| Skis designed with the downhill-oriented skier in | | | | to be your one-and-only, go-anywhere ski. They |
| mind-lift served and backcountry, telemark or | | | | excel in a wide variety of snow conditions and terrain. |
| AT-continue to feature ever-widening dimensions, | | | | BLACK DIAMOND JOULE (Women's) |
| more durable construction, and control-enhancing | | | | Dimensions: 126-95-114 (188cm) |
| improvements to the tip, tail, and overall shape of | | | | Lengths: 175/185cm |
| the ski. Several skis in this review feature "rockered" | | | | Weight: 4.15kg (9.2lbs) |
| or early-rise tips. These are ski tips that begin to lift | | | | MSRP: $749 |
| farther back along the ski than what most of us are | | | | Another women's specific wood-core ski in the |
| used to. Rockered tips shorten the running surface of | | | | mid-fat category, the Joule excels in all snow |
| the ski on firm snow, while improving floatation in | | | | conditions when kept tuned and when driven by a |
| soft snow. Manufacturers are also offering a greater | | | | seasoned skier. Featuring a nice combination of |
| range of ski designs for women, and for shorter and | | | | medium side-cut, width, and flex, the Joule matches |
| lighter skiers, too. Some of the shorter skis on the | | | | up well with either four- or three-buckle boots. It's |
| market are also proving to be especially well-suited | | | | light enough to tour with for days on end, but stable |
| for backcountry skiers who spend a lot of time in | | | | enough to carve groomers for hours on end. This is |
| the relatively tight confines of the natural | | | | simply a great example of a versatile ski. |
| northeastern forest. Here is a look at some of the | | | | ICELANTIC NOMAD |
| backcountry ski offerings for 2010. | | | | Dimensions: 140-105-130 (168cm) |
| BIG POWDER/BIG SNOW | | | | Lengths: 156/168/181cm |
| Skis in this category excel in soft and deep snow | | | | Weight: 3.3kg (7.2lbs) |
| conditions. To tap into their full potential, these skis | | | | MSRP: $629 |
| like to be driven with bigger boots by skiers with | | | | Made in the USA (Colorado), Icelantic's durable |
| solid downhill skiing experience. At the same time, | | | | wood-core construction, functional dimensions, and |
| however, the wider dimensions of these skis make | | | | beautiful designs are well worth a look. The Nomad is |
| them an excellent quiver ski for dedicated | | | | their most versatile ski, featuring sufficient sidecut |
| backcountry skiers who prefer a mid-weight boot, | | | | for negotiating twisty lines in harder snow conditions, |
| but would like more flotation in low- to medium-angle | | | | enough width under foot for excellent powder |
| terrain. | | | | floatation, and an incredibly smooth flex that seems |
| BLACK DIAMOND JUSTICE | | | | to make transitioning from one turn to the next |
| Dimensions: 138-115-123 (188cm) | | | | effortless. Available in a short 156cm length, and |
| Lengths: 175/185cm | | | | when combined with a three-buckle or mid-weight |
| Weight: 4.15kg (9.2lbs) | | | | boot is a great choice for skiers interested in touring |
| MSRP: $749 | | | | convenience, maneuverability, and downhill |
| Featuring a wood-core, minimal camber, a rockered | | | | performance. |
| tip, and enough sidecut for enhancing control in | | | | KARHU STORM BC |
| harder snow conditions, Justice loves powder, and | | | | Dimensions: 126-96-117 (177cm) |
| lots of it. It's a bit heavy to be lugging around in the | | | | Lengths: 170/177/184cm |
| backcountry, but with the four-buckle boots needed | | | | Weight: 3.3kg (7.3lbs) |
| to drive this ski to its full potential, it won't really | | | | MSRP: $650 |
| matter if you are in solid touring shape. From a | | | | The sustainably-harvested Paulownia wood-core |
| backcountry standpoint, these would make good | | | | Storm BC has been a favorite among many |
| quiver skis, ideal for days when skiing powder is the | | | | well-rounded skiers with a backcountry habit here in |
| main objective, or for powdery days when a | | | | the Northeast. Favoring medium speeds and |
| combination of lift-riding and side-country touring is in | | | | medium-turn radius, the Storm BC is as much at |
| the cards. | | | | home on a steep and wind-scoured alpine |
| VOILE DRIFTER | | | | mountainside as it is when treated to untracked |
| Dimensions: 151-125-138 (182cm) | | | | powder under the shelter of the hardwood canopy. |
| Lengths: 162/172/182/192cm | | | | Light enough to tour for days on end, it can be |
| Weight: 3.8kg (8.6lbs) | | | | driven with great results by either a three- or |
| MSRP: $625 | | | | four-buckled boot. |
| Priced lower than most other skis in this class, and | | | | TOURING/TECHNICAL |
| made in the USA (Salt Lake City), the wood-core | | | | These are skis for those who place a higher priority |
| Drifter is backcountry-veteran Voile's version of a big, | | | | on touring performance than downhill performance, or |
| rockered ski. It is also one of the lightest skis in the | | | | for skiers with more technical pursuits in mind, |
| big and rockered category, and thus, is a great | | | | including ski mountaineering and randonee racing. |
| choice among seasoned skiers as a dedicated | | | | KARHU XCD GUIDE |
| backcountry powder ski. Still, the Drifter can be | | | | Dimensions: 109-78-95 (175cm) |
| matched up with mid-weight/three-buckle boots, with | | | | Lengths: 165/175/185/195cm |
| great results when seeking out fresh, powder-coated | | | | Weight: 2.6kg (5.8lbs) |
| lines in low- to medium-angle terrain. Surprisingly | | | | MSRP: $380 |
| turnable for its dimensions, this ski can handle even | | | | Karhu's popular XCD (cross-country downhill) ski line is |
| the tightest confines of the Vermont forest. | | | | still going strong, thanks in large part to the success |
| G3 ZEST (Women's) | | | | of the Guide. A lightweight, waxless-base, |
| Dimensions: 132-100-123 (166cm) | | | | ultra-versatile ski, the Guide has been skied on the |
| Lengths: 166/172cm | | | | upper flanks of K2, been on missions to the North |
| Weight: 3.4kg (7.5 lbs) | | | | Pole and has often graced the pastures of Vermont's |
| MSRP: $569 | | | | countryside. It's light enough to be taken on ultra-long |
| This is a colorful and beautifully designed wood-core | | | | tours in lightweight boots, wide enough to keep you |
| ski that is one of the more versatile rocker-tipped | | | | floating in softer snow, and stable enough to |
| skis out there. Still, it does not qualify as a | | | | occasionally tackle steep, alpine conditions. Although |
| do-anything ski. When driven by a strong skier, it can | | | | its waxless base gives you the convenience of |
| handle hard pack and icy conditions sometimes found | | | | climbing without skins, you can put skins on the |
| in New England, but the Zest much prefers to stay in | | | | Guides when the going gets steep or slippery. The |
| the softer, untracked snow found more often in the | | | | Guide is also a great choice for easy-going ski tours |
| backcountry and on powder days. Lighter-weight | | | | out the back door, along backcountry trails, or ski |
| men who aren't afraid to sport some color should | | | | adventures in the hardwoods. |
| also consider this ski as a great quiver ski for primarily | | | | DYNAFIT SEVEN SUMMITS |
| softer snow conditions. | | | | Dimensions: 113-78-100 (170cm) |
| ALL-AROUND | | | | Lengths: 156/163/170/178cm |
| This category features skis that are versatile enough | | | | Weight: 2.64kg (5. |