the Bent series, the Bent Chetler 120 has been a fan-favorite for powder hounds and backcountry bums alike. It could be the dura cap sidewalls combined with HRZN Tech in the tip and tail, it could be the powder rocker profile, the touch of camber underfoot, or it could simply be the mesmerizing topsheet designed by artist and athlete Chris Benchetler himself. The likely story? It’s all those elements put together, plus a 120-mm waist that could land these planks in a Powder Ski Hall of Fame…if one existed. “The Atomic Bent 120 has been the benchmark for the ultimate powder ski for years, and in 2024, it still is,” tester Eric Gerrmann exclaims. “This ski floats better than everything else in its class, and it pivots in soft snow on a dime. Adding in an insanely playful tip and tail makes this ski one of the best powder skis on the market.”
