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 - BLIZZARD RUSTLER 11

THE PEOPLE'S SKI TEST - BLIZZARD RUSTLER 11

The Blizzard Rustler 11 was a great daily driver for my home hill of Revelstoke Mountain Resort: stiff, powerful and ready for anything from debris to 45-degree steeps.

THE PEOPLE'S SKI TEST - BLIZZARD RUSTLER 11

The Blizzard Rustler 11 was a great daily driver for my home hill of Revelstoke Mountain Resort: stiff, powerful and ready for anything from debris to 45-degree steeps.

THE PEOPLE'S SKI TEST - BLIZZARD BONAFIDE 97

THE PEOPLE'S SKI TEST - BLIZZARD BONAFIDE 97

I liked that this ski knows what it is. Blizzard bills the Bonafide 97 as a do-all ski, but in reality it has pretty specific tastes, and is pretty blunt...

THE PEOPLE'S SKI TEST - BLIZZARD BONAFIDE 97

I liked that this ski knows what it is. Blizzard bills the Bonafide 97 as a do-all ski, but in reality it has pretty specific tastes, and is pretty blunt...

THE PEOPLE'S SKI TEST - BLIZZARD SHEEVA 10

THE PEOPLE'S SKI TEST - BLIZZARD SHEEVA 10

The Blizzard Sheeva 10 is the Rustler's little sister, with all the family resemblance, but without the 20-year-old boy meathead mentality.

THE PEOPLE'S SKI TEST - BLIZZARD SHEEVA 10

The Blizzard Sheeva 10 is the Rustler's little sister, with all the family resemblance, but without the 20-year-old boy meathead mentality.

THE PEOPLE'S SKI TEST - DYNASTAR M-FREE 108

THE PEOPLE'S SKI TEST - DYNASTAR M-FREE 108

Now this here is a true all-mountain ski. The Dynastar M-Free 108 is ideal for the type of skier who has transitioned from riding park to big mountain, and is...

THE PEOPLE'S SKI TEST - DYNASTAR M-FREE 108

Now this here is a true all-mountain ski. The Dynastar M-Free 108 is ideal for the type of skier who has transitioned from riding park to big mountain, and is...

THE PEOPLE'S SKI TEST - DYNASTAR M-FREE 99

THE PEOPLE'S SKI TEST - DYNASTAR M-FREE 99

I don’t believe in the concept of a one-ski quiver, but Dynastar’s M-Free 99 comes damn close. It not only did everything, it kicked ass while doing it.

THE PEOPLE'S SKI TEST - DYNASTAR M-FREE 99

I don’t believe in the concept of a one-ski quiver, but Dynastar’s M-Free 99 comes damn close. It not only did everything, it kicked ass while doing it.

THE PEOPLE'S SKI TEST - DYNASTAR M-PRO 99 W

THE PEOPLE'S SKI TEST - DYNASTAR M-PRO 99 W

Singing to myself, grinning ear-to-ear, and stoke levels to the moon. The Dynastar M-Pro 99 W is a crowd favourite, and it was easy to see why the moment I...

THE PEOPLE'S SKI TEST - DYNASTAR M-PRO 99 W

Singing to myself, grinning ear-to-ear, and stoke levels to the moon. The Dynastar M-Pro 99 W is a crowd favourite, and it was easy to see why the moment I...

THE PEOPLE'S SKI TEST - ELAN RIPSTICK 106 BLACK EDITION

THE PEOPLE'S SKI TEST - ELAN RIPSTICK 106 BLACK...

Sleek and powerful like a panther, classy like a stretch limo on prom night, technologically advanced like the Tesla you’ll never afford. Elan’s Ripstick 106 Black Edition expects, no, demands...

THE PEOPLE'S SKI TEST - ELAN RIPSTICK 106 BLACK...

Sleek and powerful like a panther, classy like a stretch limo on prom night, technologically advanced like the Tesla you’ll never afford. Elan’s Ripstick 106 Black Edition expects, no, demands...

THE PEOPLE'S SKI TEST - ELAN WINGMAN 86 CTi

THE PEOPLE'S SKI TEST - ELAN WINGMAN 86 CTi

Since rockered fat skis first arrived on the scene, I’ll admit that I’ve shied away from skinnier offerings. Whether it was mind over matter, I felt unstable and unconfident on...

THE PEOPLE'S SKI TEST - ELAN WINGMAN 86 CTi

Since rockered fat skis first arrived on the scene, I’ll admit that I’ve shied away from skinnier offerings. Whether it was mind over matter, I felt unstable and unconfident on...

THE PEOPLE'S SKI TEST - ELAN WILDCAT 86 CX

THE PEOPLE'S SKI TEST - ELAN WILDCAT 86 CX

The Elan Wildcat 86 CX is a fun, playful ski that thrives on groomers and mellow off-piste terrain. Elan advertises it as an all-mountain ski, but it definitely shined brightest...

THE PEOPLE'S SKI TEST - ELAN WILDCAT 86 CX

The Elan Wildcat 86 CX is a fun, playful ski that thrives on groomers and mellow off-piste terrain. Elan advertises it as an all-mountain ski, but it definitely shined brightest...

THE PEOPLE'S SKI TEST - FACTION AGENT 3.0

THE PEOPLE'S SKI TEST - FACTION AGENT 3.0

If the Faction Agent 3.0 was a planet, it would sit perfectly within the Goldilocks zone; everything about this ski felt just right.

THE PEOPLE'S SKI TEST - FACTION AGENT 3.0

If the Faction Agent 3.0 was a planet, it would sit perfectly within the Goldilocks zone; everything about this ski felt just right.

THE PEOPLE'S SKI TEST - FACTION DICTATOR 2.0

THE PEOPLE'S SKI TEST - FACTION DICTATOR 2.0

Faction’s Dictator 2.0 is a no-nonsense ski, plain and simple.

THE PEOPLE'S SKI TEST - FACTION DICTATOR 2.0

Faction’s Dictator 2.0 is a no-nonsense ski, plain and simple.

THE PEOPLE'S SKI TEST - FACTION PRODIGY 2.0X

THE PEOPLE'S SKI TEST - FACTION PRODIGY 2.0X

The Faction Prodigy 2.0X bridges the gap between an all-mountain ripper and a playful park ski.

THE PEOPLE'S SKI TEST - FACTION PRODIGY 2.0X

The Faction Prodigy 2.0X bridges the gap between an all-mountain ripper and a playful park ski.