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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

Glad to see the Soul 7 there...it is a super fun ski that I think is too often looked down upon by good skiers. I'm very glad to have gotten a pair of the most recent incarnation before the line went away.
 
Anyone who knows me knows that I’m all-in on the Laser AX. I would add the Stormrider 88 as a similarly amazingly versatile ski.
And you are? ;)
 
impossible to capture all of the best skis of the last decade. I certainly would love to try some on this list. (Soul 7 is the only one i've clicked into , super fun and easy to ski)

Line Sir Francis Bacons come to mind immediately for what they have brought to the soft snow world. Eric Pollard's genius should not be overlooked.
(just bought my 3rd pair since 2011 - incredibly popular ski out here)

or the Greatest ski of all time : 4FRNT - HOJI's -
obviously designed for soft snow but man are they fun on groomers when you lean into that full rocker and utilize the long turn radius
- I put some shifts on these just incase the lifts shut down again

just my 2 cents from a Utah perspective .
 
Good ol' PugSki: 'Best of the Decade and nuthin'under a 76. The Heads have been great for a couple of decades but unless you are 65mm you are missing out. "I never ski unless there is pow = I never ski unless it is sunny." I see the boys in the lift-line ten days after the last snow. Time for Pug to watch a few Paul Lorenz vids.
 
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I'll definitely give a thumbs up to the Soul 7. I demoed it when it was first introduced and was blown away by it. I even had a fast run on a GS course at Whistler on a pair.
I had a lap on this thing once. I mean one run... The working edge is that of a child's ski. The only good thing about it was that it sorta flapped around on the way to lunch.
 
Got it. I give the MX and BMX lines props anyway. After years of rolling on All Mountain and Mogul skis, the Kastle models have infused a new level of fun into my ski days!
 
Good ol' PugSki: 'Best of the Decade and nuthin'under a 76. The Heads have been great for a couple of decades but unless you are 65mm you are missing out. "I never ski unless there is pow = I never ski unless it is sunny." I see the boys in the lift-line ten days after the last snow. Time for Pug to watch a few Paul Lorenz vids.
The iRally was 74mm underfoot in the shorter lengths. :) What skis in the past decade under 76mm really stood out? Stockli Laser SX, maybe, a worthy ski for sure. The Head Suershapes were from the previous decade. Original Kastle RX was also fromt eh previous decade. Again, change my mind.
 
Can't help but note that ALL of these are mainstream corporate manufacturers. No doubt all are great skis (and I've owned something from just about all of them over the last 50 years). I've got to give a shout out to Icelantic and their fabulous Nomad 105s. Having grown up on long straight skis - think Fischers, K2s, Elans, Heads, etc and having deliberately skipped the "GLM" craze of the 1970s, I was about as traditional as you could get. When I got my "Icies" in 2015, I was SCEPTICAL about a 105 underfoot ski - bumps? really? stable? not likely, etc. Yeah, well - being a clydesdale (6'4", 225) these skies have been incredibly stable at speed and have basically excelled at everything I've asked of them. Obviously great in powder but bumps are a total kick in the pants - by FAR the best ski I've ever had - lively, quick to turn, hold a line, carve or smear as necessary with ease. So they don't have a huge advertising budget (or prices to match and fund that advertising!) but I'd put them up against just about any ski out there. The only "failing" is that I'd probably not consider them great for racing (duh!), and they aren't the best on real hard pack/ice.

Full disclosure - the entire family of four skis either Nomad 105s or in the case of my wife the Maiden 101s. My oldest has been skiing 105s in a 176 length since he was 14 and about 5'6" - they never over-powered him in any conditions despite being "too big". I guess I think you ought to give a shout out to the smaller independents of the ski world - they have driven innovation and raised expectations and frankly forced the big boys to react.
 
The 90's was interesting, there were so many designs that were thrown against the wall and rushed to market that really we want to forget. LOL.

If it's fair to say that during the 1990's the ski industry responded to FIS's changing World Cup courses by giving skis more shape and experimented with different materials (Salomon monoque, Rossi cap skis, and remember that K2 ski with the light in the tip), which helped lead the way for the enhanced design and improvements in manufacturing 2000's. In the 2010's the emphasis was on weight reduction, and early rise/negative camber, further improvements in manufacturing and a drive toward quality centric designs, were do you see skis going in the 20's?

(maybe not the place for this topic, SkiTalk is helping with the mental release this week!!!)
 
This isn't an attempt to change anyone's mind so much as a personal comment - I have demoed Blizzard Brahmas and Bonafides at least a half dozen times. Every time I've tried them, they left me cold. My reaction has always been "Kastle makes a better version of this ski" (or at least they used to - the kinder gentler MX series is something I'm skeptical of).

Volkl's recent offerings I actually like quite a lot and they don't make me instantly think "Kastle made a better version of this ski."

What am I missing about the Blizzard "bull" line? On paper it should be great for me (traditional, powerful "free ride" skis).
 
Can't help but note that ALL of these are mainstream corporate manufacturers.
Renoun and their Z90 is far from mainstream. In the Honorable Mentions there is Moment and DPS. Also, Blizzard really didn't become mainstream until the Bonafide and Black Pearl mentioned here.
 
It's a great list, but I would say the original S7 instead of the Soul 7. It's the ski that all the 7 series skis were based on.
 
It's a great list, but I would say the original S7 instead of the Soul 7. It's the ski that all the 7 series skis were based on.
I believe it predates 2010 but didn't have the huge sales success the Soul 7 had.
 
With out a doubt I have to agree with the placement of the Head Rally on this list. It is my go to ski and I have to consider myself lucky that it was my choice even though I never demoed it before purchasing the ski.
 
This isn't an attempt to change anyone's mind so much as a personal comment - I have demoed Blizzard Brahmas and Bonafides at least a half dozen times. Every time I've tried them, they left me cold. My reaction has always been "Kästle makes a better version of this ski" (or at least they used to - the kinder gentler MX series is something I'm skeptical of).

Völkl's recent offerings I actually like quite a lot and they don't make me instantly think "Kästle made a better version of this ski."

What am I missing about the Blizzard "bull" line? On paper it should be great for me (traditional, powerful "free ride" skis).

If you can truly rip a full camber ski anywhere and appreciate how to make such a ski work, the same width Blizzard is going to let you down. But there are very few of these sorts of skiers thus seeing about 100 or so Bonafides for every one Monster 98 on the hill.
 
Excellent list. Much of which I can say from personal experience, which is a tribute to those who fed me good suggestions. Personally I didn't like the Soul 7, but I can easily see how others would, it's a matter of personal taste. At an Alpine Meadows demo day a few years ago, K.C. Deane loaned me his personal pair of Bibby Pros. I was duly impressed.
 
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The photo of the AX shows a nice rounded tail but the newer model has more of a squared off tail. I was wondering if anyone has skied both and what the difference is and maybe why it was changed.
 

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