You know the feeling. You’ve had a vague headache all day, just enough to make you feel off, but not enough to make you change your schedule. You get used to the discomfort, and not until the ache goes away do you realize how crummy you felt — and how great you feel now.
Well, ladies, you now have the chance to trade the I-guess-this-is-as-good-as-it-gets feeling of your old skis for that I-can’t-believe-it-could-be-this-good feeling. Almost every company now has skis designed for the lighter (135 pounds or less) skier — both intermediate and expert models. If you’ve never skied on a ski like this, you’re in for a great surprise. A few are marketed as a women’s skis, but don’t worry about the ones that aren’t — it’s your weight, not your gender, that makes the difference.
There’s another notable trend this winter, too — skis are becoming less specialized. That means you can find a skis that’s as comfortable zipping through soft moguls as it is in long-radius turns on hard pack. No need to buy extra skis or suffer in conditions your skis weren’t made for. Not every ski is perfect, of course. To help you with your choice, women ski instructors tested an expert and intermediate ski designed for lighter weight people from each of 18 different manufacturers — and we put intermediate skiers on the intermediate skis as well. What follows is the creme de la creme — eight expert and five intermediate skis that each got a unanimous thumbs up from the women who skied them.
If you thought your old skis turned well, wait until you try these. Could be you’ve just gotten used to the pain.
Expert
Dynastar SLC 175-207 cm. $490 The SLC’s Rohacell core, an acrylic foam laminated with fiber glass and Dyneema fiber for strength, helps make the SLC the lightest slalom ski on the market. Testers found the SLC to be “a good, lively ski, stable and easy to turn.” It performed as well in the bumps as it did on steep, groomed slopes, making it a great all-mountain ski. Recommended for racers and advanced to expert recreational skiers.
Fischer RC4 VT SL Super 185-205 cm. $475 Fischer’s “vacuum construction,” which draws the resin that laminates its wood/fiber glass/metal core evenly through the layers, helps make the SL Super a stable, predictable ski. The vacuum construction also allows Fischer to mill the layers with enough precision to make the point where the tip and tail first meet the snow thinner, and therefore flex more easily. “Strong all-around skiers, racers and instructors” would be happy on this ski, say our testers. The slalom ski holds well on hard pack or ice, but “requires attention” and is “not forgiving” in the bumps. If you stay in balance in the bumps, however, you’ll enjoy the ride just fine.
Head CR6 180-205 cm.$465 Cap construction (a one-piece polymer layer that covers the top and sidewalls of the ski) helps dampen vibration and gives a streamlined look and feel to the CR6. The sidecut and flex pattern is designed to make this an all-around ski, but we felt the CR6 was strongest in medium- and long-radius high-speed turns. Head says its exclusive Radial technology stores and releases energy as you turn. We say it skis great. Recommended for advanced to expert noncompetitive skiers.
Pre S4.3 170-204cm. $395 Torsion box construction increases torsional rigidity for holding power on hard-pack and ice, yet allows the ski to flex well for easy turn initiation — lively is the operative word here. Testers found the ski “totally responsive; it did everything you asked it to do. It held well, initiated turns easily and was very predictable.” And it’s lightweight, too. Recommended for intermediate to expert noncompetitive skiers.
Rossignol DV6L 168-201 cm. $485 Rossignol took their top-selling DV6S ski and softened the flex pattern so lighter-weight people could enjoy it too. Directional Variation Effect sidewalls, which form a more obtuse angle in relation to the base at the tip and tail of the ski than they do under the foot, make the skis easier to turn; internal torsion box construction adds stability and edge control. The “RossiTop,” a one-piece transparent material that totally wraps the top and sidewalls, protects cosmetics. The DV6L skis itself through turns of any length on the groomed, but you’ll have to do some steering in the bumps. Recommended for aggressive advanced to expert skiers.
Salomon 8000 EXP 175-200 cm. $525 You may need a partner to carry these skis to the slopes, but once the 8000 EXP perform well through all types of turns and terrain, it also has a smoothness that’s rare in a ski — in one tester’s words, “lively but not jumpy.” The 8000 EXP isn’t new this year, but technical changes such as the new wood core have improved its shock absorption. The ski is more stable at high speeds than last year’s model as well. Recommended for instructors and advanced to expert recreational skiers.
Volant FX-2 180-205 cm. $475 Ditto on the parking-lot porter — Volant makes the topskin and sidewalls of its skis from a continuous sheet of stainless steel, then seals the wood core with carbon steel. But again, the weight (almost) disappears once you start skiing; instead you’ll notice what else the steel contributes: smoothness, great tracking and stability, and rebound. The FX-2 is extremely quick: “Roll it over and hang on,” said one tester. At home in the bumps or in high-speed turns, the FX-2 is a good choice for an aggressive, advanced to expert skier. And because steel is extremely durable, the FX-2 should ski like new for a long time.
Volkl P 10 SLC 175-205 cm. $660 The P 10 SLC is designed as a race ski for short- to medium-rodius turns, but we felt it did well no matter what you asked from it. “If you can turn your feet,” said one tester, “this ski knows what to do.” The P 10 SLC’s cracked edge dampens vibrations and makes the ski easier to flex (and, therefore, turn), while its high-density wood/fibe glass core and double torsion box construction (the entire core is wrapped again in fiber glass) adds torsional rigidity for hold on hard pack. Along with the Salomon, this was our favorite ski. Recommended for racers, instructors and advanced to expert recreational skiers.
Blizzard VCS R55 160-190 cm. $305 The VCS’s softer flex and midski geometry complement an intermediate skier’s stance and turning style. The ski turns easily, is stable at moderate speeds and has enough heft to push through slush or heavy snow. “I could just turn and go,” said one intermediate tester. Recommended for beginning to intermediate skiers.
Elan RC Falline SC 55 175-205 cm. $445 The Falline 55 is a good example of top technology brought to a lower-priced ski. Key to the ski’s performance is its Uniline sidecut, which gives a constant radius to the curve of the flexed ski. This benefits the skier because it let her weight be distributed more evenly over the ski, making it easier to carve the whole ski. It seem to work: Said one intermediate tester, “The edges held — it cut really well.” The ski is lively, stable at slow to moderate speeds and performed well on all types of terrain. Recommended for mogul skiers and recreational skiers of all abilities who don’t have the need for speed.
K2 LTP 160-195 cm. $385 The LTP has a soft, balanced flex for predictable turns, and a foam core that’s strong at the shovel and tail for increased strength but light in the midsection to reduce weight. Maybe that’s why one tester said the ski felt “sturdy but not too heavy.” Said another: “My turns were in control. I didn’t feel like the ends were splatting.” Recommended fo intermediate athletic skiers.
Rossignol 4LS 168-201 cm. $445 The 4LS is a softer version of the 4CS; both skis have a narrow slalom sidecut designed for quick, short-radius turns. Rossignol’s V.A.S. system dampens vibration for greater control. In our tester’s words: “It hugged the snow and gripped well.” moderate speeds. It’s not a ski for a passive skier — intermediate to advanced skiers who put some oomph into their turns will be happiest on this ski.
Volkl SP 9 SLC 175-205 cm. $565 Combine Volkl’s top performance features (cracked edges, high-density wood core, double torsion box construction) with a forgiving flex pattern and sidecut, and you have the SP 9 SLC. Expert testers felt the SP 9 SLC was “lively, but stable when necessary; solid in both bumps and hard pack.” Our intermediate testers’ comments: “Heavy, but didn’t feel the weight; study, held well no matter what; no flopping; springy in the bumps.” Recommended for intermediate to expert skiers.

