There are over hundreds of skis out there and they come in many shapes and sizes. And it can be almost impossible to find the what pair of skis is best suited for you. Here at powderheadz.com, we strive to tell you which are the best skis for each type of rider. Whether you’re for All-Mountain, Freestyle, Freeride, or Backcountry, we’ve got you covered for what we think are the best skis available.
You can find what we reviewed and what we think are the Best Skis for 2021-2022 down below.
Safe riding!
Our Top Rated Skis for Men
Our Top Rated All-Mountain Skis for Men
Generally speaking, All-Mountain Skiers want skis that can do it all: frontside to backside, powder to hardpack, groomers to off-piste. They want skis that can conquer the entire mountain, not just specific areas without having to pack multiple pairs of skis in their car or bags. Most All-Mountain Skis measure between 85mm to 105mm underfoot so that it can both float on powder and carve on hardpack.
Here are what we consider some of the Best All-Mountain Skis:
| Sizes available (cm) | 165 | 172 | 179 | 186 |
|---|---|
| Tail | Partial Twin Tip |
| Profile | Bend | Rocker – Camber – Rocker |
| Turning Radius | Medium |
| Terrain | All-Mountain |
| Riding Level | Advanced – Expert |
The Nordica Enforcer 94 Skis packs many of the same awesome mountain-slaying features as the Enforcer 100, but in a slimmer chassis. The Enforcer 94 is a hard-charging ski that is agile and quick turning but will keep you floating when you want to go exploring. The Enforcer 94 is all about performance, durability, and versatility.
Powderheadz Rating
| Sizes available (cm) | 167 | 181 | 188 |
|---|---|
| Tail | Partial Twin Tip |
| Profile | Bend | Rocker – Camber – Rocker |
| Turning Radius | Medium |
| Terrain | All-Mountain |
| Riding Level | Intermediate – Advanced |
The Salomon QST 98 is an all mountain ski that strives just about anywhere on the mountain. This guy wants to charge and have the performance anywhere the snow is good. With a Ti Power Platform, the QST 99 can be a speed demon or charge in the steep powder run if he finds it. If you want one ski that does it all, this is it.
Powderheadz Rating
| Sizes available (cm) | 163 | 170 | 177 | 184 |
|---|---|
| Tail | Partial Twin Tip |
| Profile | Bend | Rocker – Camber – Rocker |
| Turning Radius | Medium |
| Terrain | All-Mountain |
| Riding Level | Intermediate – Advanced |
The Volkl Kendo Skis embody the way of the sword with a Multi-Layer Woodcore that is boosted with titanal and finished with a tip and tail rocker profile that slices and dices both sides of the cut; camber under foot provides lively response and excellent control on corduroy while rocker in the tip and tail provide effortless float in soft snow.
Powderheadz Rating
Our Top Rated Freeride Skis for Men
Sometimes called Powder Skis or Big Mountain Skis, Freeride Skis can be used all over the mountain, but to get maximum performance out of them, take the skis to the backcountry or off piste. They have super wide bodies so they can float on powder and stay stable regardless of surface. Most of these skis are geared for Powder, but some can be considered freestyle with twin-tipped ends.
Here are what we consider some of the Best Freeride Skis:
| Sizes available (cm) | 177 | 182 | 189 |
|---|---|
| Tail | Partial Twin Tip |
| Profile | Bend | Rocker – Camber- Rocker |
| Turning Radius | Medium |
| Terrain | Big Mountain | Powder |
| Riding Level | Intermediate – Advanced |
The Atomic Backland 107 Skis features Atomic’s HRZN Tech ABS sidewall construction, which includes a horizontal rocker, reduced tip deflection, and overall better performance when you’re in the deep stuff. These skis strikes a stunning performance-to-weight ratio for resort or backcountry use. A poplar wood core keeps the ski light enough for quick tours, while the carbon backbone ensures agility and edge hold.
Powderheadz Rating
| Sizes available (cm) | 184 | 191 |
|---|---|
| Tail | Partial Twin Tip |
| Profile | Bend | Rocker |
| Turning Radius | Long |
| Terrain | Big Mountain | Powder |
| Riding Level | Advanced – Expert |
The Volkl Katana 108 Skis are designed to give you all the float you could ever need in deep snow with the 112mm waist keeping you on the snow rather than in it. Even with the massive size the weight is kept down thanks to a Full Carbon Jacket that wraps the contoured 3D RIDGE Core that still delivers aggressive performance and reliable grip through the Short Sidewall construction
Powderheadz Rating
| Sizes available (cm) | 164 | 172 | 178 | 186 |
|---|---|
| Tail | Partial Twin Tip |
| Profile | Bend | Rocker – Camber – Rocker |
| Turning Radius | Medium |
| Terrain | Big Mountain | Powder |
| Riding Level | Intermediate – Advanced |
Rossignol Black Ops Sender Skis replace the old Soul 7 Series. Rossignol’s instinctive versatility and ease-of-use to push your boundaries while delivering high-definition energy, mobility, and strength due to a unique carbon and basalt weave. Air Tip technology, Powder Turn Rocker profile, lightweight paulownia wood core, and 104mm waist width brings the ultimate fusion of lightweight backcountry innovation and freeride performance.
Powderheadz Rating
Our Top Rated Freestyle Skis for Men
It’s tricky to rock a rhyme, to rock a rhyme that’s right on time. It’s tricky. Freestyle skying is riding hard in the park or finding booters in the backcountry. It’s constantly seeking the thrill of mixing grabs, 180s, 360s, and flips with grinding rails and boxes. Freestyle skis are soft, have more flex, and have a directional-twin or a true-twin shape so you can easily ride back and forth between goofy and regular, linking tricks along the way. Grab any of these skis if you plan on being hyper-aggressive riding park.
Here are what we consider some of the Best Freestyle Skis:
| Sizes available (cm) | 157 | 164 | 171 | 178 |
|---|---|
| Tail | Full Twin Tip |
| Profile | Bend | Rocker – Camber – Rocker |
| Turning Radius | Medium |
| Terrain | Park & Pipe |
| Riding Level | Intermediate – Advanced |
Tom Wallisch — the pretzel man himself — purveyor of style and co-creator of Afterbang comes out guns blazing with his first pro model built by the originators of twin-tips. The TW Pro Skis feature a Maple Macroblock core, a Carbon Ollieband™, and a snappy swing weight designed to take your park skiing to the next level. Dial up some winter wizardry this season with the Line Skis Tom Wallisch Pro Skis.
Powderheadz Rating
| Sizes available (cm) | 164 | 170 | 176 | 182 |
|---|---|
| Tail | Full Twin Tip |
| Profile | Bend | Rocker – Camber – Rocker |
| Turning Radius | Medium |
| Terrain | Park & Pipe |
| Riding Level | Intermediate | Advanced |
The Candide 2.0 Ski blends the best of all types of riding, with a fully symmetrical sidecut and rocker tip and tail for easy switch ridings, generous camber underfoot for plenty of pop and edging power, and a burly sandwich construction that can take a beating. While it can rally the whole mountain like it’s no big deal, the Candide is happiest when it’s flying off features in the park or around the mountain.
Powderheadz Rating
| Sizes available (cm) | 163 | 170 | 177 | 184 |
|---|---|
| Tail | Full Twin Tip |
| Profile | Bend | Rocker – Camber – Rocker |
| Turning Radius | Medium |
| Terrain | Park & Pipe | All-Mountain |
| Riding Level | Intermediate – Advanced |
Like a dose of adrenaline to your system, the men’s Armada ARV 86 Skis – the narrowest of the ARV Series – injects serious life into your skiing and turns anything inbounds into a feature to jib, jump, butter or press – whether you’re in the park or beyond. Torin Yater-Wallace put this ski to work time and time again during our product development, now our update of the iconic have-fun-everywhere ski is ready for you.
Powderheadz Rating
This is our current List for the Best Skis of the 2021-2022 Season. However, there are tons more Skis out there and we will be updating this list often with the most current information. Think we missed a pair of Skis and that there’s one that deserves a spot on the Best Skis List? Let us know! E-mail us at info (at) powderheadz.com. Take a look down below on how to determine which ski is right for you.
As always, happy riding!
How-To: Buy the Best Skis
There are so many types of skis out there with a multitude attributes, it can be a bit confusing into figuring out what kind of ski you should get. Camber or Rocker? Directional, Partial Twin, or True Twin? Flex, Shape, Profile? Here at Powderheadz.com, we’ll try and help you figure out what everything means.
If this is your first major purchase ski, it’s best to get familiar with some of the terminology out there.
Ability Level:
Determining your ability level will help nail down which type of skis you should look at. Many skis are actually described as Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced, and Expert or have a range such as Intermediate to Advanced. The right ski can help make learning easier for beginners or have specific characteristics designed for an expert rider.
Beginner-Intermediate – Basically anyone who is new to skiing or still trying to link turns. You’ll want skis that are easy to turn and very forgiving.
Intermediate-Advanced – Most skiers will fall under this category, which encompasses carving on groomers or venturing into powder. The skis are generally wider than beginner-intermediate skis and will have full-camber, rocker, or some combination of the two.
Advanced-Expert – These skiers are the most aggressive. The skis are generally the stiffer than intermediate skis and can be challenging to use at slower speeds. You’ll find expert all-mountain, freestyle, powder ski with a variety of rocker configurations.
Riding Style:
All-Mountain – All-Mountain Skis are designed to handle all types of snow conditions and terrain: groomers, powder, and park runs. However, you won’t be able to “master” any of these terrain or snow types. These skis have mid-fat waistes that range from 80-110mm. If you’re unsure which ski to purchase or just starting out, these skis are the most versatile to suit your needs.
Carving – Carving Skis have narrow waists and a shorter turn radius to help with turn initiation and edge to edge quickness. These are usually the skis to pick up when you are learning.
Freestyle – Park Skis are designed for those who spend most of their time in the terrain park riding rails and hitting jumps. They are usually narrower skis with full camber profiles and full twin tips. Freestyle Skis will also have more durable edges and dense extruded bases so they last longer.
Big Mountain – Big Mountain Skis are designed for charging lines with high speed and huge air. They are usually stiffer and heavier than most skis and will have more rocker in front than the back.
Powder – Powder Skis are the widest skis available (115mm or more) and have some form of rocker and soft flex. They’re designed to keep you floating while shredding through the deep stuff.
Alpine Touring – Backcountry Skis are designed for going uphill and downhill. They’re usually lighter than their width implies and have fittings for climbing skins. Wider, heavier skis are used for deeper snow conditions and narrower, lighter skis are used for long distance touring.
Turning Radius:
Short (<16m) – Carving | All-Mountain | Powder
Medium (17-22m) – All-Mountain | Park & Pipe
Long (>22m) – Powder | Big-Mountain
Profile:
Camber – Traditional profile for skis. Camber has a slight upward curve in the middle of the ski with contact points close to the ends. camber requires more precise turn initiation and offers superb precision.
Rocker – Rocker, or Reverse-Camber, produces more pressure on the snow at the tip and tail. It offers more float in soft snow and better ease of turn initiation with a lesser chance of catching an edge.
Rocker – Camber – combines a camber profile underfoot and early rise from a rocker ski. The rocker tip allows for better float in powder and prevents catching, while the cambered tail helps retain your edge while turning. They’re great for All-Mountain Skis, but not the greatest at riding switch.
Rocker – Camber – Rocker – combines the playfulness of a rocker ski and the strong edge hold of a camber ski. The camber midsection has a longer effective edge for stability and the rocker tip and tail help with floating in powder and making turns easier.
Rocker – Flat – Rocker – Similar to Rocker – Camber – Rocker but provides a stronger edge hold and more pop than a rocker ski while retaining the ability to easily turn and float.
This is our current List for the Best Skis of the 2021-2022 Season. However, there are tons more Skis out there and we will be updating this list often with the most current information. Think we missed a pair of Skis and that there’s one that deserves a spot on the Best Skis List? Let us know! E-mail us at info (at) powderheadz.com. Take a look down below on how to determine which ski is right for you.
As always, happy riding!
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