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

SCOTT PATROL E2 38 KIT BACKPACK

SCOTT PATROL E2 38 KIT BACKPACK

A look at the 2024 Scott Patrol E2 38 Kit Backpack.

SCOTT PATROL E2 38 KIT BACKPACK

A look at the 2024 Scott Patrol E2 38 Kit Backpack.

SCOTT PURE SRS POLES

SCOTT PURE SRS POLES

A look at the 2024 Scott Pure SRS Poles.

SCOTT PURE SRS POLES

A look at the 2024 Scott Pure SRS Poles.

SCOTT REACT LIGHT SENSITIVE GOGGLE

SCOTT REACT LIGHT SENSITIVE GOGGLE

A look at the 2024 Scott React Light Sensitive Goggle.

SCOTT REACT LIGHT SENSITIVE GOGGLE

A look at the 2024 Scott React Light Sensitive Goggle.

SCOTT SHIELD GOGGLE

SCOTT SHIELD GOGGLE

A look at the 2024 Scott Shield Goggle.

SCOTT SHIELD GOGGLE

A look at the 2024 Scott Shield Goggle.

SCOTT SYMBOL 2 PLUS HELMET

SCOTT SYMBOL 2 PLUS HELMET

A look at the 2024 Scott Symbol 2 Plus Helmet.

SCOTT SYMBOL 2 PLUS HELMET

A look at the 2024 Scott Symbol 2 Plus Helmet.

SCOTT TRACK PLUS HELMET

SCOTT TRACK PLUS HELMET

A look at the 2024 Scott Track Plus Helmet.

SCOTT TRACK PLUS HELMET

A look at the 2024 Scott Track Plus Helmet.

SHRED GRATIFY GOGGLE

SHRED GRATIFY GOGGLE

A look at the 2024 Shred Gratify Goggle.

SHRED GRATIFY GOGGLE

A look at the 2024 Shred Gratify Goggle.

SHRED TOTALITY HELMET

SHRED TOTALITY HELMET

A look at the 2024 Shred Totality Helmet.

SHRED TOTALITY HELMET

A look at the 2024 Shred Totality Helmet.

SMITH 4D MAG / 4D MAG S GOGGLE

SMITH 4D MAG / 4D MAG S GOGGLE

A look at the 2024 Smith 4D MAG / 4D MAG S Goggle.

SMITH 4D MAG / 4D MAG S GOGGLE

A look at the 2024 Smith 4D MAG / 4D MAG S Goggle.

SMITH BLAZER GOGGLE

SMITH BLAZER GOGGLE

A look at the 2024 Smith Blazer Goggle.

SMITH BLAZER GOGGLE

A look at the 2024 Smith Blazer Goggle.

SMITH SQUAD MAG GOGGLE

SMITH SQUAD MAG GOGGLE

A look at the 2024 Smith Squad MAG Goggle.

SMITH SQUAD MAG GOGGLE

A look at the 2024 Smith Squad MAG Goggle.

SWANY CALVIN TRIGGER MITT

SWANY CALVIN TRIGGER MITT

A look at the 2024 Swany Calvin Trigger Mitt.

SWANY CALVIN TRIGGER MITT

A look at the 2024 Swany Calvin Trigger Mitt.