20 Best Snowmobile For Backcountry Skiing (2023 Updated)

Picked up this pack just before the holidays and I could not be happier with it. The pack is lightweight, easy to use, and perfect for day trips in the backcountry or sidecountry. On the way up, it holds a 32oz nalgene, snacks, helmet, goggles, gloves, snowsaw, BC Link, InReach, and an extra down layer.

The way down, skins fit in where the extra layer, gloves, and goggles were without a problem. It is snug, but I haven’t had any issues with space. And, I honestly don’t realize I’m wearing the pack most of the time, it’s that comfortable.

I had some technical product questions that I emailed BCA directly about (nothing against REI, just wanted to talk to the manufacturer) and they were quick to respond and help me out. I’ll certainly be a BCA customer for life!.

Great backpack! More of a budget option compared to the competitors; however, has all the features one would be looking for. Pros – fits smaller torsos (even more so than female specific other packs I tried), comfortable and adjustable fit – doesn’t fit as high on the back (so you can look up wearing a helmet without hitting the pack), hip belt pocket is super useful Cons – a little heavier, no access pocket from the rear, doesn’t fit my probe in the designated compartment, design is a little outdated.

Love it! Great when the winds are high for keeping you warm. Love all the pockets. The sizing is accurate: I’m 6′ 180 and got a medium; it does fit a tiny bit big. Wish I had gone down a size in hindsight just to cut out the bulk.

Definitely consider that when purchasing if you want something more fitted. Wish the thumbholes were reinforced – i think they’ll eventually tear – so I plan to reinforce them myself with a short strip of kevlar.

All and all it’s a fantastic, well-built product!.

I love this gear!! Very well thought out and executed equipment. From the durability of the fabric and zippers, to the placement of the pockets, nothing is neglected. I ride mostly, in the northeastern part of the States, so having equipment that stands up to the densely packed tree runs and often WET snow can make or break your day.

In the monosuit, the elements are of zero concern!! I cannot recommend their product enough!!! Worth every penny!!!.

I started skiing at a young age and switched to snowboarding 20 years ago. Occasionally I would ski if conditions were groomed and hard-packed. My kids are now learning to ski and it’s easier for me to ski with them than snowboard, and on our last trip to BC to ski, there was no new snow for a week.

I tried these skis and had so much fun on them! They carve beautifully and are incredibly light. They are a great all-mountain ski. I also tried the 92 underfoot Armadas in 164 and didn’t like them as much.

They were a bit too stiff for me. For reference I’m 5’4 and 160lbs, intermediate to advanced skier.

Lightweight, directional all mountain ski with a more playful on snow feel. One of my favorite skis for bumps and trees. The front of the ski is compliant enough and the tail stiff enough to be easy yet supportive in tighter spots and bumps.

The ski requires some input to initiate a turn, but once on edge, the ski bends easily and holds an edge well. Has good energy out of turns and for how light it is, is far more stable than expected. Could easily be a good one ski quiver for someone prioritizing bumps and off trail riding, or someone who wants one ski to do short tours on as well as riding in resort.

The only thing unpredictable about this ski is how awesome it is. Though it may not initially stand out amongst the lineup of all-mountain advanced to expert skis for women, the Sheeva is definitely one you should consider for your next pair of skis! A true quiver killer, the Sheeva is not a beginner ski, but is great for someone who knows how to ski and is looking to increase their skill level, or for an advanced expert skier looking to push the limits of their skis.

At 102mm underfoot it is an ideal width to ski anywhere on the mountain and in any conditions. It is wide enough to float on top of any fresh snow or deep pow that you encounter and its medium turning radius allows for long sweeping turns as well as quick and sharp cuts wherever you find yourself on the mountain.

I predominantly found myself charging hard down packed and groomed terrain on an adrenaline high with a huge grin on my face. I would love to get a chance to take them out after a fresh snowfall as well to see how well they perform then too.

At 5’7″ I skied on the 172cm and it was perfect for me. This length allowed me to ski faster and still feel incredibly stable no matter what terrain I encountered.

The Black Pearl 88 has been completely redesigned for 2021 and is better than ever. All new sizes, side cut design, rocker profile, and construction specially designed for each size. The needs of someone skiing a 177 and someone skiing a 147 are totally different.

Size, ability level, and how they look at the mountain are totally different! Why would you build the same ski for both skiers? The Black Pearl series uses a different construction and flex profile for every single size with the goal of optimizing the performance at each size for that intended skier.

The new construction also means a slightly heavier ski. What? Heavier? I thought everyone was making skis lighter? Not anymore. The 2021 Black Pearl 88 goes up in weight to match the weight the first year it was introduced.

They?re not Light Weight they?re the Right Weight. Blizzard found that especially in the shorter sizes when the skis got too light they could become nervous and harder to control. By bringing the weight back up to the weight of the original Black Pearl the stability, control, and predictability of the ski has increased dramatically resulting in a ski that feels safer and more manageable for every ability level.

This is the best skiing black Pearl ever made. Specifically designed for every any size or ability level.

Wife got new boots and bindings in 2020. She was long overdue on the skis since technology has gotten so much better. Luckily her bindings were an 85mm width and will fit these 88mm skis. We figured since all she needs is the skis why not wait for the after season sales and get the best? So we got the Black Pearl 88s, the most purchased and well reviewed womens skis for the last 3 years.

Sale price was great, shipping was fast and free and the skis are lightweight, very well made and look awesome. We can’t wait to hit the trails! You literally can’t beat Evo’s deals and inventory!.

Great quality product, brand new and packed very well. The best part was the shipping was lightning fast.

Haven’t skied them yet but they look awesome, bindings adjust easily and all in all look like a lot of fun

TranslateShow in original languageComment décrire le plaisir procuré par ce ski? Cette facilité à tenir une trajectoire tendue ou pas Cette capacité à carver (en petite, moyenne et grande courbe) Le plaisir de faire déjauger le ski en poudreuse ou dans la soupe Typiquement le genre de ski qui vous donne envie de descendre et qui m’a laissé un sourire en coin.

Et surtout, vu qu’il s’agit d’un ski de randonnée, un poids super contenu pour prendre du plaisir à la montée Vraiment le coup de coeur de l’hiver prochain. Bravo salomon.

TranslateShow in original languageComme le mtn 96 carbon Une super réussite qui se traduit par un poids contenu pour la montée (à privilégier si vous êtes amateurs de dénivelé positif important) Néanmoins vous ne bouderez pas votre plaisir à la descente.

Précis, agile, réactif, je l’ai trouvé très naturel dès la première descente. Dès que la vitesse s’accroît le ski reste très agréable même par neige dure.

TranslateShow in original languageSkis très agréables à skier. Léger à la monté, stable à la descente. C’est le point qui me faisait peur mais j’ai été agréablement surpris par la tenue de piste toute neige et en poudreuse.

Bonus sur les matériaux recyclés qui composent la semelle. Belle initiative.

I’ve skied a ton of skis in this general category (Alp Tracks 89-169; Trab Maximo 171; Zero G 95-171; Blacklight 88-172; BD Cirque 78-169) but never the Backland 85 UL. However, I skied the Backland 78-163 for a full season as my only ski and really liked it, so I’ve wanted to get on these for a while.

Fortunately, I had a chance to ski a friend’s pair in 172 recently. I only skied these for a few hours, so take it with a grain of salt. I’m 5’8″, 150 lbs, self-taught but expert skier. In short, these skis feel exactly like you’d think they would based on paper.

Like other Atomic skis, they are good skis, but they don’t have the special dampness of Ski Trab, Movement, or Aski (which is totally fine!!). Like other thin Backland skis, they are easy to ski, make a variety of turn shapes, have a huge sweet spot, etc.

They are softer & less demanding than a Zero G or Trab ski but also probably not as uber-high-performing as those skis on the top end/when ripping. On my 78, I found that the HRZN tip was real tech and not just marketing material – it actually does help in soft snow (unfortunately I had no such snow during my demo).

Overall, such a fun ski. They are just so easy to ski while also being kg-weight. I think for any intermediate skier, or even expert skiers who don’t want to always “be on,” these are absolute dynamite.

Can’t go wrong. The one thing I would prefer Atomic would be to increase the turn radii of their skis to a consistent 18m or so. 17 is a bit short for my preferences; I would absolutely get a 163 length in the 85 or 78, but at a 15-16m radius it’s unskiable at high speeds.

These things are great. A dream on the uphill, super light for an 85mm waist ski, kick turn well, break trail reasonably well, sidehill well — I have basically no complaints. The downhill is compromised if you’re used to heavier skis but my understanding is they’re better than most in their weight class.

They’re good enough for me except in the worst snow conditions where my friends on beefier skis are struggling, too. Bought for ski mountaineering missions and they seem perfect for that job so far! My first time taking them out was Eldorado Peak, a 50 classic! I also hit 51mph on them coming down the Palmer glacier on Hood.

Not bad for carbon weenie sticks. I went almost 10cm shorter than what I usually ski and that seemed about the right length.

After 7+ years of skiing backcountry on my old resort skis I finally bought a dedicated pair of backcountry skis! I was looking for something lighter and narrower than I ski in resorts and these Backlands had great reviews.

Overall, I like the skis for touring. They are incredibly light and make the uphill that much easier. My only reservation is being able to really ski these skis. Because they are narrower and shorter than my resort ski I have found I needed to adjust my technique.

It’s not bad, necessarily, just different. I probably should have gone a little longer to have more tail behind me, but in general, these are a great BC ski.

Since this is my first pair of ski de randonnée, I did not know exactly which pair I should take. I received good advice and I am pleased with my choice of K2.

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TranslateShow in original languageSki très lights. Parfait pour la montée mais pour la descente je les conseils pour des skieurs confirmés car il peuvent donner l’impression de flotter un peut et il faut être confiant.

Attention ski leger = skier fragile. Il fait faire attention aux cailloux car il n’y a pas bcp de matière sur la spatue.

This is for the inner racer in you! Get ready to turn. Although you can ski this ski all over the mountain it certainly accelerates on groomed terrain. The particular pair I tried was very edgy out of the tip which really made it fun on groomers.

Press into the tip and you are on a rail to your next turn. super exciting and very responsive. The metal of course allows you to hit top speeds with total control. This is not your average skiers ski, you need to keep on your toes because the Stockli SR88 is not for sleepers!.

A big bore weapon for days when the hunt is on, the widest ski in Stöclki’s Stormrider series skis like a ski 10cm longer – dense and rock solid. I’d still like to see something in the Stormrider lineup that comes in with something like a 112mm waist and a little tail rocker, but for the time being this is their “pow†stick.

Amazing stability gives you the confidence to nail the biggest lines on your list, but amazingly without any hesitation to turn at lesser speeds. Like all the Stormriders, this ski is aimed at the skilled rider who doesn’t think slow is acceptable.

Do it all ski. Very impressed how much I could push this ski. Hard charging if you want it to be. It can take anything you throw at it. Skinned on the backcountry (a little heavy, but paired with the right boot and binding no question this ski performs), groomers, hard pack and pow.

Easy to turn and holds you in the turn very well for a ski this category. Just enough weight in the underfoot and the 95 waste I found very versatile in any condition. From ice to powder to groomers to corn.

I agree with BD, it is truly a 50:50 ski. If you are just getting into the backcountry but you still want an all mountain ski that performs like a hard charging downhill alpine, then this is the ski for you! Skis a bit longer.

Not a dramatic tip rocker and fairly subtle more flat tail rocker. So definitely more camber in the underfoot. I am 5’9, 190 lbs and skied the 173 length and it’s the shortest ski I own, but it didn’t feel short.

Recommend the Tecton or Shift for this ski given their downhill performance. I love this ski!.

I’m on ski patrol at a resort in the east and I wanted a versatile set up. I mounted my Helio Recons with the soloman guardian x 13 wtr. This gives me solid control on alpine with the ability to skin up when I have the chance.

The Helios glide across corduroy with ease and float through powder. They provide incredible edge control when side-slipping down a steep slope with a toboggan in tow. I would highly recommend these skis as an excellent and affordable option.

Even though I didn’t purchase this ski from skimo I definitely want to leave a review. TLDR; – It skis “short” so don’t be afraid to go longer since they are so light. – Float vs weight is awesome! – DO look at the TGR “ANY BETA ON BD HELIO 116” thread about mounting points.

– 160lbs (w/o gear) 5’11” on a 186cm length mounted -2. 5 This ski blows doors for a true powder touring ski. The surface area to weight is unreal. You can basically consider it an extension of the amazing Tecnica Zero G line (since it’s made by them and has some of the same tech).

And just like the Zero G series it has a more traditional flatter tail which inspires confidence when you hit that wind blasted firm section. Don’t think you can mob around the resort in the afternoon with these as well.

Once the snow starts getting cut up the lack of weight definitely shows up. But if you’re just looking to smash and grab before lines get chopped up you can get away with it. They do also have a speed limit with how light they so they definitely aren’t super high speed powder slayers.

Because it has such a long tip rocker line the ski definitely skis short. I’m 160ish without gear and I’ve ski’d both the 176 and 186 length (and use to own a 175 Amperage) and definitely glad went with the 186.

With my old Amperages and the 176’s I demo’d I couldn’t really pressure the tips how I like. And landing drops would occasional feel them “fold over”. The feeling short issue imo is on most BD powder skis and their choice of mount points, which transitions me to my next point.

One of things you really want to think on about this ski is the mount point. The boot center line is WAY forward of the narrowest part of the ski and there is a lot of good discussion on the TGR forums about this.

Most people are mounting at least -2. I’ve been skiing it around -2. 5 with Vipecs (Depending on the boot) and I really like it there. I could probably even go further back, but don’t regret the mount.

I would NOT recommend the Blister idea of mounting them forward.

I’ve been really happy with these boots, and big thanks to skimo. co helping find the right boot for my foot! I retired a pair of Salomon MTNs for this boot, and have been loving it. Definitely a softer boot than the MTN, but has much better progressive flex and comfortably drives a navis freebird or my wailer 112s.

I’m not the most aggressive skier of my ski partners, and at 6′, 160lbs, I haven’t found a limit on these boots yet. I’m usually a solid 25. 5, with high instep, narrow heel, and wide forefoot, making some boot fits tough, but after about 8-10 days (~60k of vert) in them so far, skiing everything from deep, cold, spring pow to isothermic cascade mank with a heavy pack, I have had zero hot spots or blisters.

I often need to have boots punched to make room for my first metatarsal head, but no medial pressure points with this boot. I was worried that I’d start to loose a big toe-nail for first 2-3 tours, however the liners have already begun to pack in nicely without any heat molding, and I’m feeling like I have just the right amount of space in the toe box without feeling like I’ll loose precision with time.

I have a little bit of heel lift that I’ll eventually fix, but it hasn’t been enough of an issue for me to deal with it yet. I often have trouble with buckles over my high forefoot (the Zero G’s I tried on were terrible, and I’ve never been able to tolerate scarpas or dynafits), but this hasn’t been an issue yet.

While there’s not a micro adjustment feature on these boots, I found that moving the buckle to the second set of factory holds dialed forefoot tension in nicely. Walk mode has been awesome- they don’t move as freely as my Salomon xalps (my go-to big spring mission boot), but nor should they- and they definitely have a much better ROM than the zero G’s I really wanted to like.

I haven’t played around with the foreword lean adjustment yet, not sure that I will, but it looks easy enough to adjust. Also, small things count, all the buckle bolts have the same t15, which means I have to carry fewer bits and screws in the repair kit when I’ve been out on multi-day missions.

Overall very happy with these as a medium/heavy duty boot- looking forward to seeing how they hold up long term. I have no concerns about there ability to drive a bigger ski, touring in the cascades.

As always, thanks skimo co!.

I figured I would post a quick review of these boots after 3 tours in them since they are new and have a lot of hype. My previous touring boots were lange free tours and salomon mtn labs. I wear a street size 11.

5 or 12 and went with 29. 5 and superfeet insoles. I like the fit, its comfortable while still feeling precise and snug while skiing. I will likely need to punch my 6th toe area before big missions. They feel light on the up and the ROM has blown me away very easy to take long comfortable strides.

I am using them in the more upright, less aggressive stance and I really like how they ski. On a powder day I used them to drive my 1800 gram 108 underfoot skis and felt confident and comfortable. (granted that was in low density ankle deep powder) I have also used them with my lighter 88 underfoot skis and they drove them flawlessly.

Some cons I have noticed: the walk mode has iced up on me many times requiring me to break ice to engage or disengage it. The internal gaiter and tongue bunch upwards around the top of the foot and needs to be “set” for downhill skiing (they even have these instructions written on that part of the boot) Overall I really like this boot and will be using it for all my touring this winter.

Great mix of uphill and downhill performance for someone who values downhill experience and longer days out. I hope we see more lean beef like this from all the boot makers out there.

Got the boot when they finally arrived in November. I’m mixed on this boot as there are big upsides and maybe bigger downsides. Upsides: * It walks great. I was coming from years of TLTs and while it doesn’t walk quite as nice, the walk movement was very easy and better than boots I had prior to the TLTs.

* As I had hoped for with a beefier boot, it skied really great. The progressive style flex was really nice. * The walk/lock mechanism is beefy and reliable. Downsides: * The gaiter piece tends to get in the way of everything.

It bunches and can be felt if it does. * The buckles have no micro adjustment and I could never get a perfect fit. * The upper buckle bail didn’t line up well and would rub against the hinge, something I thought would be worrisome later.

* They are not, absolutely not, 130 flex. They ski great and I knew they were probably not super crazy stiff, which I don’t want or need, but they are probably closer to 110 than 130. * If you’ve wondered why I write about these in the past tense, it’s because they cracked, on both boots, after ~40 some days of use (see pic).

I’ve heard from SkimoCo and others separately that this has been showing in others too, already, for a boot that is essentially just off the truck. Thankfully SkimoCo is spectacular at warranty. I will not be keeping these when they are replaced.

Bought these to replace older heavy powder boards. Was delighted to have one more winter dump of snow to try them out in before the end of the season. They are very lightweight which makes skiing in heavier powder so much easier – just what I was looking for! Skis float well are stable at higher speeds in powder.

They are a playful ski with good bounce. Only fault I noticed was they get squirlie on the hard pack and it’s harder to hold an edge but I expected that and will only use them for powder skiing. Best features – light weight, double rocker to assist float in powder and camber for bounce.

Love the beautiful graphics! Why be dull!.

This is a true all-mountain freestyle weapon. The ski has deep rocker lines, but a long effective edge. This makes the ski handle deep snow well, but also makes it so that it can rip a groomer. The Nomad 105 is more smooth than poppy and this characteristic makes it more fun to ski fast.

This is a ski that you can really take anywhere from groomers, to open bowls, to trees and even laps in the park. When skiing the Nomad, it encourages you to find side hits and huck drops whenever possible.

The Lite version offer close to the same ride but in a slightly lighter package. It would be good for someone doing some sidecountry or shorter backcountry tours.

This sled is highly portable and I’ve found it extremely useful to do low intensity endurance work. I have it in my trunk with a couple of plates and I use it once or twice a week, pulling it around a stadium for an hour, while I listen to podcasts.

With the right pace and weights I stay very consistently around 135BPM HR, which is my zone 2 sweet spot. One thing to note is that it does much better on astroturf than on other surfaces. On dirt / gravel / pavement it gets pretty noisy.

On real grass, the traction varies widely with how wet the grass is. In spots where the grass is damp, the sled will “stick” a lot more so the intensity will suddenly increase.

I actually purchased and use both the S-35E and the S-25 FatBoy Sleds. I only keep and use the Fatboy for heavy workouts at the gym on the carpet, which we are fortunate to have over 100’ long. I also use this S-35E to do separate recuperation/rehab workouts and also use it for cardio work several hours after my heavy pulls when I pull it around a reservoir for 1.

33 miles on a paved path with only about 50-75lvs. This S-35E is much more convenient to transport around. I keep it in my Jeep Wrangler with a few plates. This sled does not tear up the asphalt pathway either.

I do get many astonishing looks! I’m 57 too. Both are great!.

Got this for my home gym recently, Best thing I’ve bought for it so far. I use it for forward pulling with the strap attached to a weight belt around my waist, backwards dragging, lateral dragging etc.

Very effective for working the posterior chain and cardio at the same time. I also use it for upper body accessory work, face pulls, rear delt fly’s, tricep extensions, pummeling etc. Very effective for recovery/restoration too.

All in all a very worthwhile and excellent value for money piece of equipment for any gym/home gym. PS I live on a farm so I drag it up and down gravel and suits it fine. Cheers Rogue!.

Overall I’m a little disappointed with my Renegades 191’s. I’m 6’1, 205lbs, expert skier and I used these as my 1 ski quiver for about 35 days last year; home mountain Crested Butte, with trips to Snowbird, Silverton, and heli in AK.

My main gripes are twofold, first, the float isn’t as good as I’d expect for the fattest ski in 4frnt’s lineup (or just Hoji’s lineup?). Second, I wish these were stiffer. Looking back, I’m not surprised that I have these issues because I’ve heard Hoji is like 150/160lbs, and I’m a bigger guy at 205lbs.

So maybe it’s plenty of float and stiffness for someone 50lbs lighter than me. As far as different conditions you’ll encounter, when you take these on the frontside, obviously you shouldn’t expect much b/c they’re a powder ski, but with the right conditions they can hold an edge pretty well on groomers, though if I push too hard the front of my tips frequently wash out (again no surprise there).

In bumps I’ve been disappointed because they often hook and lose their line (maybe it’s me, but I’ve had more luck on fatter skis in bumps; main point of reference the discontinued Icelantic Gypsy 125’s).

Soft chop, I wish they were stiffer because I get bucked around pretty good when charging. Powder, they have great float, but I’m not blown away (do I sound like a powder snob?). Where these skis really excel is in powder around tight trees.

They’re very maneuverable in soft snow and it’s very intuitive to smear them around in powder; this is fun. It pains me to write a critical review because 4frnt is a great company, I’ve had previous pairs of 4frnt’s that I absolutely loved (bring back the 4frnt Gaucho’s!), and I really wanted to love these skis (by the way, the graphics are SICK), but maybe it helps a skier like myself somewhere out there.

The 2021/22 Hojis are a great powder ski with a beautiful graphic. I have them as a touring setup with shift bindings. They have done well touring and I have only slipped on very steep tracks that should really have been tracked not as steep.

I have also used them in the resort. You can charge with them in powder and soft snow. On hardpack they perform ok. My resort powder skis are the Moment Deathwish which also perform very well in powder; however, the Deathwish also performs exceptionally well on hardpack for being such a fat ski.

If you are deciding between the two for a pure powder ski, I would honestly go with whichever has the better graphic or which one you can get cheaper. If you plan to use the ski on hardpack or even occasionally icy runs, I would definitely choose the Deathwish.

I would say the deathwish could even be a one ski quiver if you ski a lot of pow.

Strengths: – Superb float in the pow – Stability at speed / no speed limit – also in choppy conditions – Extremely nimble for its width – can turn this ski on a dime in the soft stuff – Great for touring +/- 1,000m vert (bring mohair skins to maximize glide) – Long tail accommodates back seat landings without that classic washout – Does a better than expected job on groomers for a ski this wide Weaknesses: – Full rocker profile translates to a harsher ride in hard conditions than a cambered ski – Forward mounting point may not be for everyone (if you’re old school and like to drive the tips, the Renegade will take some getting used to) Summary: In a nutshell, this is the most fun ski I’ve owned.

With a pair of Rotation 12s mounted at the factory recommended line, the Renegade has become my go-to out of bounds ride – but I also ski it inbounds when snow conditions are good. I am simply amazed at how nimble it is given its stiffness, and it absolutely rocks in the trees (a pleasant surprise).

There is basically no speed limit on this ski and it’s incredibly stable when you let it run. Also, the rocker profile let’s you shut it down quick if needed despite its R30 (quicker than you’d expect).

It’s become the ski that I always bring along on ski trips (often as a pair #2) – just in case. On a bluebird powder day, there is no need to look further than the 4FRNT Renegade. Model year: 2019/2020 Riding style: Powder / touring Length of ski: 184 cm Riders weight: 67 kg Riders length: 175 cm.

Seems like quality control for all products during COVID has gone down. Gone through two warranties on some new NF gear, a brand that in the past served my father a good 20+ years on average. First off I wanna get this out of the way.

I was nervous about these skis after reading some reviews on the top sheet peeling off, however, this seems to be the case (mostly) of user error. The top sheet is a little delicate, I found this out after a hard crash the 3rd or so day I ran these.

Having never used a pair of black crows before I can’t tell you if the top sheet is normally this weak. Besides, if you’re good enough shouldn’t your skis never get scratched? Are there lighter skis out there? YES.

Are there stronger skis with better top sheet adhesion/material/general durability? YES. Will they be this playful, this light, this floaty, yet this strong and stable even on less than ideal conditions? Probably not.

Is this worth the money compared to an alternative from dynafit, Rossignol, Atomic? that’s up to you. So far I have about 4 or 5 full days of skiing on em, half as a touring setup and the other half on-piste.

All in the Cascades. I give it a 10/10 in functionality, 8. 5/10 on build quality, 8/10 on price, 10/10 on design/aesthetic. 11/10 in powder, 8/10 on icy-crusty conditions, and 9/10 on corn snow groom.

I wish I could give Atomics’ bent-chetlers a run, but I’d venture out to say your probably not getting a better quiver killer in this price range than the Atris’.

This ski is flat out fun. With the weird snow Washington has received this year, and an early-season injury, I probably spent my first 10 or so days on this ski just ripping groomers and a little bit of variable off-piste snow.

It is not the stiffest ski, but it handled those conditions pretty well. But ever since mid-March, mother nature has been bringing the goods here in the PNW, and that is where you can truly fall in love with this is.

It brings that feeling of being loose, able to pivot and smear, but still strong enough to put your foot on the gas pedal and go when you need to. It probably wouldn’t be my choice for an everyday driver, but only because I want to go a little bit wider this next time around.

I also have noticed slight durability issues on the top sheets between my version of the ski and those of my coworker, but this is to be expected when you ride the skis hard. I just think the glossy top sheet has a tendency to chip, especially at the tips.

All in all, I liked this ski a lot and would definitely recomend it to anybody looking for a more playful all mountain pow ski.

Just christened these beauties during 3 days at Whistler Blackcomb. No fresh snow, so conditions were a mix of crud and ice. These skis didn’t care. With my old racing skis, every bump and ridge sent shock waves up the length of my body.

The Black Crows Atris glided me over the roughest stuff, yet they held an edge like nobody’s business. In the woods, I had exceptional control when making tight turns. On the one small stretch of untouched deep powder I managed to find, I floated gracefully across the surface.

On groomers, I didn’t feel like I lost that much in speed or control compared to the racing skis these replaced. The one downside I would mention is the inability to skate. In that one area, they seem to stick to the snow.

They move well whether walking them forward or pushing ahead with poles, so I’m not sure why skating doesn’t work with them. Despite this minor con, I’m enamored with these skis, which are the perfect one-ski quiver, excellent for any conditions you throw at them.

Certified chargers! These skis are stiff, stable, damp, but yet surprisingly easy to break loose and initiate turns on. You basically get all the benefits of a burly, freeride ski but with the easy skiing feel that’s usually uncharacteristic for skis in this category.

Whether you’re riding big mountain lines, PNW storm day leftovers, chunky crud, or just ripping groomers, I wouldn’t hesitate to reach for the Rossi Sender 106Ti+ Skis. Wide enough to float in soft snow, stiff enough to smash through chopped up snow without getting deflected, and fast enough edge to edge to be a hoot on groomers.

For reference, I’m 6ft and 180lbs and felt like the 187cm length (mounted at recommended line) was perfect for daily driver use.

I am a very avid winter skier and I absolutely love this ski. It has everything I want in a ski and so much more. It gets you seamlessly through crud, flows through powder and can rip an agressive turn on groomers.

I actually use this ski as my all around all-mountain ski and it functions great in it all. I love to rip groomers, head to hike-to terrain, ski powder and cruise through bumps on this ski. Rossignol is at the top of their game right now when it comes to making skis.

These are some of the best on the market. Highly recommend/LOVE this ski.

Sometimes, Jack-of-all-trades type skis really are the master of none, but this Sender 94 Ti ski does everything incredibly well! Great in bumps, super stable in crud and chop, excellent and nimble in trees, confidence-inspiring on steeps, outstanding in up to 6” of fresh snow and absolutely RIPS groomers and hardpack.

This is the best all-mountain ski I’ve ever used, and it will go with me everywhere. This ultimate resort ski is also light enough for touring and strong enough to ski anything. So smooth, stable and fun to ski!.

I LOVE these skis! Super clean disign. Love the bindings as well. Bindings we’re super easy to mount. These are the first pair of high quality skis that i’ve invested in and it was 110% worth it. Now just gotta hope that New Mexico gets some snow!.

I love these skis! They work really well carving down both icy and powder slopes. I also haven’t had any problems hitting jumps and fixtures on the terrain parks. Also they look sweet which is a plus :).

Great skis for the price.

These were fun skis, however they were only fun for about two days before they took a massive core shot and blown out edge on a very basic rail I have done a thousand times and only on my third day riding these.

pretty upset that less than a month into having these skis they got wrecked on a very basic rail.

Good versatile skis. I didn’t love them the way I wanted to, but I’m giving 4 stars because they are so versatile. There is something lacking in the flex that I can’t quite put my finger on. What I think is that the flex underneath the foot is softer than the rest of the ski, and they feel a bit “bouncy”, like they are moving around more under my boots even though they are still stable at high speeds.

I guess I just wish they were a bit stiffer. I wish that in a lot of modern skis though, and these are more stable and versatile than most powder skis. They do everything well, firm or packed groomers, powder, trees, bumps, you name it they will conquer.

They float better than some other 115mm skis I have tried, that’s probably their strongest attribute after versatility. Sometimes I have issues with very tapered tips, but Armada has figured out how to do taper the right way, without any “catching” in certain conditions when you’re driving them hard.

One other thing is that they seem less durable than my Armada ARG II skis. The 2020 Declivity X seem more durable, idk what they changed in the constructions, but the 2020s feel stiffer and built better.

This is just feeling in hand though, I haven’t damaged them skiing at all, so this minor flaw could be all in my head.

The review that says the Declivity is softer than the Stranger and ARVs doesn’t make any sense. Note he is Staff Reviewer, maybe he took one run on them, I doubt anyone that spends a good amount of time on these would call them soft.

The tip does have some give with the way the ti is cut on the tip, but push them deep into a carve and the ski gets really stiff. Maybe it’s the mount point being more rearward, but this is a stronger ski than both the ARV and Stranger.

Armada rates the Stranger waaaaay softer at the ends and I do too. This is Armada’s best directional all-mountain ski ever and if you can actually drive and carve a ski, they are a much better carving ski than the ARV and Stranger, both much more freestyle oriented skis.

If you like a centered mounted ski, the Declivity may not be your cup of tea, BUT if you want a ski that can rip it up all over the mountain in package that is more versatile than most 2 sheet metal skis, these are amazing.

I also work in the industry (not affiliated with Armada) and I have over 10 customers on this ski from last season. Not one ever came back and said they were too soft. If you weigh a lot, then maybe they would be, but I put an advanced level skier who has been skiing for 40+ years on these at 185 lbs and he says they are his favorite ski EVER (owned many pairs before these), said he has never skied moguls better in his life.

They are indeed great in moguls and bumps, flex pattern is spot on.

Fantastically fun ski, but durability a serious issue. I’ve now had two sets of the Declivitys – the 2020/2021 102s and the 2021/2022 108s – and the cores have cracked on both of these, with absolutely no signs of notable impact.

No core shots, no busted edges, but both sets of skis essentially cracked in half in the same place. Worst of all, it happens quickly – maybe skied the 102s for 3 months before this happened to both skis, and only had the 108s for a few weeks.

After the 102s, I thought “hey, that could be me, let’s try again”, only to face the same exact issue weeks later with the 108s. I really love how this ski rides and wish I could trust the skis enough to get a third set, but am really disappointed from a brand like Armada to be producing such fragile skis.

On the hard cronch of morning mission ridge groomers, the Hustle 9 held their own fairly well for such a lightweight ski. In the words of my Rustler loving coworker, “They ski like a Rustler, but lighter,” Duh.

When I slipped under the lift for a few steep and rocky turns, the 9 felt a little too narrow to stop getting thrown around a bit in my turns, but I was able to push them into it eventually without having to sideslip or roll down the moguls, meaning the issue was probably just with me.

I don’t doubt the Hustle 10 would hold up better in these scenarios with the added width. For a lightweight ski they felt generally similar to everything else I’ve tried, which is how the vast majority of y’all reading this will probably feel when approaching your first touring buy.

My advice: pick a brand you like for in bounds ripping and invest in their lightweight counterpart. It’ll keep the spirit of the ski with a much better uphill. that’s the point after all! I’m happy that Blizzard has gone full unisex and this should be applauded and celebrated.

invest in brands that challenge the norm and deliver products that work. Keep on Hustlin’.

Is it a coincidence that Blizzard names their ski line after professional bull riding bulls? Maybe. But what I can tell you is Blizzard takes the cake when it comes to skis that inspire confidence at speed and variable conditions.

Unlike the Cochise, Brahma, and Bonafide, The Rustler series is a little bit more versatile. They don’t require a top minimum speed to start carving, yet they offer the same confidence inspiring edge hold.

The Rustler 10 comes in at 102mm at the waist and allows for days exploring the entire mountain. At 5’6 and 260 lbs I choose to ride this ski at 180cm for maximum enjoyment.

I love to ride all over the mountain and the Hustle is this ski! This ski is light with its new carbon construction. It has a very similar feel to its metal brother the Rustler. I would look to this ski as an awesome backcountry addition.

Unfortunately the pair I demoed had heavy rental alpine bindings on it and did not give you a good example of all this ski has to offer as a backcountry tool. It rails and is quick edge to edge. Not much chatter with moving to carbon from the metal Rustler version.

Really predictable in turns and over fun playful ski.

I had the chance to demo the Salomon QST 106 in both the 181 and 188 length. I ultimately purchased the 181 due to the more playful and quick edge to edge transition vs. the 188. The 188s seemed a bit too heavy for my liking, and I found myself smearing turns more than cutting harder (which I prefer).

For a 6’1-6’2, 170lb guy, who likes to bomb groomers, pick lines in the trees/bumps, and enjoy the fresh CO pow when we are graced with it- the QST 106 handled it all well. I also took out the Nordica Enforcer 104, Elan Ripstick 96, Atomic Bent Chetler 100 and a few pairs in between.

The enforcers felt like you were on rails at high speeds and were incredibly confidence inspiring, but a bit heavy for quicker maneuverability in tighter glades. The ripsticks allowed very quick cuts even in a powder day, but almost stuck too much on edge that they weren’t as fun otherwise.

The bent Chetlers were too light for my liking and speed on groomers, and I often found myself slowing down on less than ideal conditions to avoid losing an edge. Again, after skiing some of these back to back, the QST 106s were a perfect blend of grip and maneuverability, while remaining playful enough that I found I was popping off little bumps with ease making me feel like I was back in my 20s.

For someone who has not plunged into the depths of investing in a multi-pair ski quiver, these skis seem to do it all and are even planned for some light touring this season. My buddy has the previous year and he’s used them several times off resort.

I always recommend trying several pairs before you commit to buying, but if you are in my range of build, ski level, and interest- you’ll be quite happy with these skis, I know I sure am!.

I had a unique experience with these skis. My riding style is Big Mountain, Hard Charging and I was underwhelmed by these. Unfortunately the day I took these out we had little-to-none fresh snow so I could not enjoy these to the fullest so I gave them a 4 star rating, but if I had fresh snow and they performed how they did, I would probably rate them lower.

I’ll start with what I really liked. The float on these would have been amazing. You can tell they were built for that deeper day and meant to be ripped all mountain. The camber profile was good when you could get on edge, however, I found the edge hard to find.

At low speeds they were very good and I felt fully supported through whatever I went through. Here are my drawbacks. I felt like the ski was hard to get on edge and when you were on steeper terrain, the lack of that edge made them hard to stop.

My face made contact with the snow 3 times on these because of this. This could be because I had the wrong size as I feel like a smaller one would have worked for me better but I typically ride an 180-185 so I cannot say for sure.

On hardpack, as I mentioned above, the performance lacked compared to what I was used to. Edge was hard to hook up on and it felt like a burden to start your turns. I will say when you found the edge they were very enjoyable minus some more aggressive chatter.

Finally, they just did not fit my riding style which is something I’m taking into account. If you are a rider who likes deeper snow and smooth turns at lower speeds these are the skis for you. They would truly be a great pair for that kind of day.

I unfortunately did not have that weather. Demo these before you pull the trigger but I could see how the right skier would love them.

Everything about the QST 106 is Solid, clean, and easy to love. The QST lineup is the perfect medium of a soft freeride ski and a hard charger, that can go everywhere, do almost anything, and simply, vibe.

At 5’6″, the 173 is the length I’d pick for wide open spaces, hikes, and basically anything but trees. Before I tried this ski, I watched my friend, fellow reviewer, and probably the best technical skier I know Jarett deftly maneuver steep slopes and rip impeccable carves down runs I could only bumble over.

The point is, I knew the QST was a powerhouse, but experiencing it myself was something else. Carves on the icy snow felt effortless and secure compared to my every day driver which crumbles under the pressure of the extra high speeds I’m drawn to.

When I worked at the Seattle Evo, the QST series was an easy sell for this very reason. If you’re looking for something that’ll do it all without overwhelming your weight, height, skill, style, or number of other factors that impact how we drive skis, the QST 106 is for you.

I’m a “girl,” but the construction has been standardized across genders, so pick what colors and lengths match you best. They SKI SHORT, which means if you’re waffling in between sizes it’s okay to go taller.

Although again, I prefer a shorter ski for the trees so make sure you consider your priorities. Love this ski. If you find yourself overthinking and stuck in between your next quiver addition stop. Come here.

And buy this.