The 5 Best Skis of 2025–26, Tested Everywhere From Chamonix to the Dolomites

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Investing in new gear is always a rush, and should be a fresh motivator to log more days in the mountains this year (as if you needed an excuse). When it comes to skis, having a high-end pair you truly love—and that really suits the kind of skiing you do—can radically alter your performance on the slopes, and up your safety. To help you find the best of the best, we tested dozens of options in all kinds of conditions.

Our testers spent a long time stewing over their seasonal favorites. In the end, they picked the 2026 Salomon QST 106 as the best pair of skis overall. But for those skiers who want something a little more focused on their specific style of skiing and the terrain they travel the most, we pulled out the best five skis to cover all of the bases, no matter your preferred ski hill.

Want the lowdown on more great snow sports gear? Check out the rest of Men's Journal 2025-2026 Ski Awards, where we’ve tested everything from outerwear to après-ski gear to bring you the best of every category—jackets, pants, bindings, and more.

5 Best Skis of 2025-26 at a Glance

• Best One-Ski Quiver Ski:Atomic Maverick 96 CTI
• Best Big-Mountain Ski:Nordica Unleashed 120
• Best All-Mountain Ski:Dynastar M-Free 108
• Best Carving Ski:Head SuperShape E-Rally 78
• Best Groomer Ski:Blizzard Stormbird 82 Dti

Best One-Ski Quiver Ski: Atomic Maverick 96 CTI

The Atomic Maverick 96 CTI is Atomic’s sleek all-mountain icon—crafted in North America, built in Austria—and the perfect example of how precision and playfulness can coexist in one ski. Designed to shine across a variety of conditions, on any continent, the Maverick 96 CTI brings a lively, energetic feel that still delivers exceptional edge hold and power, making it equally fun and confidence-inspiring at speed. After chasing local superstars down steep, firm pitches in the Sexten, Italian Dolomites, one tester said, “I was surprised how well it bit into icy patches without losing its playful character. You can lay down rails but reset quickly for bumps and choss.”

At its core, the CTI-Powered construction blends carbon and titanal layers over a Power Woodcore of ash and poplar, providing the trademark Maverick stability. The result is a ski that feels responsive yet stable, even when the terrain gets burly. The HRZN 3D tip adds float in deep snow—and we rode it in bottomless powder—with a unique 3D surface area that lets you execute quick, precise turns in tight chutes. Meanwhile, the All Mountain Rocker (20/65/15) and Dura Cap Sidewall combine early turn initiation, solid mid-edge hold, and that damp, grippy confidence that makes carving on hardpack easier for mere mortals. After a week in Chamonix, another tester added, “Stable when you turn it up to 11, yet effortlessly playful for noodling ridges and dropping first tracks after a storm.”

For 179cm:

• Lengths: 165, 172, 179, 186cm
• Sidecut: 129-96-114.5mm
• Turn Radius: 18m
• Weight: 3,800 grams (per pair)

Best Big-Mountain Ski: Nordica Unleashed 120

Big mountain skiers need boards that can cruise through ever-changing conditions—from mouse powder to frozen chicken heads. Having a ski that can adapt is critical. One tester, after some post-storm laps at Corvatsch (Switzerland)—a regular stop for the Freeride World Cup—praised the Nordica Unleashed 120 for its stable ride, even through hardened avi debris. “We’d moved from St. Moritz to Corvatsch and weren’t expecting the steep and deep conditions. We were exploring and every turn was something new. The Unleashed 120 was a companion that gave me confidence, and comfort to push into the unknown.”

The Lite Performance Wood core, carbon laminates, and full sidewall construction are reinforced by Nordica’s Drift Lock technology, which dampens chatter and keeps the ski steady at high speeds. A 120 mm waist paired with generous Powder Rocker helps the ski plane over storm snow and soft chop. “It’s the rally car version of a PistenBully,” said one tester after a season of burly backcountry missions.

In tight couloirs, the ski pivots with surprising snap—thanks to the True Tip design, which ditches plastic in favor of extended wood up front, trimming swing weight without losing edge feel. When the terrain opens, the Unleashed 120 lays into long, GS-style arcs with a smooth, confident flex. And the graphics are some of our seasonal favorites.

For 180cm:

• Lengths: 180, 190cm
• Sidecut: 148.5–120–137.5mm
• Turn Radius: 21.3m
• Weight: 3,950 grams (per pair) 

Best All-Mountain Ski: Dynastar M-Free 108

Power through punchy powder, drill tracks on sun-crusted wind board, or thread steep tree shots—Dynastar’s M-Free 108 does it all without missing a beat—or turn. Rebuilt with the brand’s Hybrid Core 2.0, the construction layers poplar wood in multiple directions for a lively, energetic flex, while a strip of PU runs the length of the ski to keep things smooth underfoot. The full sidewall construction and Adaptiv Sidecut dig in when you lay it over, but this is more than a fat ski that carves—it’s born to be wild and lives to charge. “I was yipping and yelling like a teenager on my first big run with the new M-Free 108s,” admits one tester. “It was so much fun. The ski has a lot of pop.”

At 108 mm underfoot with deep rocker in the tip and tail, it floats with pontoon assurance—but handles more like a cigarette boat than a tug. This isn’t some noodle-y surf stick; the M-Free 108 has backbone. It holds speed and edges on firm snow with real confidence. You can smear it, pivot it, shut it down fast—but when you open it up, the ski stays composed: stable, fast, and fully in command.

For 185cm:

• Lengths: 162, 170, 178, 185, 192cm
• Sidecut: 138-108-128mm
• Turn Radius: 18m
• Weight: 4,400 grams (per pair)

Best Carving Ski: Head SuperShape E-Rally 78

The Head SuperShape E-Rally 78 is a carving powerhouse—a machine on the plaque au vent you’d find in New England and the Midwest. With a 78 mm waist and a tight 14 m turn radius, it balances the quick turnability of a slalom ski with the wider arcs of a GS. Thanks to Graphene, Crossforce Carbon, and Head’s EMC vibration-damping system, the ski has relentless edge hold, even on boilerplate with a side dish of frozen corn. The ski comes with the Head/Tyrolia GripWalk-friendly Protector PR 11 GW binding, a high‑safety alpine binding from Head/Tyrolia that’s designed to help reduce knee stress during bad falls.

Testers sporting serious race creds noted that the ski carves with minimal turn initiation, calling it “easy to get on rails, extremely damp, no speed limit.” The Crossforce Carbon adds torsional stiffness, enhancing edge grip, while the EMC system absorbs unwanted vibrations, giving the ski a smooth, stable feel at speed. Our former racers felt that the E-Rally brought back the glory days, rewarding strong technique with powerful, predictable feedback. In Chamonix, one put it simply, “This ski feels like a legend every turn—it carves steep lines, blasts through cuts, and doesn’t sink when the snow softens.” And while the E-Rally 78 will keep experts happy, it’s a ski that advanced beginners and intermediates can grow into.

For 170cm:

• Lengths: 156, 163, 170, 177, 184cm
• Sidecut: 128-78-112mm
• Turn Radius: 14m
• Weight: 4,550 grams (per pair)
• Weight of Binding: 2,360 grams (per pair)

Best Groomer Ski: Blizzard Stormbird 82 Dti

The Blizzard Stormbird 82 Dti is Aspen-chic with the soul of Wolf Creek Pass—or Mad River on a powder-hungry Wednesday. Testers dubbed it “refined, powerful, and deceptively approachable.” It’s a ski that looks fast standing still but doesn’t demand you have thighs of oak to execute decent turns. It’s smooth where it counts, stiff where it matters, and easygoing when you just want to cruise. Whether you’re a strong beginner looking to step things up or an advanced skier who’s done with skis that punish mistakes, the Stormbird 82 is that rare ride: razor-sharp, versatile, and approachable.

It's built for people who aspire to serious edge-hold and carve confidence, while being soft enough to not scare anyone on the learning curve—this is the ski you’ll grow with and still be ripping with five years later. Built on Blizzard’s TrueBlend Piste core and wrapped in Double Titanal Construction (two sheets of nimble metal flanking poplar and MDF), this ski combines power and forgiveness where it matters most. Pop in turns feels like gravity is taking a holiday, with spring-loaded turn shapes.

The TrueBlend SP Woodcore is engineered with layered flex: stiffest underfoot for stability, mid-soft around the binding for control, and soft tip/tail for turn initiation and release. Blizzard’s tech lets them tweak flex by size—meaning shorter or longer versions still feel “right.”

Strategic rubber damping in the tip and tail cuts chatter on crust and boosts smoothness. One tester, a former tech skier who is now coaching FIS, summed it up, “It’s got the feel of a race ski, but without the attitude. It doesn’t make you fight; and it’s a great ski for anyone who wants to step up their carving game.”

For 175cm:

• Lengths: 165, 170, 175, 180cm
• Sidecut: 131–82–112mm
• Turn Radius: 15m
• Weight: 3,860 grams (per pair)