Drawing upon its rich racing heritage and constant R&D, Volkl holds its standards high when it comes to attention to detail and the time and effort put into its ski design. Consequently, Volkl always produces some of the best skis on the market and plenty of its skis are ranked high on our stoke meter this year. Highlights for 2008 include dual layer wood cores in many models, which make for lighter skis that flex more consistently, and Volkl’s new “armed edge” technology, which adds strength and durability for when you hit rocks or bonk rails.

Sumo

Length: 175, 190
Dimensions: 150-125-142
MSRP: $1,000 Stoke: 7.5
The Sumo shouldn’t be your daily driver, it’s much too big and fat for that. The Sumo is for those special deep days where it “gets up to speed likea bat out of Hell” and “effortlessly turns on any kind of terrain.” If you are looking for a pow ski to add to your quiver and have the cash, you can’t go wrong with the Sumo.

Katana

Length: 168, 176, 183, 190, 197
Dimensions: 140-111-130
MSRP: $975 Stoke: 9
New for 2008, this ski is billed by Volkl as a “powder-only weapon.” It is true that the ski “rules powder like an ancient warrior!” but the Katana is, according to testers, much more than a pure pow ride. “The most stable and responsive big mountain ski ever,” raved one. “These things are SICK,” said another, “I skied them in nasty wind crust and they even made that fun.” If you are a big-mountain aficionado, the Katana is one of the best offerings out there.

Gotama

Length: 168, 176, 183, 190
Dimensions: 133-105-124
MSRP: $795 Stoke: 8
With Volkl’s dual-layer sensorwood core for lightness and consistent flex, the Gotama is one of the most versatile and fun skis for 2008. This is a ski that “works well everywhere” and is “fast and lively.” At 105 mm under foot, it’s “big enough to stomp your landings” yet still “supple through tight trees.” If you ski everywhere and want a one-ski quiver, this is a very solid choice for 2008.

Mantra

Length: 170, 177, 184, 191
Dimensions: 133-96-116
MSRP: $795 Stoke: 7.5
If you live on the East Coast but take a trip or two out West each season, the Mantra could be your ski. The ski is “fast and solid on groomers” and “handles hardpack and rough chop with ease.” The footprint of the ski is “fat enough for pow and crud” but also makes the ski “very quick from edge to edge.” It’s a solid offering from Volkl.

Aura

Length: 156, 163, 170, 177
Dimensions: 130-94-113
MSRP: $795 Stoke: 8.5
With two sheets of titanium and a full sensor wood core, this is one of the beefiest – if not the beefiest – women-specific ski in the freeride big-mountain category for 2008. Needless to say, our testers loved it. “Holds an edge everywhere and can handle everything,” raved one. “Rad on the steeps and in the crud,” and “for a ripping chick who likes to blow the boys off the mountain” were a few comments from testers. If you are an expert skier and you want the best tool for the trade, the Aura is it.

Bridge

Length: 161, 169, 177, 185
Dimensions: 130-92-112
MSRP: $695 Stoke: 8
Jumps: 7 Pipe: 5
Playfulness: 4 All-Mtn: 9.5
This ski absolutely slayed it when it came to all mountain performance. As one well-versed tester said, “This ski is the shit if you’re looking for an all-mountain destroyer and occasionally want to dabble in the park.” This ski definitely “bridges” the gap between park and big-mountain skiing. It’s big enough under foot and plenty stiff to hold up well all over the place, yet isn’t going to hinder your performance of basic park moves.

The Wall

Length: 161, 169, 177, 185
Dimensions: 115-87-115
MSRP: $600 Stoke: 8
Jumps: 9 Pipe: 8
Playfulness: 8 All-Mtn: 8
The top-notch construction and durability one has come to expect from Volkl have been focused on a strict park ski in the Wall and the results couldn’t have been more favorable. The Wall has a completely new, fully symmetrical twin-tip design that registered as a strong favorite amongst testers. The dimensions were “spot-on” according to one tester and another said, “the Wall skis very well outside of the park, but the park is home to the Wall.”

Ledge

Length: 148, 158, 168, 178
Dimensions: 111-81-104
MSRP: $450 Stoke: 6.75
Jumps: 8 Pipe: 7
Playfulness: 7 All-Mtn: 7
The Ledge’s smaller size and soft flex made this a great “intro park ski” according to many of our testers. Being skinnier, it was playful and more forgiving on landings, but it lacked the energy of the Wall. It wasn’t as stable at high speeds but tooled around the park well for its smaller size.

Pearl

Length: 148, 158, 168, 178
Dimensions: 111-81-104
MSRP: $695 Stoke: 8
Jumps: 8 Pipe: 8.5
Playfulness: 9.5 All-Mtn: 7
Volkl’s women’s park offering, the Pearl, was very responsive and lightweight, perfect for smaller women looking for a sturdy and solid park ski. It features Volkl’s vertical sidewalls, which help it hold an edge on higher-speed carves. This is the kind of ski any girl can jump on and be instantly comfortable with.

Next Review > >

Want To Check Out Other Brands?

4FRNT, Armada, Atomic, Black Diamond, Blizzard, Drake Powder Tools, Dynastar, Elan, Fat-ypus,Fischer, Faction, Hart, Head, Icelantic,High Society, K2, Liberty, Line, Lib Tech, Movement, Nordica, Palmer, Prior, Rossignol,Roxy, Salomon, Scott, Stockli, Surface, Switch, Unity,