The Best New Skis for 2014

This year’s skis are lighter, grippier, and more specialized than ever. Snow packed and rough? Not a problem.

1. Rossignol Experience 100

See the Experience’s odd-looking honeycomb tip? It’s created by a unique build process and serves to lessen the ski’s overall weight, sharpen turning, and up overall playfulness. The ski pops gracefully over bumps and steamrolls through Eastern crud. But it’s the rare all-mountain ski that excels on high-speed groomers, too. 


[$850; rossignol.com]

2.Nordica NRGy 100

At 100 mm underfoot, the NRGy is a flat ski designed to own groomed trails and conquer bumps. No surprise, it does that well. What shocked us: It handles powder equally well. Credit the oversize tip, which allows the ski to float above the snow. A hefty sidecutand wood-metal core endow it with CarreraGT levels of control. 


[$800; nordicausa.com]

3. Scott Black Majic 

The Majic is built to carve—and does it damn well. A wood-metal core dampens the ski and provides the stiffness needed to hold strong on hard surfaces, while the unique shape enables a large turning radius. Bottom line: It’s as comfortable snapping slalom turns as it is bombing big arcs down the mountain. 


[$900; scott-sports.com]

4.Atomic Bent Chetler 

A perennial for serious skiers over the past six years, the Bent Chetler received a full makeover this season. Atomic shaved weight and added plastic inserts to the tip and tail, which let the ski soar through the deepest powder. It’s as playful as a Boston terrier, allowing effortlessly smeared turns, especially in tight situations around trees. 


[$850; atomic.com]