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 ENFORCER 104

THE PEOPLE'S SKI TEST - NORDICA ENFORCER 104

I really loved the overall stability of the Nordica Enforcer 104 across all types of conditions.

THE PEOPLE'S SKI TEST - NORDICA ENFORCER 104

I really loved the overall stability of the Nordica Enforcer 104 across all types of conditions.

THE PEOPLE'S SKI TEST -  NORDICA ENFORCER 94

THE PEOPLE'S SKI TEST - NORDICA ENFORCER 94

Of all the skis I tested, the Nordica Enforcer 94 was the top ticket to untethered speed and performance.

THE PEOPLE'S SKI TEST - NORDICA ENFORCER 94

Of all the skis I tested, the Nordica Enforcer 94 was the top ticket to untethered speed and performance.

THE PEOPLE'S SKI TEST - NORDICA SANTA ANA 104

THE PEOPLE'S SKI TEST - NORDICA SANTA ANA 104

Remember in school when they said you can get addicted the first time you try drugs? This was the first ski I tested, and I could never get as high...

THE PEOPLE'S SKI TEST - NORDICA SANTA ANA 104

Remember in school when they said you can get addicted the first time you try drugs? This was the first ski I tested, and I could never get as high...

THE PEOPLE'S SKI TEST - ROSSIGNOL BLACKOPS SENDER Ti

THE PEOPLE'S SKI TEST - ROSSIGNOL BLACKOPS SEND...

Rossignol’s Blackops Sender Ti was everything and more that I look for in a ski.

THE PEOPLE'S SKI TEST - ROSSIGNOL BLACKOPS SEND...

Rossignol’s Blackops Sender Ti was everything and more that I look for in a ski.

THE PEOPLE'S SKI TEST - ROSSIGNOL BLACKOPS HOLYSHRED

THE PEOPLE'S SKI TEST - ROSSIGNOL BLACKOPS HOLY...

The Rossignol Blackops Holyshred is a perfect stepping stone of a ski for any intermediate skier who’s looking to develop into a bonafide all mountain rider.

THE PEOPLE'S SKI TEST - ROSSIGNOL BLACKOPS HOLY...

The Rossignol Blackops Holyshred is a perfect stepping stone of a ski for any intermediate skier who’s looking to develop into a bonafide all mountain rider.

THE PEOPLE'S SKI TEST - ROSSIGNOL BLACKOPS RALLYBIRD

THE PEOPLE'S SKI TEST - ROSSIGNOL BLACKOPS RALL...

Call your lady shred posse! The Rossignol Blackops Rallybird is here to get the girls out and shred any big or pretty little line their hearts desire.

THE PEOPLE'S SKI TEST - ROSSIGNOL BLACKOPS RALL...

Call your lady shred posse! The Rossignol Blackops Rallybird is here to get the girls out and shred any big or pretty little line their hearts desire.

THE PEOPLE'S SKI TEST - SALOMON QST BLANK

THE PEOPLE'S SKI TEST - SALOMON QST BLANK

If I were to describe the Salomon QST Blank in a word, it would be versatile.

THE PEOPLE'S SKI TEST - SALOMON QST BLANK

If I were to describe the Salomon QST Blank in a word, it would be versatile.

THE PEOPLE'S SKI TEST - SALOMON QST 98

THE PEOPLE'S SKI TEST - SALOMON QST 98

If I had to own only one ski, the Salomon QST 98 might just be it.

THE PEOPLE'S SKI TEST - SALOMON QST 98

If I had to own only one ski, the Salomon QST 98 might just be it.

THE PEOPLE'S SKI TEST - SALOMON QST STELLA 106

THE PEOPLE'S SKI TEST - SALOMON QST STELLA 106

The Salomon QST Stella 106 is a great ski to get your powder legs on, and will help take an intermediate skier to the next level.

THE PEOPLE'S SKI TEST - SALOMON QST STELLA 106

The Salomon QST Stella 106 is a great ski to get your powder legs on, and will help take an intermediate skier to the next level.

THE PEOPLE'S SKI TEST - SCOTT SUPERGUIDE FREETOUR

THE PEOPLE'S SKI TEST - SCOTT SUPERGUIDE FREETOUR

I would take this ski out on my biggest backcountry missions.

THE PEOPLE'S SKI TEST - SCOTT SUPERGUIDE FREETOUR

I would take this ski out on my biggest backcountry missions.

THE PEOPLE'S SKI TEST - SCOTT SUPERGUIDE 95

THE PEOPLE'S SKI TEST - SCOTT SUPERGUIDE 95

At first glance, the Scott Superguide 95 has an aura of conservativeness to it. But don’t be fooled by its cover, because it’s so much more.

THE PEOPLE'S SKI TEST - SCOTT SUPERGUIDE 95

At first glance, the Scott Superguide 95 has an aura of conservativeness to it. But don’t be fooled by its cover, because it’s so much more.

THE PEOPLE'S SKI TEST - SCOTT SUPERGUIDE 95 WOMEN’S

THE PEOPLE'S SKI TEST - SCOTT SUPERGUIDE 95 WOM...

The Scott Superguide 95 Women’s could lay claim to the one-ski-quiver title.

THE PEOPLE'S SKI TEST - SCOTT SUPERGUIDE 95 WOM...

The Scott Superguide 95 Women’s could lay claim to the one-ski-quiver title.