SNOW Magazine shares the best new ski reviews 2019
SNOW used the Proust Questionnaire to do some of the best new ski reviews 2019─ Literary Curio, Personality Test, Parlor Game, or the Answer to the Meaning of Life SNOW — style: Do YOUR Skis Reveal Your True Nature?
During the 19th century, French essayist and novelist Marcel Proust popularized a parlor game which involved filling out a questionnaire meant to reveal a person’s true nature. Since then, thousands of people have answered this questionnaire. SNOW’s questions go one step deeper: What is your true ski nature? Barb Sanders, the publisher of SNOW, who has skied and après-skied on five continents, discusses the perfect quiver when to tell a white lie, and the anticipation of the first lift ride of the season. Here are our best ski reviews 2019
What is your idea of perfect happiness? Skiing powder so good I have to hoot and holler out loud.
What is your greatest fear while skiing? That someone on the hill has my same fabulous outfit.
What is the trait you most deplore in yourself while skiing? I can’t stop the ski instructor in me from analyzing every turn.
What is the trait you most deplore in others? Making me wait on a powder day.
What is your greatest skiing extravagance? My wardrobe.
What is your current state of mind? Counting down the days to the start of the season.
On what occasion do you lie? When I skive off to ski on a bluebird powder day.
Which talent would you most like to have on the slopes? I wish I could channel Mikaela Shiffrin’s technique.
If you could change one thing about how you ski, what would it be? I’d steer my inside leg so I don’t look as old school as I am.
Where would you most like to live? In my hometown – Aspen! What is your most treasured possession? My son Micah’s first pair of skis. What do you most value in your ski friends? That they can talk on the lift and ski on the hill.
Here are some of the Best New Ski Reviews 2018 – 2019
ATOMIC REDSTER X9
LENGTH 169 113/65.5/98.5
PROUST SKI QUESTION: What will be your most treasured possession? “The Atomic of course!” “Loved the ski so much that I am planning on adding it to my quiver for next season,” says Ex-ski pro P.J. McGovern.SKI PERSONALITY: Aspen Mountain ski pro Claudio Margaride says this ski is perfect for recreational racers. “It’s responsive, quick edge to edge and holds on hard snow.” “It’s a freakin’ awesome carver,” agrees Aspen ski pro Anda Smalls.THE REVEAL: “Every recreational skier should have a pair, you get so much feedback from these skis that they teach you to ski better,” says 24 Hour Heli Skier Andrew Cader.
DIFFERENCES
LENGTH 155 12.5 RADIUS
PROUST SKI QUESTION: What is the quality you most admire? “Reliability.” Ex-Slovenian National Team member Anda Smalls describes the Differences as stiff, fun, and reliable. “You can put this ski on edge and it holds. This ski is great at speed, just stay forward.”SKI PERSONALITY: This is a great on-piste ski for intermediate and advanced skiers that want to go fast. A few testers liked its performance in short turns. Most testers concurred that this ski holds well and is damp and solid at speed. Smalls said, “Don’t get into the backseat or they will take off without you!”THE REVEAL: “Surprisingly, these skis were good in the bumps, overall this ski performs in all types of terrain,” says Smalls.
BOMBER PRO CARVE
LENGTH 166 118/70/101PROUST QUESTION: Where would you most like to live? “On frontside groomers.” “This ski was built to cruise,” says Gorsuch Manager Jared Ettlinger. “I knew right away I was on a 70mm waisted ski – wow!”SKI PERSONALITY: “This ski is rock solid at speed even in variable spring snow. The Pro Carve ranks close to the top of this category amongst some elite Front side rippers,” says Ettlinger. David Stapleton, Director of the Stapleton Race Center adds, “It makes an easy entrance and exit into the turns.”
The Reveal: “Smooth is the perfect word to describe how this ski rides,” says Stapleton.
RENOUN ENDURANCE 98
LENGTH 169 127/98/121PROUST QUESTION: What is your most marked characteristic? “HDT, or Hyper Dampening Technology. So the harder you ski, the quieter and more stable the ski becomes.” David Stapleton, former U.S. Ski Team member and SNOW Ski Test Director says, “The Renoun Endurance 98 is one of the most versatile skis we tested.”SKI PERSONALITY: Stapleton says, “I skied this ski in powder, crud, and at speed. This ski does it all. With the HDT technology built in, the ski performs to its highest level. I also found this ski to be one of the most stable skis I have ever skied. The ease of turn initiation was easy even in variable conditions.”THE REVEAL: “Responsive yet mellow and smooth,” says Mo Mitchell, Aspen Valley Ski Club race coach.
WAGNER CUSTOM SKIS
LENGTH 184 133/9/116PROUST QUESTION: If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be? “Since I’m a custom ski, I can change everything about myself to suit your tastes and desires. I’m the ultimate chameleon.”SKI PERSONALITY: “This ski makes a great medium to long radius turn,” says 100+ days-ayear skier Andrew Cader. “I also liked this ski in the bumps — it was fun, and the flex was even.” Niseko ski pro Nick Hill liked that it was easy to initiate the turn and had a damp feeling to it.THE REVEAL: “Wow”, says Mo Mitchell, Aspen Valley Ski Club coach. “This ski is so sound and damp, but at the same time it is poppy. I feel like I can charge or cruise on this ski. Perfect one ski quiver, good on and off the piste.”
XO BY EXONDE V21
LENGTH 172 127/87/107PROUST QUESTION: What is your most marked characteristic? “I would have to say, it’s the fact that I’m lightweight and designed to be skied without a binding plate, so this too keeps me light.”SKI PERSONALITY: Dairinn Bowers, ex-ski racer turned model says: “The XO has a rockered tip and it makes it easy to start the turn. I liked cruising on this ski in soft snow on the groomers.” Joanie Valentine, Aspen ski pro adds, “This is a fun ski for an intermediate to advanced skier in soft snow.”THE REVEAL: “This ski is very light, but it has a solid firm feel. When I pressure the tips, the initiation is like butter,” says P.J. McGovern, 100+ days-a-season skier.
Check out more of our best new ski reviews 2019 on YouTube.com
