SS SPEED 117-69-101@177 cm | R 15.7 | $1,250 w/b If you didn’t know any better, you might swear you were wearing Lycra and a race bib. This is about as close to GS racing as skiing gets outside of the gates. The SS Speed does OK when executing short-radius turns, but it really KOs the bigger arcs, especially on firmer snow. There is no speed limit, as the name suggests. “Like driving a race car at high speed,” wrote one tester. Now entering the starting gate… .
POWER ONE 115-68-99@163 cm | R 13.3 | $1,075 w/b Even for carving skis, carving isn’t everything. Some situations — especially in softer snow — call for pivoting skis underfoot rather than riding the edge. That twin turning ability is what gives the Power One its unique identity. Its lightness makes it easy to turn in deeper snow, yet its narrow waist helps create fast, carved turns on firmer surfaces. “Great on hard and groomed, but easily adapts to powder,” summed up one tester. To carve or not to carve — both work with this ski.
SS MAGNUM 122-71-108@177 cm | R 14.7 | $1,325 w/b Are those flashing blue lights you see in your rear-view mirror? The SS Magnum is the kind of ski that wants to live in the fast lane, not worried about exceeding any speed limits. Big turns at big speeds on hard snow are the forte of a ski that acts like a machine that escaped from the race-car garage. A forceful pilot is essential, and versatility is elusive. But to activate any racing urges lurking within, slide into the SS Magnum’s cockpit.
PERFECT ONE 115-67-99@164 cm | R 12.7 | $850 w/b Take a light ski, throw in a little stiffness and narrow-waisted sidecut, and what do you get? A ski that reacts quickly and turns easily in light powder and crud but can still hold its line when encountering the harder stuff. “Solid performance in variable conditions and variable turns,” wrote one tester of a ski that all testers appreciated for its versatility. Much-appreciated good looks, too. Commented one tester: “It’s a very sleek and sexy-looking ski.” Think of it as a light, lean looker.
SS TITAN 129-79-115@177 cm | R 14.7 | $1,378 w/b A fatter ski is supposed to be a soft-snow ski, right? Yet look at the skiers Head has in its racing stable — Bode Miller, Hermann Maier, Maria Riesch — who contribute feedback for Head’s Super Shape line. All are racers who like going big, fast and hard. “I think this is a carving ski,” commented one tester, expecting a soft-snow floater. This burly board is best when making World-Cup-like turns. If you can’t bust a little Bode boogie, another ski is for you.
GREAT ONE 124-78-110@171 cm | R 14.6 | $950 w/b What works for one skier might be terrible for another. Two testers just couldn’t get enough of the Great One, rating it best in the category, but others got too much of the ski. “Awesome!” gushed one enamoured tester. “Whistler, here I come!” But others found the ski hard to control, commenting that the tested length — at 171 cm, the longest in the category — might have been too much. To tap into the Great One’s greatness, going shorter might work better.
PEAK 78 PRO 125-78-111@177 cm | R 15.7 | $950 w/b The Peak 78 Pro makes excitement come easily. It’s loaded with high-speed, big turning power, yet it’s so easy to turn that one tester called it “soft and cuddly.” Another called it “as comfortable and relaxing as a massage, but with the rush of skiing downhill.” Best at big arcs in big snow, it can still handle the harder stuff if needed. The result is a multi-faceted ski that’s about as versatile as a mid-fat gets.
WILD ONE 121-82-107@166 cm | R 16.5 | $1,025 w/b The Wild West is the Wild One’s playground. On harder snow, the light and soft-flexing ski can be a rough-riding bronco. But as the snow softens and deepens, the Wild One can provide a smooth and satisfying ride, especially if a lighter woman is in the saddle. “Super fun on groomed (snow) because of its flexibility and lightness,” wrote one tester. When cruising at moderate speeds on the softer stuff, the Wild One is home on the range.
PEAK 82 123-82-109@177 cm | R 18.9 | $1,075 w/b To paraphrase Macbeth: Out, out, sweet spot! When the sweet spot comes out of its shell on the Peak 82, a wonderful, soft-snow cruiser reveals itself. “Ideal for powder,” commented one tester, for whom the ski was spot-on. Another tester found himself more befuddled. “Life is full of mysteries, and this ski is one of them,” he commented. The Peak 82 has a sweet soul; it just takes the right skier with the right skiing style to find it.
COOL ONE 117-71-102@163 cm | R 13.6 | $625 w/b For you, skiing should be as effortless as lounging in a hammock on a summer evening. You need a ski to match your laidback style, not a ski that demands a muscular commandant. The Cool One is all about sweet forgiveness, a light and soft ride best for easygoing speeds on easygoing terrain. “Perfect for smaller skiers who ski softly,” wrote one tester — or for those who liken skiing to floating on a summer breeze.
ICON 60 116-67-100@170 cm | R 14 | $850 w/b Cruise, cruise, cruise. That’s your simple game plan. Stick to the groomers, and take it easy. You spend most of your skiing time playing with the wife and kids rather than launching a macho assault on the mountain. The Icon 60 is a cruiser, not a fighter. It’s over its head when travelling at high speeds on challenging terrain. But for splashing around in the shallow end of the pool, it’s a pleasing, playful toy. Cruise, baby, cruise.
EVERY ONE 123-72-107@163 cm | R 12.1 | $750 w/b Some women’s skis are really just men’s skis cross-dressing in a woman’s top sheet. Others, like the Every One, are the real deal – skis that respond to skiers with a kinder, gentler, more feminine touch. Grace, rather than muscular athleticism, wins the day. Don’t push too hard or too fast, and the Every One can do everything — green slopes and black, big and tight turns, moguls, you name it. “Lots of finesse — an excellent weekend companion,” wrote one tester. A true lady’s ski.
PEAK 74 FLR 121-74-107@170 cm | R 14.1 | $600 w/b Aaaaaahhh. Take a deep breath and relax — here’s a ski to settle in with as if kicking back on a soft, upholstered chair. One tester called it “an easy rider, soft and flexible… forgiving in crud, quick around bumps and trees.” This is a ski that seems to flow over the snow surface rather than digging in — the key to its versatility. Don’t push it too hard on hard snow, and you’ll be saying “aaaaaahh” all day long.
9 | SkiPress Ski Test’ 11
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