ThisNext Blog

Now that much of the country has seen some sizable snowfall, it could be the right time to take off on a mid-winter ski excursion. If you’re in the market for new skis, Never Summer suggests staying away from unknown brands. “[A]ny compromise on the quality front will not be kind to you and takes you downhill directly,” the blogger warns. “Buying from reputed brands, you are sure of certain stated things like turn radius, high end toe plates, adjustable binding lengths, uncompromised biding surface in twin decks etc.”

The perfect place to start your ski-shopping, ThisNext spotlights some of the products most likely to show you a good time on the slopes this season. K2 Made’n AK skis, for instance, are “the Cadillac of powder skis,” according to Doug Krause. Tara Bell also goes for K2, naming their Phat Luv model “the best all mountain ski.” Susan Eckert dubs the K2 Women’s T: Nine Lotta Luv Ski “perfect for the female skier who wants to ride the entire mountain,” while Seth Morrison spreads the love for his very own K2 Skis Seth Model: “Love these since I have total input on them. Right down to the graphics,” he proudly shares. “If I could draw, they would probably use my graphics too.” But ezekielf goes for the K2 Public Enemy Alpine Ski, featuring ABS sidewalls and 2.5mm wide-edges. “It is a great all mountain ski with enough width for powder, but enough sidecut and torsional stiffness for carving,” ezekielf declares. “In extremely icy conditions I find myself wishing I had more sidecut, but I’m not a huge fan of skiing on ice anyway.”

Atomic’s another popular ski brand around ThisNext, earning nods from Bob Roll, Paul Stankey, and Kristen Ulmer. Paul digs the Supercross SX:10 Skis, noting that they’re “ugly but can handle anything at all speeds.” Bob’s selected the GS:11, since the pro-racing skis are “wicked fast and have a world class base that is stupid easy to tune.” Speaking of wicked fast: Kristen claims her M:EX Puls Ti Alpine Skis are “missiles,” a sentiment echoed by OutdoorReview.com’s take on that model: “The M:EX throws a mid-fat profile with big shovel and tail down for superior float in the soft stuff, and a proven carving sidecut to tear graceful curves through the groomed trails,” the site raves.

And for both Kasha Rigby and John Johnston, Dynastar’s outta this world. The latter looks to the Dynastar Pro, an alpine ski with mixed wood core, titanium laminate, full-length sidewalls, and a 97mm waist. “I’m freaking huge, so stability in a ski is something that I can’t do without,” says John. Kasha can’t enough of her Dynastar Legend 8800s, another alpine ski that, according to Backcountry.com, offers a more forgiving flex than the Dynastar Pro. “These skis fight back against attacks from the nastiest snow conditions!” says Kasha. “They’re as roller-coaster fun on steep groomers as they are in the trees.”