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2010-2020: The Best Skis of the Decade

As this decade comes to a close, it is time to reflect on the game-changing skis that were introduced in the past 10 years. We say “introduced” because we want to recognize the skis that were all new and not carried over from the previous decade.

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Blizzard Bonafide and Black Pearl

Let's launch right from the start with the Blizzard Bonafide and Black Pearl, two skis that very well defined the past decade. When Arne Backstrom came up with Flipcore on the way back from a surfing trip, everything changed for Blizzard. At the time Blizzard had just been purchased by the Tecnica Group, which was looking for a ski to market with Tecnica boots and a factory to produce Nordica skis. It took a chance with a (very intelligent) athlete’s construction design, and the rest is history.

The Bonafide immediately catapulted itself to the top spot as the reference ski in the 98-100 category and stayed there for pretty much the whole decade, with only minor evolutionary changes along the way. The Black Pearl defied the status quo in marketing with its purple bull and accessible performance. It basically bitch-slapped the industry to command her place as the queen of women’s skis and became the best-selling ski (not just women’s ski) for years. This is why we also billed it as one of The Most Pioneering Women's Skis of All Time.

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Head iRally and Super Joy

The Head Supershapes date back to the previous decade with the iSpeed, iMagnum, and iTitan, but none had a cult following like the iRally, which was introduced mid-decade. It was the 76mm iRally that made the biggest splash and showed the skiing world what the Supershapes were all about. The iRally bridged the gap between the narrower iMagnum and wider iTitan, bringing the Supershapes into the mainstream.

Graphene was the super power marketed as being even stronger than Vibranium itself when it was introduced in the uber-lightweight Head Super Joy. While Graphene was the material used to promote the Super Joy, it was the actual on-snow performance that separated the ski from other offerings. The Joy collection was one of the very few women’s lines that was not derived from a men's or unisex counterpart but instead was designed from the ground up specifically for women. The Super Joy was the carving ski that women who didn’t think they wanted a carving ski went out and bought.

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Nordica Enforcer and Santa Ana

The Nordica Enforcer (100) and its sister the Santa Ana (100) did their damnedest to wrestle the title of "skis that all others are judged against” from their in-house cousins, the Bonafide and Black Pearl. For years Nordica tried to retire the original-generation Enforcer and Nemesis -- but they just wouldn't die, retailers just kept ordering them. Nordica removed them from the line for a season, allowing this new brother-sister combo to rise to the top. Their shape and playfulness (along with the “Back in Black” Enforcer Proto) brought well-deserved attention to the collection when it was relaunched. For more than one season Nordica sold out of the Enforcers early in the buying cycle and redefined “early release” when the following season’s offering was on the racks as early as February. While the Santa Ana didn’t experience the sales success of the Enforcer, better women skiers flocked to it -- and for good reason, because it ripped.

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Rossignol Soul 7

Whether you liked the Soul 7 or not, it's hard to argue with its influence during the past decade. It was the powder ski that opened up the mountain to thousands of weekend warriors who had only dreamed of skiing the deep stuff like their ski movie heroes. With its simple yellow and black graphics, the Soul 7 was billed as a one-ski quiver, and intermediate skiers and up took the bait, hook line and sinker. The Soul 7 was indeed a turning point in the resurrection of the Rossignol brand.

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Stöckli Laser AX

Few might recall that the Stöckli Laser AX actually started as the Laser AR. The Laser AR was a great ski but really had no momentum at all. In 2015, Stöckli changed the name from AR to AX and changed the graphics from black and red to black and yellow, and sales took off -- the only color Stöckli saw was green. The Laser AX has been a darling of not only our test team but also our readership. It is one of the most searched, researched, and discussed skis on the site, and this consumer following can be traced to the ski's versatility. Intermediate skiers with a solid skill set can get on the Laser and it will not overwhelm them; as they progress, the ski will meld with them and the performance will be there as they improve. Yet it is also up to the task of being a top-level ski for experts, just as the comma in its price tag suggests.

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Renoun Z-90

Yes, you heard it here when we launched in 2015, we were one of the first to shout from the rooftops that the Renoun Z-90 was one of the Skis of the Decade. Was it lightning in a bottle? Sheer beginner's luck? Or was it the the fortitude and gumption of a millennial college dropout? I think it was a combination of all the above. From the first turn we made on the Renoun Z-90, we knew that young Cyrus Schenk had something special in his HDT-infused wide carver. Renoun’s two-time ISPO Gold-winning Hyper Damping Technology (now known as VibeStop) is indeed the real thing and can be felt on snow because the Z-90 is quiet and supple on the most inconsistent snow. Where the Z-90 also shines is in the wide-body charger shape, a design that was unique in the 90mm segment.


Honorable Mention

Other notable considerations include some skis that continued from the previous decade:

Blizzard Brahma
Blizzard's skinnier Bonafide was the Brahma. Where most 88mm skis at the time were wide narrow skis, Blizzard bucked the trend and made a narrow wide ski. Versatility is the cream that rose to the top.

DPS Wailer 112/112RP
The banana yellow powder ski was the one that all others were compared against. The Wailer 112 made DPS a (ski-) household name.

Head Monster 88
The reincarnated Monster 88 was better than most of the skiers who owned it. I heard more than one whisper, "You make me want to be a better skier."

K2 SuperCharger
This is the first hard snow ski that really went head to head with Head and the other Euro brands.

Kästle MX Series
The MX series made even the most frugal skiers reach deep into their wallets. The MX88 was the face of the MX collection and another ski that we billed as a Ski of the Decade.

Moment Bibby/Wildcat
A late addition brought to my attention by some readers that did change my mind. If the boys in Reno want to get us a pair to spend some time on, I would be willing to add them to our test fleet.

Völkl Mantra/Aura
These skis defined a generation. They were the King and Queen, Mother and Father, Adam and Eve of an entire generation of skis, and no “Best of” list is complete without them.

Völkl Kenja
Women flocked to the Kenja, which was the Princess to the Aura, a powerful women's ski for the masses.

I am sure many of these skis might be up for debate, especially because brand loyalties can sway one's views. But as Dave Petersen's creative image shows up top: change my mind.
About author
Philpug
I started skiing in the mid-70s in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania; from then on, I found myself entrenched in the industry. I have worked in various ski shops from suburban to ski town to resort, giving me a well-rounded perspective on what skiers want from their gear. That experience was parlayed into my time as a Gear Review Editor and also consulting with manufacturers as a product tester. Along with being a Masterfit-trained bootfitter I am a fully certified self proclaimed Gear Guru. Not only do I keep up with the cutting edge of ski gear technology, but I am an avid gear collector and have an extensive array of bindings as well as many vintage skis.

Replies

The older monsters-Monster 88 , Monster 78 and the 82-my favorite- are classics and like the newer 83 were fantastic skis
 
I skied on Volkl Mantras for over a decade (and still do as my rock skis) and appreciate a stiff ski that holds an edge and powers through crud. Having said that, the Head Kore 93 is better for me. It's more versatile and you don't have to worry about getting caught out by a momentary lapse of attention. Most people demo the larger sizes and don't like them, but the 93 is money. It's a revolutionary ski being very light weight but still strong.

I have to 2nd the comment about ON3P Billy Goats. That is an incredible powder ski and has a real cult following for very strong skiers. The shape is the key to that ski.

Another ski that comes to mind as new/old thinking from the last decade is the Rossi Hero series. ST's are super popular everywhere that ice is found. I've even seen them at Kirkwood. Mine always go with me to the East coast because of - well you know - ice. In Quebec I had trouble finding mine because there were so many of them racked outside the lodge.
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Head Kore 93's on a Heavenly groomer. They can be pushed hard.
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Thanks for the references. I need to add something from this Decade for my quiver of Decade Snapshots.

How about the Fischer Nightsticks?
Having some Olympic Gold to claim and all.
 
@Philpug, care to offer evaluation criteria for the "ski of the decade"? Otherwise, what's to stop you from moving the cheese?

It's definitely not my favorite ski of the past decade, but I agree with @skyfree that the Head Kore 93 deserves a nod. It is an uncanny ski: so light, and so stable at speed. And yes, it does use a novel material that actually won a Nobel prize. The Kores sold out all over the place in their first season, and opened the door for Head - a very Austrian, very decorated racing company - to get into freeskiing. Like Enforcers, each Kore model is a unique articulation of its use case, while retaining that crazy light / crazy stable paradox. You really could own a 93, a 105, and a 117, and be reasonably justified in that cash outlay. I'll caveat my Kore case slightly: it's not my favorite ski in the Sierra, where marine snow deflects this ski.

Another ski that made crazy waves and effectively catapulted a brand to attention: the Black Crows Atris. Does this ski have any secret sauce? Not really, but it's a 108 waisted wood core ski that's plenty of fun on groomers, nice and loose in trees and bumps, and totally sufficient for deep days. That black topsheet with stylized turquoise crows pattern was everywhere for a couple seasons. I would argue it's a young man's Soul 7.

+1 to the Stormrider 88. +1 to the Laser AX.
 
Oh my goodness, I should also note: The Fischer Ranger 102 FR and the Rustler 10 and 11. Remarkable skis.
 
Head Monster 88 and 98. because in half way through the decade, they proved that new shapes and construction can't replace the basics, good design and manufacturing.
 
I never had a chance to ski a Monster 88. I'm contemplating getting one before they disappear. How does it compare to the new Kendo?
 
I never had a chance to ski a Monster 88. I'm contemplating getting one before they disappear. How does it compare to the new Kendo?
I find it to be a little more turnier and playful...not quite as serious. I think the new Kendo with the 3D radius is the best Kendo ever but the Monder 88, especially the last evolution was a great ski too.
 
I find it to be a little more turnier and playful...not quite as serious. I think the new Kendo with the 3D radius is the best Kendo ever but the Monder 88, especially the last evolution was a great ski too.

Phil,

As evidence from my constant gushing, I love my monster 88s(first year) and now my monster 98s and 108s. Best quiver ever for me. How do you think I’ll feel about last years 88 compared to my old 88. I love the consistent feel in the quiver.
 
Phil,

As evidence from my constant gushing, I love my monster 88s(first year) and now my monster 98s and 108s. Best quiver ever for me. How do you think I’ll feel about last years 88 compared to my old 88. I love the consistent feel in the quiver.
The new Monster is a different shaped ski...but a similar feel. It has more turn built into it. I find it to be a bit more playful nd very well could be a good complement to your wider Monsters.
 

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