Ski graphics have changed massively since the sport was born. From plain wood planks to the bright, neon colors of the 80s, skis have seen just about every color of the rainbow and every design you can think of—including some we might not want to remember!

But now we are in the 2020s. Designers across the industry are pushing topsheet and base graphics to the new heights that our neon-clad 80s counterparts never would have even considered. From big, bold designs and animal prints to fine works of art, this season’s lineup has just about everything. This is the countdown of some of the most unique graphics out there for the 2021 season!

1. Black Crow Corvus

To kick things off, we have one of the simplest designs—but that doesn’t mean the Black Crow Corvus isn’t unique. Black Crow prides itself on bold colors and skis that make you stop and admire, and these Corvuses will make you do just that! With absolutely mega-hot pink topsheets, these are show stoppers that you will have no choice but to show off as you are out stomping big lines and taking on every steep you can find!

2. Coalition Snow SOS

For our first women-specific ski on the list, we have the Coalition Snow SOS. These are an absolute work of watercolor art. With incredible detail and artistry, these skis would look just as at home hanging on the wall over your fireplace (not that we suggest that!) as they would tearing through the leftover powder from the last storm. You and everyone else around you will have trouble taking your eyes off these skis on your next long lift ride up to the top!

3. Armada Magic J

If you are looking for a ski to match just how aggressive you charge, the Armada Magic J is the way to go. These feature a full carryover graphic across the left and right ski to paint a pretty in-your-face picture. Sure, it might be annoying that you aren’t able to swap your left and right stick without losing the flow of this killer graphic, but it is worth it to show off such a unique look. You will be letting everyone know that you are an apex predator once you click into these!

4. J Skis Vacation Brotherhood II

J Skis is known for putting out some of the loudest, most unique skis on the market, and this Brotherhood II design is the pinnacle of that loudness. Poking fun at the yellow jacket patrollers who troll mega-resorts of the West looking for speeders, the Brotherhood gives the rebel skier a flag to fly. With a mix of secret agent and bank heist vibes, these planks will have you pinning it on groomers and avoiding those yellow jackets with ease. Just make sure to flash the bases as you hit something big past resort customer service, just to be safe.

5. Moment Wildcat

Moment has broken onto the scene in recent years, with skis that rip and graphics that stand out while you are crushing that line under the lift. For 2021, the Wildcat takes the top spot among its full collection. This graphic has it all—lava pouring down a mountain, a lone astronaut exploring a new world, and some kind of god-like statue holding a glowing diamond. These tell a story! The story might not be easy to decipher, but that is half the fun. You can spend all day staring at these on the lift and you will keep finding more and more unique little details. We can’t wait to see what Moment has in store for its 2022 lineup to top these!

6. Shaggy’s Skis Medora 95

Shaggy’s is an unlikely, little ski company coming out of the Midwest—northern Michigan, to be more specific. But don’t let the location fool you, Shaggy’s Skis makes some of the coolest graphics in the game! These Medora 95s are some of our favorites from this year, as they mix hand-drawn styling with a unique color palette that is sure to catch a few looks. It’s a little bit more of a fun and laidback take on the usually intense graphics we’ve come to expect over the years. If you’ve migrated from Michigan, an added perk is that with Shaggy’s you can rock a picture of the Mitten State right on your skis!

While the Medoras are some of the best from the Shaggy’s stock line, make sure to check out its fully-custom options. We have seen them put together everything from full-blown, hand-drawn art pieces to two french baguettes! They can seriously do just about anything you can dream with a ski topsheet.

7. Icelantic Nomad 115

Icelantic has some of the most unique skis on the market each and every year. Every ski in its collection has graphics designed by its dedicated art team, and these artists are top of the line! With everything from mermaids to Japanese pagodas, Icelantic’s topsheets span the full spectrum of designs. This year’s Nomad 115 takes the cake though! With a full ski designed around the Aztecs of South America, you are sure to have one of the most unique sticks on the mountain or the skin track.

8. Volkl Revolt 121

The Revolt 121 offers a big canvas to play with and Volkl has used every bit of it. With an abstract left-right graphic setup and bold tiger stripes underfoot and beyond, there is plenty to take in with these planks. With a piece of art that looks like it would fit right in at MoMA, these skis are going to catch some looks as you hit some of the deepest powder days. You and your buddies won’t be able to take your eyes off these on the lift!

9. Atomic Bent Chetler 120

The Bent Chetler has been a long-standing ski in the Atomic lineup. The pro model of Chris Benchetler, these skis are some of the most beloved powder skis in the industry, even without their beautiful graphics. The really unique part about this ski’s topsheet and base is that they were hand-painted by Benchetler himself. An absolute ripper skier and incredibly talented artist, Benchetler creates the graphic for these skis each and every year and the recent models are absolutely beautiful. And because these are created from a hand-painted work of art, there are all kinds of details to discover—from the man in the mountain to the touring backcountry skier headed for some pow laps. If you want a true work of art on your feet, these are the skis for you.

10. Season Equipment Nexus

Season Equipment skis have become the new kids on the block of the ski and snowboard industry, but they bring the power of two industry all-stars with them. Created by Eric Pollard and Austin Smith, Season Equipment has one mission—to get you to buy skis and snowboards less often. They want to break the wasteful cycle of needing to get a new setup every year, even if you don’t really need it. That is why they chose to use a graphic that no one else does—straight black. Every board and ski they sell is pure black on both the topsheet and base. These are so unique because this is something no other company is doing, and that is what makes them so special!

Those are some of our favorite graphics out there right now for the 2021 season. As the season goes on, we will start to get some sneak peeks at what might be in store for 2022, and we cannot wait to see what everyone in the industry has prepared.

Now that you know what’s out there, let’s get you onto something good-looking! Get in touch with me or one of my fellow Ski experts here on Curated, and we will make sure to get you skiing on a work of art this season!