New snow affects almost everything about the skiing experience. Your body position, energy transfer, rhythm, and turn shape all change in powdery conditions. If you want the first tracks, fluffy descents, and endless memories that powder portends, you’re going to need the very best powder skis. Luckily, we’ve rounded them up for you.
- Atomic BENT CHETLER 120
- Black Crows Atris
- DPS Skis 112 Pagoda CFL
- Salomon QST Blank
- Armada LOCATOR 112
- Dynastar M-Free 118 F-TEAM
- Black Crows Nocta
- HEAD Kore 105 Freeride Ski
BEST POWDER SKIS
Atomic BENT CHETLER 120
This is a very playful powder ski that's brilliant for deep days at the resort or backcountry. The Atomic Bent Chetler 120 can handle spring slush pretty well but for the best experience, take this one out after a big storm in mid-winter conditions.
- Width: 120 mm underfoot, 142-144 mm tip, 133-135 mm tail
- Profile: Rocker/Camber/Rocker
Price: 0.00$
Pros
- Versatile
- Great for groomers
- Handles powder well
- Handles a variety of backcountry conditions
- Good for tree skiing
Cons
- Holds an edge but not nearly as well as a carving ski
- Chatter at high speeds
Brand Name | Product Type
Black Crows Atris
The Black Crows Atris Skis are a workhorse. These powder skis can handle a variety of conditions and shine best in moderate powder. They are playful but also very stable at higher speeds, which is rare for powder skis.
- Width: 108 mm underfoot, 138-140 mm tip, 125-126 mm tail
- Profile: Rocker/Camber/Rocker
Price: 0.00$
Pros
- Very stable at speed
- Fun and playful in the powder
- Can carve well for a powder ski
- Light for its size
Cons
- Narrower width can handle everything except blockbuster powder totals.
Brand Name | Product Type
DPS Pagoda Tour CFL 112
The Carbon Pagoda Tour CFL 112 offers an approachable, surf-inspired feel that effortlessly keeps you floating atop deep snow. This surprisingly lightweight ski is designed to be your ultimate backcountry powder companion, even when aiming for high vertical goals.
Price: 0.00$
Brand Name | Product Type
Salomon QST BLANK
Whether it's your first powder ski or your 20th, the Salomon QST Blank is a delight. The playful ski is fun in most conditions and can handle those deep powder days we all dream of.
- Width: 112 mm underfoot, 138 mm tip, 127 mm tail
- Profile: Rocker/Camber/Rocker
Price: 0.00$
Pros
- Good float in the powder
- Can handle variable conditions
- Fun and playful
- Easy to control
Cons
- Heavy for a powder ski.
Brand Name | Product Type
Armada LOCATOR 112
Another solid option in our best powder skis roundup, the Armada LOCATOR 112 is an equal opportunity ski. You can hit trees, chutes and steeps with confidence due to the aggressive design and impressive stability at high speeds. Take this one to the resort or into the backcountry; it works well in both.
- Width: 112 mm underfoot, 134-137 mm tip, 126-128 mm tail
- Profile: Rocker/Camber/Rocker
Price: 0.00$
Pros
- Jack of all trades backcountry ski
- Great for aggressive skiers
- Stable at high speeds
- Does very well at big mountain resorts as well
Cons
- Less edge grip than other models. Not a great carver.
Brand Name | Product Type
Dynastar M-Free 118 F-TEAM
Another great powder ski, the Dynastar M-Free 118 F-Team is a powerful ski that can also handle heaps of new snow. Like many on this list, the M-Free is most free when there's new snow to play in. This ski excels on big mountain faces where medium and large turns are the name of the game.
- Width: 118 mm underfoot, 145 mm tip, 135 mm tail
- Profile: Tip and Tail Rocker
Price: 0.00$
Pros
- Good float
- Responds well in variable conditions
- Powerful
- Stable at speed
Cons
- Tapered tips bounce around in the crud
Brand Name | Product Type
BLACK CROWS NOCTA SKIS
Introducing the third generation of the beloved Black Crows Nocta Skis. What these skis gave up in rigidity, they got back in camber. They’re an excellent companion for surfing the freshest powder, thanks to a stable design that feels comfortable and predictable even at speed.
In terms of features, the reverse camber allows you to pivot and carve with ease. Meanwhile, the middle-of-the-road flex offers a nice balance between performance and forgiveness. Plus, you’ll have tons of fun working side hits without having to swap out for narrower skis.
- Width: 122 mm underfoot, 145-147 mm tip, 135-137 mm tail
- Profile: Rocker/Camber/Rocker
Price: 0.00$
Pros
- Loose, floaty, and playful on powder
- Reliably performs even in less-than-ideal conditions
- Versatile and easy to use
Cons
- Can feel heavier underfoot than other models
Brand Name | Product Type
HEAD KORE 105 FREERIDE SKI
Built for the off-piste freerider, the HEAD Kore 105 Freeride Ski is a playful alternative to some of HEAD’s more narrow-waisted models, in particular the 93 and the 99. To accomplish this, HEAD thinned out the construction and steepened the rocker. The result is a lightweight ski with a gentle flex that doesn’t skimp on edge hold.
Basically, the combination of Poplar and Karuba wood—sealed between two carbon layers—means performance is still at the forefront of this playful ski. Plus, infused graphene in both the tail and tip does a great job of boosting durability and strength, while decreasing swing weight.
- Width: 105 mm underfoot, 135 mm tip, 125 mm tail
- Profile: Rocker/Camber/Rocker
Price: 0.00$
Pros
- Excellent float over powder
- Loads of fun on groomers and hardpack
- Lightweight yet durable, thanks to Graphene
Cons
- Reduced performance over crud and bumps
Brand Name | Product Type
How to Choose Powder Skis
Buying a pair of powder skis is a fun and involved process. Keep the following points in mind to make sure that you get the best powder skis for you.
Ski Dimensions
The best powder skis are wider than average skis. After years of experimentation, the ski industry has settled on a standard of roughly 110-125 mm underfoot as the ideal range for powder skis. There are skis that are wider than this; however, their applications are limited to areas with consistent and deep snowfall (British Columbia, Alaska, Japan).
Powder skis also have wider tips, which aid in the skis’ ability to “float” on the powder. Powder ski tips can get as wide as 155 mm. The tails are also a bit wider than the center of the ski but not as wide as the tips, ranging up to 140 mm in width. Wider skis can handle more powder but are very ungainly when skiing in other conditions.
For a more comprehesensive review, check out our article on choosing the right skis.
Ski Profile: Rocker & Camber
Camber is a natural bend in the shape of a ski. It is most obvious when laying a ski down on a flat surface and looking at it from the side. If a ski has a camber, you’ll see the tip and tail touch the surface while the middle is elevated.
The purpose of camber is to help maintain edge control while skiing. When you turn, you push down on your skis, which pushes down the camber. When you exit a turn, the pressure is relieved, and with the natural camber, you’ll bounce back up faster and with less energy burned.
Rocker is a camber in reverse. In this scenario, the center of the ski is the lowest to the surface, while the ski bends up at the tip and tail. In powder, you want more rocker, because the natural bend helps keep the ski tips higher than the center of the ski.
The best way to maintain control in high powder terrain is to have your ski tips angled higher so you can break through the surface of the powder. If your ski tips sink below the surface of the powder, they’ll dive down, pushing more weight on top of your skis until the weight of the snow stops the skis from moving and ejects you out of your bindings. Then, you have to dig through potentially feet of snow to refind your skis.
Women’s Powder Skis
As the ski industry advances, more options become available. In the past, women’s skis were usually just men’s skis, but shorter and more colourful. That is now changing.
Women’s powder skis have seen a renaissance in design and function. It is now possible to find specialized women’s powder skis that address deficiencies in the historical presentation of women’s specific skis. Most skis have unisex applications, so a women’s or men’s specific ski is not strictly necessary, but it is nice to have a bevy of options to peruse.
Powder skis vs. All Mountain Skis
The best powder skis are meant for powder; they are the snow tires of the ski world. All mountain skis are like three-season tires, they’ll get the job done, but you’ll be working harder to get the same result. All mountains can handle a bit of powder without issue, but when it starts getting deeper, their performance falters.
If you don’t ski often and need a ski that can do a bit of everything, all mountain skis are the best option. For those interested in waist-deep powder runs, powder skis are, and likely will be, unrivalled in terms of quality and performance.
How to choose a ski binding for powder skiing
Once you find a ski you like, check to see if that ski has a companion binding. Some do, and it makes the process a lot easier. If that isn’t the case, look for bindings that are lightweight and specific to your skiing discipline.
For example, a tech binding for backcountry skiing is not the best downhill option for resort powder. For downhill bindings, smaller, two-piece bindings tend to weigh less than the bindings you’ll find on rental skis. If you are backcountry skiing and want tech bindings, make sure you get tech-compatible boots.
Generally, bindings can also cost quite a bit of money, but matching a pair of skis with poor bindings can impact the quality of your ski purchase. For more information advice, visit our article on choosing ski bindings.
FAQ
Q: Do powder skis make a difference?
A: Yes, in powder. The best powder skis are a niche type of ski developed for niche environmental conditions. It doesn’t snow all the time. If you have a good day of new snowfall and a thick base underneath, take out your powder skis for the best experience. If it hasn’t snowed in a few days, use an all-mountain or other type of ski that can handle mixed conditions.
Q: How do you choose powder skis?
A: When in doubt, use the following criteria to narrow down an often overwhelming search.
- Price. What you are willing to spend will likely reduce options. Develop a price range and stick to it. If the price doesn’t matter, that’s useful information as well.
- Width. Look at skis between 110-125 mm underfoot, but know that the higher end of that scale is really meant for deep powder days. If your ski resort gets snow in smaller increments, better to stick to a lower width.
- Rocker. Look for models that have ski tips and tails that bend up more than the center of the ski. The goal of powder skiing is to float close to or above the powder surface. A good rocker will help you get there.
- Demo. Most ski shops have skis you can borrow or demo. This is a great way of getting experience with certain skis while avoiding the cost of purchasing a pair immediately. Demoing skis is like the test drive you take before buying a car.
Q: How fat are powder skis?
A: Powder skis are distinguished by their wider profile. The wider the ski is, the better its ability to handle new snowfall. Powder skis can range from 110-125 mm underfoot, which is the range you should be looking at. Remember, the wider the ski, the more specialized the application (i.e. deep powder). Most people will be fine with a 110 mm wide powder ski underfoot.
Conclusion
If you want to enjoy the kind of powder skiing seen in famous ski movies, you need the best powder skis. With the increased width, float and lightweight design of powder skis, you’ll be making memories in no time.
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