Best skis for the season

While renting loses its charm for anyone who is confident on skis, the variety of skis out there is both enormous and daunting. See our top suggestions.

Renting skis is best left to the beginners as they offer old models and poor quality, perfect if you don’t know what you’re doing or whether you will take to it, however, for those moving up to intermediate levels, nothing can beat the comfort and familiarity of your own skis. Though airlines are beginning to charge for ski carriage, it is little compared to the blisters and aches of unfamiliar boots that can easily ruin any après ski you were planning for your ski holiday in France.

That brings us to the question of which skis are best for the season? Each new season is ushered in with a host of ground-breaking technology and fashion-forward features and as the sport moves so fast it is important to keep your skills and equipment honed. With the snow so inconsistent over the last few years, it is important to have a ski that can handle anything, able to play on powder when we are so blessed or grip to the ice when there is nothing else.

This can only leave the all-mountain ski, an adaptable piece of kit that people return to as they seek the ever elusive ‘one ski quiver’. Combining versatility and structure, an all-mountain ski allows you to carve until your heart’s content on groomed snow, while still handling the varied terrain that you find off-piste.

The Head Monster 88 is a men’s all-mountain ski that is exceeding expectations. Though this is designed for the skilled skier with speed in mind, it is described byHead as “a tough, agile and versatile all-mountain ski that powers through any condition”. Thus far it has not disappointed, maintaining incredible control and stability in even the trickiest conditions.

The Nordica Enforcer 93 is better for the more intermediate skier. With fantastic performance both on and off piste, its true home is on firm snow where it is incomparable. Though narrower than previous skis in their range, the new technology in the tips still allow you to float over mid amounts of powder with ease.

There are hundreds of all-mountain skis out there, and reviews for all of them, so it is worth researching before you lay out hundreds of pounds for the perfect pair. Always check the playful rating, as at the heart of skiing is always an element of fun.

Image Credit: Head