32 OUTSIDE MAGAZINE PHOTOGRAPHS BY Inga Hendrickson
Dispatches Skis
11.19
All-Access Passes
THIS SEASON’S STICKS ARE LIGHT,
EDGY, AND VERSATILE
BY MARC PERUZZI
THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN DAILY DRIVER
A. Völkl Mantra 102 $850
A marvel of a ski, the Mantra 102 has a frame
of titanium alloy just beneath the topsheet,
adding edging power where you need it most,
while carbon tips reduce the overall weight.
That layup holds on when you’re tipping the
ski on hardpack at any speed, but is surfy and
playful when you head in search of soft snow.
“You can butter them into and out of turns all
day long,” said one tester. 140/102/123
THE DEPENDABLE DARK HORSE
B. Rossignol Black Ops 98 $800
Our testers loved this hard-charging ski, which
until this season was only available to shop
employees and Rossignol athletes. The Black
Ops is as simple as ski construction gets, with
a vertically laminated wood core backed by
metal. Beyond that, we don’t know much—
Rossi redacted the specs. It performed best
at high speeds. “It pivots and carves on trail
and off, but this is a strong expert’s ski,” said a
tester. 131/98/121
THE SHREDDER’S BEST FRIEND
C. Line Vision 98 $800
The Vision is evidence that the lines between
backcountry and resort skis have forever
been blurred. At 1,515 grams, it’s light enough
for long ski tours if you mount it with an AT
binding. But that same weight savings is a hit
among park and pipe skiers who love to pop
off features. Credit for the svelte feel goes to
the aramid, carbon, and fiberglass construc-
tion. At our test, the Vision was the lightest
and slashiest all-mountain plank. 131/98/119
THE MULTIFACETED POWDER STICK
D. Nordica Enforcer 104 Free $850
This newest Enforcer is one of the most ver-
satile skis we’ve ever run. When purchasing an
all-mountain powder performer, skiers must
often choose between burly planks that excel
on firm snow and slashy sticks suited to dry
powder. That’s not the case here. At our test in
Steamboat, Colorado, the Enforcer was easy
to pivot in powder turns. And it’s still a stout
Austrian ski—we comfortably took it to blast-
ing speed on- and off-piste. 135/104/124
THE PLANK FOR EVERYONE
E. Head Kore 93 W $750
If the Rossignol is for a select few, the Kore
93 is the ski for the masses. That’s courtesy
of lots of Koroyd (the lightweight honeycomb
copolymer you’ve seen in ski helmets) to make
it easy to handle. And ample flex means that
any skier can settle into turns. “It’s super ma-
neuverable,” said another tester, “but it stays
glued to the snow at high speed, with a silky
feel that eats vibration.” 130/91/113
ABCDE