We Tested the Best New Skis for 2024

New skis can turn a ho-hum season into magic. Storm days become powder days and hardpack evolves into an opportunity to link tight turns on your carvers. While it’s difficult to sift through all the new skis out there, we’ve done the heavy lifting by testing the season’s most promising candidates and whittling the list down to the best dozen pairs of performance skis for 2024. Though if we have to pick one overall ski to recommend, it’s the Volkl Blaze 114. The ski consistently put a smile on our testers’ faces and excelled across a range of conditions—icy to powder—unlike any other.

Skis with more rocker (rise in the tip and tail) can generally be skied slightly shorter than those with a flat profile/base.

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If you’re on the fence about investing in new gear, and holding onto your old boards— even as backups—now’s the time verify that your bases are waxed, edges tuned, your skins still attach to your skis, and bindings are set to the correct DIN. Double check those bindings. Have you lost or gained weight? Are the mounting screws still tight? Make sure your skis are in at least as good shape as you are. 

This applies to the rest of your ski kit—and we’re busy testing the best new ski apparel and gear of 2024. So, if you’re ready for some upgrades there, too, stay tuned. Right now, it’s time for your annual gear inspection. Check your boot soles for wear and your goggles for scratches. How old is your helmet, and did you have any crashes last season that diminished its effectiveness? If backcountry is your game, put new batteries in your avi-beacon, and consider a refresher course on how to use it. 

Now, let’s take a close look at what’s happening (or should be) underneath all that—on the most exciting dozen pairs of skis for 2024. These boards will perform for anyone, but for those struggling to make the transition from intermediate to hard-charging expert, they’re serious game-changers. Read on for our picks to gear up with the best skis for this season. 

Our Testing Process: Why You Should Trust Us

Our team of nine testers knows how to do their homework. Collectively, we’ll rack up more than 1,000 on-snow days in a given season just testing out skis and gear to see if they live up to their promise. Most of us have been testing skis for over 20 ski seasons. We’ve skied New England and Eastern Canadian hardpack, Whistler powder, Pacific Northwest cement, and everything in between, including months in the French, Italian, and Swiss Alps. 

Our testers have visited more than two dozen ski resorts in every condition imaginable, and skied plenty of peaks, steep slopes, and couloirs. We offer a combined ski history of more than 100 years of high-level race and big-mountain experience racked up from Japan to North America to the Alps.  

We love reviewing skis, and have tested more than 300 pairs of them. We harnessed not only ambition, but wisdom and experience, with testers from their early 20s to seasoned vets. We also tested some skis on less experienced legs to assess how they performed for beginner and intermediate skiers. It’s never easy putting so many great skis through their paces before whittling them down to our favorite dozen pairs of top performers—but it’s always a ton of fun. 

Related: Powder Paradise: Snowcat Skiing at Colorado’s Purgatory Resort

How to Choose the Right Ski

Ski choice is all about love—not numbers, size, shape, or price. Ultimately, that true magic between you and the ski will schuss far beyond the mere graphics of a topsheet (though affection has to start somewhere) and into the realm of pure on/off-piste performance, confidence, and enjoyment. 

When you’re shopping, keep in mind your day-to-day reality on the slopes. Will you be primarily skiing thigh-deep pow, fast groomers, crunchy crud? Remember, skis with more rocker (rise in the tip and tail) can generally be skied slightly shorter than those with a flat profile/base.

Volkl Blaze 114

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Best Overall Mountain Performer: Volkl Blaze 114

In 2023, testers reached for the Volkl Blaze 106 more than any other ski. This year, we tried out the new Volkl Blaze 114 and were equally impressed. In addition to the warm fuzzies we got knowing that the ski is produced in the most environmentally friendly way possible (the base is recycled material, and the isocore inside the wood core is sourced from recycled PET bottles rather than the standard PU foam), this ski had testers busting out their happy dances. “Expect to charge hard all day, every day,” says one tester. The Blaze 114 was gutsy in ever-changing big mountain conditions where we experienced everything from steep, icy moguls to deep crust to unexpected powder pockets. “This ski let me push myself in steeper, more unpredictable conditions than I’ve ever dared,” says another tester, noting that the tip and tail rocker, combined with the slim titanal sheet in the center of radius sidecut, helped him make precise turns even when he was punching above his weight class.

We also highly recommend the Volkl Blaze 106 to complete your two-ski quiver. Its 146-106-128 3D-radius sidecut and new suspension tip—a rubbery material on the tip and tail that acts like a bumper in windblown conditions and ups the float factor—make it a favorite for big mountain crushers. Its light weight (1,828g at 186) also makes it great for touring when paired with a Duke PT or Kingpin. It’s forgiving enough for a broad range of abilities. More powerful skiers will get the most out of it, but intermediates won’t be overpowered.

• Sizes (cm): 166, 176, 184, 192
• Sidecut (mm): 154-114-136 (184)
• Radius 1 (m): 39 (184)
• Radius 2 (m): 18 (184)
• Radius 3 (m): 29 (184)
• Weight (g): 1,945 (184)

Peak 98 by Bode Miller

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Best Ski for Power and Speed: Peak 98 by Bode Miller

Bozeman-based Peak Ski Company has an impeccable pedigree. Co-founder, Olympic gold medalist, Bode Miller, is America’s GOAT male alpine ski racer. He takes gear seriously. (In 2023, we tested the Scarpa 4-Quatro ski boot Miller worked on, and it performed flawlessly all season.) The Peak 98 by Bode is a ski that you can really stand on. You can charge with it, lay it over with all your might, and it won’t overreact. Even our less-than-pro-skier testers found the Peak 98 by Bode initiated turns easily without requiring superhero power. It’s one of the most diverse skis we’ve skied. It can pop, bounce, and noodle through a wide variety of resort and big mountain terrain while offering plenty of bite for carving purists. The core is a paulownia/ash laminate that’s sandwiched between two layers of titanal. Peak’s “Keyhole Technology” creates an oval cutaway on the top layer; you get horsepower for trench-carving turn initiation, but the ski still cruises when you’re in the back seat enjoying the sights.

• Sizes (cm): 160, 168, 178, 184, 190
• Sidecut (mm): 128-98-116
• Radius (m): 24 (184)
• Weight (g): 1,978 (184)

Fischer Transalp CTI 98

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Best Backcountry Ski: Fischer Transalp CTI 98

When you’re exploring contour lines on a backcountry map, you never know what might come next. The new Fischer Transalp 98 CTI lets you focus on downhill delights without the worry of excess luggage on the uphill slogs. Testers loved the ski’s lightness, especially when boot packing up hundreds of feet of vert to access untracked couloirs. Don’t be fooled by its welter-weight stats, the Transapl CTI is the holy grail of light and strong. It surfs well in pow despite its relatively narrow waist, and testers liked its quick turn initiation and release. A unique milling pattern reduces the weight of the wood core by about 25 percent without impacting flex or torsional stability. The Transalp CTI 98’s power transmission is noteworthy—designers use a titanal insert under foot which translates to power without excess weight. Testers deemed this a ski that won’t hold back experts, but one that will up any skier’s game. Skins are easy to secure in the cutout tip hole and notched tail. We also like that the skis are manufactured in the Ukraine with a laser focus on sustainability.

• Sizes (cm): 155, 162, 169, 176, 183
• Sidecut (mm): 134-99-119 (183)
• Radius (m): 23 (183)
• Weight (g): 1,500

Elan Playmaker 101

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Best Twin Tip Ski: Elan Playmaker 101

“Fun, forgiving, snappy,” were the adjectives testers used for the Elan Playmaker 101. Based in the Slovenian Alps, Elan is known for its hand-crafted performance skis. This twin-tip freeride ski has a 3D Trapezoid shape that proved stable and precise underfoot both on hardpack and knee-deep pow. The smoother rocker profile provides just enough pop to inspire spontaneous natural hits (and forgive tired knees). The Playmaker 101 features a light, laminated wood core with equally featherweight twin carbon rods that run the length of the ski. Testers noted that the 360-degree sidewalls authoritatively gripped hardpack with recognizable edge power. You can also get the Playmaker 91 ($600,122/91/116). It’s narrower underfoot, which ups the carving factor; if you’re mainly dicing corduroy or twisting in the terrain park, it’s a great choice for your daily driver, and with a 122cm shovel, it’ll keep you afloat when you venture off-piste.

• Sizes (cm): 164, 172, 180, 188
• Sidecut (mm): 132 / 101 / 122 mm (180)
• Radius (m): 18.1 (180)
• Weight (g): 1,760 (180)

Related: The 15 Best Men’s Hiking Boots For Any Kind of Terrain

Line Bacon 108

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Best Freestyle Ski: Line Bacon 108

Testers have long loved the iconic Sir Francis Bacon ski and this new version (the brand sadly dropped the ski’s honorary title and first name) crushed all expectations. Not only did Line Bacon 108 nail the graphics (as usual) but the layup, with its versatile 108 mm waist, low-swing weight (thanks to less plastic and more bio-resin in the tips), and ramped durability does pretty much anything the freestyle skier asks. This year’s Bacon 108 doubles down with a design that’s ultra-capable in crud and swoopy on the groomers. It’s built to withstand the demands of the adventurous freerider who wants to ski everything, along with a few style points for smears and slices ‘n’ dices. The amped up sidewall stretches to the ski’s core while adding more material to the steel edges. The increase of the bonding surface area creates sidewalls that can withstand brutal edge impacts, like sliding rails.

• Sizes (cm): 166, 172, 178, 184, 190
• Sidecut (mm): 142-108-137 (184)
• Radius (m): 17.4 (184)
• Weight (g): 2,180 (184)

Nordica Unleashed 114

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Best Powder Ski: Nordica Unleashed 114

Nordica’s Unleashed 114 was termed “a confidence booster” by testers starting to ski the steeps. A steep shovel helps with lightning-quick tip initiation, and this big-boy ski is comfortable in spicy terrain where Vallençant turns are a given, not an option. The tuned tail is designed for swiveling and riding switch, although we think of this ski more as a lively directional driver. Inside is a carbon reinforced wood core with a sheet of Nordica’s Terrain Specific Metal (TSM), a lightweight layer of metal tuned specifically for its 114mm waist. Its core construction, combined with less heavy ABS plastic on the tip, made for good edging and a smooth ride. 

• Sizes (cm): 174, 180, 186, 191
• Sidecut (mm): 146-114-135 (186)
• Radius (m): 20.4 (186) 
• Weight (g): 1,850

Peak 104 by Dav

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Best Sidecountry Explorer: Peak 104 by Dav

Peak reached out to two-time World Extreme Skiing champ, Chris Davenport, on the Peak 104 design. The goal was to produce a ski with great float for backcountry powder that would still be fun on the chop and groomers that most of us mortals ski at our local resorts. It’s also light enough for serious boot packing and skinning. The ski checks all those boxes, with a paulownia/poplar-Isocore core construction and the full metal titanal in the upper laminate. Testers also deemed the ski to be incredibly stable on the steeps, with a floaty, surfy feel in deep powder. “The Peak 104 by Dav is ideal for confident skiers who dive into the fall line,” says one tester, “but it can be laid-back and playful too.”

• Sizes (cm): 160, 168, 178, 184
• Sidecut (mm): 135-104-123 (184)
• Radius (m): 24 (184)
• Weight (g): 1,861 (184)

Volkl Secret 102

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Best All-Terrain Resort Ski: Volkl Secret 102

Curveball time. Volkl initially marketed the Secret 102 as a women’s ski due to its agility and ability to handle fast, quick turns despite its 102mm width underfoot. But this isn’t just a ski..