Cover: Finn O'Driscoll. Photo: Carter Edwards
Our final ski category at the Newschoolers Gear Week can be an absolute bastard when it comes to testing because a fair test requires the weather to play ball. Powder skis are made first and foremost for skiing 3D snow, and can be found lacking when said snow fails to materialize. Some handle this better than others. We rocked up to Sunshine Village with no snow in the forecast and somehow, got lucky. As we rolled into town, the skies unexpectedly darkened and delivered a serving of white gold. Was it bottomless blower? Not exactly, but it was enough to give these big sticks a proper thrashing. Powder skis come in a wide variety of shapes and flexes, and the right one for you will, as always, depend on how you like to ski.
https://www.newschoolers.com/videos/watch/1097317/Comment-from--ryanvdonk87---YouTube
So how do you choose a powder ski? Well, use your common sense for one thing. We need to write a proper article about choosing skis, but basically, we reckon these are the main things to consider:
How much does it snow where you ski and how many people do you have to share it with?
If it snows a shitload where you ride AND you don't share said snowfall with too many people, you can get away with a wider, less 'practical' ski and go for ultimate float. However, if your resort gets quickly tracked, a floppy, fat pow/jib ski might be starting to ruin your day by 11 am. We'd say anything 110mm+ is good enough for 99% of resort pow skiing, except for a couple of western resorts (and Japan).
How heavy is the snow where you ski?
If you frequently encounter heavier, wetter snowfall, you're going to want a stiffer ski. You're also going to want long rocker lines with less splay. Heavily rockered skis can end up 'pushing' the snow when it's heavy, rather than slicing through it. If the snow is denser, you can get away with a narrower ski, so we definitely wouldn't be looking at skis over 114.
How heavy are you and do you prefer to surf or charge?
Weight, strength, and technique matter way more for ski choice than height. Heavier skiers will generally want wider skis to help them float in pow. Aggressive skiers will prefer stiffer skis with more traditional mounting points, whereas skiers who prefer to slash turns and land switch in pow will be looking for lots of tail rocker and more central mounts. If that's you, then to make up for the reduced float and potential to tip dive with more central mount points, you might want more width.
Note: If you have only ever skied powder on narrower skis, ANY pow ski is going to feel frankly arousing on a good day.
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These skis are a damn riot. We could have picked them as a park ski, or even an all-mountain jib ski to be honest, but someone on YouTube would have had a rage-induced stroke, and we can't be living with that guilt. They are basically giant floaty rubber bands, with infinite pop for launching out of butters and bouncing around the whole hill. They are most at home in soft snow but honestly, if you just want a ridiculously fun fat ski, buy these. They're probably the best on the market right now. Read more.
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The ARV/ARW 112 (same ski, different topsheet) is a new addition to Armada's core line of skis and finally gets a bit more differentiation from the Whitewalker/ARV 116 UL. It's very easy to ski in a variety of conditions, pivoting on a dime and feeling very natural both buttering and getting airborne. We preferred the more forward mount point on these because it made the best of the skis' standout pivot-y nature. Read more.
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The MFree 112 is a banger addition to Dynastar's backcountry freestyle line. It has a lot less taper than then 108, meaning it goes straight with far more stability, while remaining relatively easy to cut loose. To us, it skis like a more playful version of the Sender 110, but in truth the two skis are very similar. We marginally preferred the MFree for soft snow duty and the Sender in more mixed conditions. Both are absolute top-drawer skis. Read more.
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The whole SEA series is laughably easy to ski and yet will handle being skied surprisingly hard. They aren't particularly stiff skis but they are remarkably damp and quiet given that, and perform admirably in mixed conditions. At 116mm they float with the best of them and these, the widest of the family, are also the most freestyle-friendly with a bit more tail rocker. A great option for someone who wants to do a bit of jibbing and a bit of charging somewhere where it snows enough to make 99% of the ski world jealous. Read more.
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The Revolt 114 is the burliest ski we had at the test this year and despite that feels relatively easy to ski. Mikkel BK somehow skis them in the park, which meant our testers had to give it a shot and were surprised to enjoy it too. That said the Revolt 114 is primarily a big gun. It's happiest when pointed down the fall line and mowing through crud, bumps, and local wildlife. It's definitely still a trickable ski but landing forward is pretty much required in soft snow because there isn't much tail rise on these. Read more.
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Check out all of the best 2024/25 goodies in our Gear Guide. Our other best test videos are live on YouTube, with articles dropping here in the coming weeks.
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