It’s hard to beat the feeling of getting new skis, but deciding which pair to buy can be a daunting prospect for some. So to lend a helping hand, we’re proud to present the 2024 Buyer’s Guide, which is supplemented by the suitably-named People’s Ski Test. For the former, we took to the slopes of Red Mountain Resort in Rossland, B.C. last winter to curate reviews on 30 pairs of skis from 12 individuals, who (with the exception of our editor) work regular, everyday jobs outside of the ski industry, and pay full price for skis. Instead of enlisting professional athletes or sponsored ski instructors as testers, we recruited a school principal, hardware store owner, highway operations manager, rope access technician, climate risk analyst, MRI technologist, tree planter, electrical engineer, arborist, geologist and journalist to spend six weeks putting some of the year’s top skis through the paces in a wide variety of snow conditions and terrain. Then, once the lifts stopped turning, we asked them to share their unbiased and impartial thoughts on the skis they liked best in both written and video form, complete with POV footage of them testing the skis. Check out the results below, and discover which ski may just be perfect for you. 

gear

THE PEOPLE'S SKI TEST - NORDICA UNLEASHED 98 W

THE PEOPLE'S SKI TEST - NORDICA UNLEASHED 98 W

The all-new Nordica Unleashed 98 W is an unbelievably fun ski that excelled in all types of terrain.

THE PEOPLE'S SKI TEST - NORDICA UNLEASHED 98 W

The all-new Nordica Unleashed 98 W is an unbelievably fun ski that excelled in all types of terrain.

THE PEOPLE'S SKI TEST - NORDICA SANTA ANA UNLIMITED 93

THE PEOPLE'S SKI TEST - NORDICA SANTA ANA UNLIM...

The Nordica Santa Ana Unlimited 93 is an all-mountain explorer. An out-of-bounds kind of gal.

THE PEOPLE'S SKI TEST - NORDICA SANTA ANA UNLIM...

The Nordica Santa Ana Unlimited 93 is an all-mountain explorer. An out-of-bounds kind of gal.

THE PEOPLE'S SKI TEST - ROSSIGNOL BLACKOPS 118

THE PEOPLE'S SKI TEST - ROSSIGNOL BLACKOPS 118

The Rossignol Blackops 118 is a coveted freeride pow ski. I have a pair in my personal quiver, and look for any and every excuse to take it out.

THE PEOPLE'S SKI TEST - ROSSIGNOL BLACKOPS 118

The Rossignol Blackops 118 is a coveted freeride pow ski. I have a pair in my personal quiver, and look for any and every excuse to take it out.

THE PEOPLE'S SKI TEST - ROSSIGNOL SENDER 106 TI

THE PEOPLE'S SKI TEST - ROSSIGNOL SENDER 106 TI

The Rossignol Sender 106 Ti is the daily driver of a ski I have been seeking for years. No gimmicks, no funny business.

THE PEOPLE'S SKI TEST - ROSSIGNOL SENDER 106 TI

The Rossignol Sender 106 Ti is the daily driver of a ski I have been seeking for years. No gimmicks, no funny business.

THE PEOPLE'S SKI TEST - ROSSIGNOL RALLYBIRD 104 TI

THE PEOPLE'S SKI TEST - ROSSIGNOL RALLYBIRD 104 TI

The first thing I noticed, and enjoyed the most, about the all-mountain charger that is the Rossignol Rallybird 104 Ti was how fast it could ski.

THE PEOPLE'S SKI TEST - ROSSIGNOL RALLYBIRD 104 TI

The first thing I noticed, and enjoyed the most, about the all-mountain charger that is the Rossignol Rallybird 104 Ti was how fast it could ski.

THE PEOPLE'S SKI TEST - SALOMON QST BLANK

THE PEOPLE'S SKI TEST - SALOMON QST BLANK

I had the privilege of skiing the Salomon QST Blank in a variety of conditions, which was great, because that really is the best way to showcase this ski’s multi-faceted...

THE PEOPLE'S SKI TEST - SALOMON QST BLANK

I had the privilege of skiing the Salomon QST Blank in a variety of conditions, which was great, because that really is the best way to showcase this ski’s multi-faceted...

THE PEOPLE'S SKI TEST - SALOMON QST 98

THE PEOPLE'S SKI TEST - SALOMON QST 98

The Salomon QST 98 is a lightweight, manoeuvrable and reliable all-mountain ski that excelled in a wide variety of terrain and conditions.

THE PEOPLE'S SKI TEST - SALOMON QST 98

The Salomon QST 98 is a lightweight, manoeuvrable and reliable all-mountain ski that excelled in a wide variety of terrain and conditions.

THE PEOPLE'S SKI TEST - SALOMON QST STELLA 106

THE PEOPLE'S SKI TEST - SALOMON QST STELLA 106

The more I think about the Salomon QST Stella 106, the more I want to compare her to the “good time gal.”

THE PEOPLE'S SKI TEST - SALOMON QST STELLA 106

The more I think about the Salomon QST Stella 106, the more I want to compare her to the “good time gal.”

THE PEOPLE'S SKI TEST - SCOTT SUPERGUIDE 95

THE PEOPLE'S SKI TEST - SCOTT SUPERGUIDE 95

With more and more people heading out into the backcountry, and advancements in equipment making it that much easier to do so, Scott has built a user-friendly ski for those...

THE PEOPLE'S SKI TEST - SCOTT SUPERGUIDE 95

With more and more people heading out into the backcountry, and advancements in equipment making it that much easier to do so, Scott has built a user-friendly ski for those...

THE PEOPLE'S SKI TEST - SCOTT PURE MISSION 98 TI

THE PEOPLE'S SKI TEST - SCOTT PURE MISSION 98 TI

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I dropped into my first run on this noticeably stiff ski: a rained-on, re-frozen, skating rink of a groomer. But to my surprise...

THE PEOPLE'S SKI TEST - SCOTT PURE MISSION 98 TI

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I dropped into my first run on this noticeably stiff ski: a rained-on, re-frozen, skating rink of a groomer. But to my surprise...

THE PEOPLE'S SKI TEST - SCOTT PURE MISSION 98 TI WOMEN'S

THE PEOPLE'S SKI TEST - SCOTT PURE MISSION 98 T...

The Scott Pure Mission 98 Ti W is a lightweight, multi-faceted ski that was enjoyably stable, reliable and versatile in all types of conditions both in and out-of-bounds, regardless of...

THE PEOPLE'S SKI TEST - SCOTT PURE MISSION 98 T...

The Scott Pure Mission 98 Ti W is a lightweight, multi-faceted ski that was enjoyably stable, reliable and versatile in all types of conditions both in and out-of-bounds, regardless of...

THE 2022 PEOPLE'S SKI TEST PREVIEW

THE 2022 PEOPLE'S SKI TEST PREVIEW

Now that the latest and greatest gear is arriving in stores, Forecast is proud to present a way to help you determine which of this year’s skis may be the...

THE 2022 PEOPLE'S SKI TEST PREVIEW

Now that the latest and greatest gear is arriving in stores, Forecast is proud to present a way to help you determine which of this year’s skis may be the...