In the good old days, magazines would crown a “Ski of the Year” - one ski to rule them all. And then everyone would go out and buy that ski because it was the “best” regardless of how well it fits their personal needs. Luckily, there’s a ski for everyone these days— whether you’re into lapping the park or making the mountain your playground. That’s why evo put together this list of the best skis of 2022. We’re not saying that every ski on this list is inherently better for everyone than every other ski not on this list. Instead, these are the skis that stand out in their respective categories, the skis that have the broadest appeal and the most versatile performance.
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evo and Season consider themselves “family,” and the Kin is something they have been in search of for quite some time - an all-mountain twin with enough guts to handle high speeds while remaining playful enough to stomp freestyle moves all over the hill.
The Eric Pollard designed Kin is Season’s answer, they knocked it out of the park. This is a 97mm do anything, go anywhere ripper that’s sure to quench your thirst for creativity. If you’re the kind of skier who has an eye for natural features, knows where all the best side hits are, and never fails to close out with a couple of laps through the park, this is the ski for you. Like all Season skis, Kin is offered in unisex sizes and engineered for maximum durability.
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The trend towards lightweight, surfy freeride skis that started with the JJ Ultralight continues at Armada, and this new ARW 106 Ultra Light W is a good example. The 106 UL performs like a wider pow ski on fresh snow, a result of a deep rocker profile and “Smear Tech” beveled tips and tails, but without the massive width of a pow-day-only ski. It’s still aimed at soft snow performance, but a better “quiver of one” choice at 106 millimeters. And, with lengths up to 188 cm, it’s a great choice for both male, and female skiers.
The Caruba core and lightweight layup add extra dexterity making this one of the best skis for trees and the potential to mount the 106 UL up with a touring binding for maximum backcountry versatility.
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A proven winner in K2's free-thinking twin-tipped lineup, the K2 Reckoner 102 Skis are a great choice for skiers who ride with a twinkle in their eye. With a versatile mid-fat waist and all-terrain twin rocker profile, they have what it takes to hang in the steep and deep, but have zero hesitation when it comes to switching things up and lining up the next trick. If that's the kind of versatility you crave, the Reckoner 102s have the sauce you've been looking for
"Simply put, I loved the Reckoner 102. Even when the Saas-Fee summer park was icy, it felt relatively ok, which is more than can be said for almost any other ski this soft. When I was surprised to get some pow in Zermatt, it held up well there too. The softness fits the other attributes of the ski perfectly, particularly the dampness which stops it from getting too floppy. It’s also a fairly light ski, but it doesn’t ski like one, and I mean that in the best possible way. For me, they're the best wide park ski out there right now." - @Twig
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Is the Dynastar M-Free 99 just a fatter park ski that can take on the whole mountain? Or is it a shrunk-down version of its wider sibling, the M-Free 108? Well, it’s both and more. The M-Free 99 is a powerful, playful ski that can do just about anything. Tip and tail rocker mean it handles fresh snow well, and the layup and core make for a very damp, stable ski that absorbs chatter from the snow smoothly. So, when you don’t get enough snow to justify the M-Free 108, but still want to ski fast, jump off things, and play around on every run, the M-Free 99 has you covered.
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Line Skis Vision 108 and Line Skis Pandora 110
The Line Skis Vision 108 and Line Skis Pandora have re-defined versatility. These skis are lightweight, so light that they both would make a great touring ski, but have a consistent ride and ability to carve make them great inbounds skis as well. Line uses THC construction with carbon throughout the ski to cut weight, while still preserving its energetic ride, early rise tips, and tails that keep the skis playful. The Vision 108 or Pandora 110 will be your best friend on groomers, in pow, and everywhere else you take it.
"The Vision 108 floats about as good as any 108 underfoot skis could, and even better than some wider skis I've been on. It represents the perfect freeride touring ski, balancing low weight for the uphills with maneuverability, as well as an almost unheard of dampness for a ski this light. For someone who doesn’t care about skiing as fast as possible inbounds, this could make a great one ski quiver combined with a burlier touring binding like the Cast set up or a shift." - @TheWeaz
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Black Crows Atris & Black Crows Atris Birdie
The Black Crows Atris & Atris Birdie are playful, do-everything skis. That means they are happy to tackle icy mogul runs or untouched backcountry pow. The 108 mm waist on both skis strikes a nice balance between maneuverability and float, it will hold up on those deep days, without feeling ridiculous when it hasn’t snowed in a week.
Bottom line: These things can handle the high speeds, the big drops, and teeth chattering chunder runouts that come with big mountain skiing.
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No matter what kind of skiing brings you joy, we highly recommend heading over to evo to make the pick that’s right for you.
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