What is an all-mountain ski? An all-mountain ski is a broad category and can include many different types of skis. An all-mountain ski is best for anyone that finds themselves skiing varied terrain types. All-mountain skis are designed to handle groomers, moguls, trees, chop, and light powder. However, if there were one ski that handled perfectly in all terrain, we would all have it. The reality is every ski has its disadvantages and advantages. Therefore, it would help if you understood what is important to you in your ski, so you can decide what compromises you are willing to make.

What to Consider When Buying Skis

Do you love to go fast and want something that will feel stable and smooth? Or do you love wiggling through tight trees and want something playful and quick? There are variations of all mountain skis that will perform better on groomed terrain and others that will be better for off-piste skiing. For example, a carving ski may be best if you stick to only groomed terrain. Check out my article “Carving vs. All-Mountain Skis” if you are unsure about what is right for you. Here I have highlighted some of the best women's specific all-mountain skis.

I have worked as a Curated Ski Expert for about a year and a half, helping people find the right gear. I learned to ski in Vermont and now live in Montana. I have tested or owned many of the skis I have highlighted.

Top 5 All-Mountain Women’s Skis

1. Nordica Santa Ana 93: Stable and Great on Groomers

Ratings:

• Groomers: 4/5
• Powder: 3/5
• Moguls: 3/5
• High-Speed Stability: 4/5
• Playfulness: 2/5

The Nordica Santa Ana is a great stable, quick, and versatile all-mountain ski for a hard-charging woman skier. The Santa Ana has a thin layer of Titanial making the ski stable but not so stiff that it loses maneuverability. This ski is 93mm underfoot, a super versatile width that can handle most terrain types. This ski has a rocker/camber/rocker profile. The camber profile makes the ski stable for groomers, while the rocker profile adds a playful element making it a blast on off-piste terrain. This ski is stable and damp on groomers and also performs well on choppy snow and in trees. The Santa Ana has a relatively short turning radius giving it a quick and snappy feel. Something I really love about this ski is the size ranges it comes in. Many women’s skis only come in three size options; however, Nordica really made this ski an option for any woman skier by providing this large size range.

Who Is This Right For?

If you are a hard-charging woman skier who loves to lay the ski over on a groomer but also gets into some off-piste terrain, this is a great choice. However, this ski is on the stiffer side, so if you like a softer, more forgiving ski, this may not be right for you. The Santa Ana would be a great choice for an East Coast skier who may make an occasional trip out West. If you live or ski in an area with lots of snow, you may want something a bit wider underfoot.

2. Blizzard Sheeva 9: Playful and Versatile

Ratings:

• Groomers: 3/5
• Powder: 3/5
• Moguls: 5/5
• High-Speed Stability: 2/5
• Playfulness: 4/5

The Blizzard Sheeva 9 is a light and playful women’s specific all-mountain ski. The turning radius on this ski is short, making it super easy to turn and great in moguls and trees. This ski does not have metal in the core construction, making it relatively soft and forgiving. The Sheeva has a rocker/camber/rocker profile. The rocker gives the ski some float and easy turn initiation. The camber profile helps give the ski a stable and smooth ride on groomed terrain without having metal in the base. I love the way this ski performs in moguls and trees. This Sheeva also comes in two wider widths, a 102 and a 112 underfoot. If you find yourself getting into deeper snow often, you may consider one of these options.

Who Is This Right For?

The Sheeva 9 is a great option for a progressing intermediate or advanced woman who wants to get into more off-piste terrain. The Sheeva is forgiving, playful, and super versatile. If you are someone who skis a bit of everything—moguls, trees, groomers, and powder—this would be a great option for you. However, keep in mind this ski is relatively soft and does not handle exceptionally at high speeds. So if you are a hard-charging skier who wants a super stable, fast ride, this ski may not be quite enough for you.

3. Elan Ripstick 94: Responsive and Quick

Ratings:

• Groomers: 4/5
• Powder: 3/5
• Moguls: 4/5
• High-Speed Stability: 3/5
• Playfulness: 4/5

The Elan Ripstick 94 has been a super popular ski for years and for good reason. The Ripstick is incredibly versatile and has a quick and snappy feel. The Elan Ripstick 94 is known for its super lightweight construction. Elan uses its unique TubeLight Woodcore construction in the core of this ski. The core is made of very lightweight wood, with carbon rods running through the wood for extra reinforcement. This allows for torsional stability while still keeping the ski lightweight and playful.

Elan classifies this ski as an all-mountain freeride ski. This ski performs relatively well on groomers but was designed for off-piste terrain. This ski has a rocker/camber/rocker profile which is very common for all-mountain and freeride skis, as the camber ensures good edge hold. The rocker allows for easy turn initiation and a forgiving ride.

Who Is This Right For?

I have found this ski to perform the best in soft snow, trees, and moguls, as it is responsive, quick, and playful. This ski performs relatively well on soft groomers but gets a bit chattery on ice. If you are an intermediate or advanced skier looking for a playful and versatile ski, the Elan Ripstick 94 is certainly worth considering. This ski is comparable to the Blizzard Sheeva but slightly stiffer and less playful.

When charging hard and fast through choppy snow, this ski can feel just a bit unstable. If charging hard at high speeds is your priority, this may not be the ski for you. A slightly stiffer ski, such as the Nordica Santa Ana or the K2 Mindbender Ti, may provide more stability.

4. K2 Mindbender 99Ti: For the Aggressive and Fast Skier

Ratings:

• Groomers: 4/5
• Powder: 3/5
• Moguls: 3/5
• High-Speed Stability: 5/5
• Playfulness: 2/5

The K2 Mindbender 99Ti is a stiff and versatile ski designed to handle all terrain types. The Mindbender 99Ti has a layer of Titanial Y-Beam in the base. Titanial is typically used to make a ski stiffer, giving it a more stable and damper feel. Instead of having one uniform strip of metal in the ski, K2 uses a Y-Beam shape for its Titanial layer. This helps provide stability to the ski without giving it an unforgiving feel.

This ski has a camber profile with a moderate all-terrain tip and tail rocker. This design results in a very versatile ski that can handle any terrain you may encounter. This ski performs well in choppy snow as it has a smooth and stable ride. I rarely find the ski to chatter at high speeds. They are also super quick edge to edge and have a great snappy, quick, and energetic feel. Stability and quickness can be a hard combination to find, but K2 has done it with this ski. On the contrary, this ski is less forgiving than softer, more playful skis like the Sheeva or the Ripstick. At times these skis can feel like a lot of work to bend.

This ski is 99mm underfoot which is on the wider side for an all-mountain ski. Some may consider it more of a freeride ski or a big mountain ski. However, I think this is a super versatile width that can handle a bit of powder while still performing on hardpack. The women’s Mindbender Ti also comes in an 89mm underfoot option which may be better if you rarely find yourself riding in soft snow.

Who Is This Right For?

If you are an advanced or expert skier looking for a great one-ski quiver, the K2 Mindbender 99Ti may be the ski for you. This ski was designed to handle all types of terrain. This ski is a blast for groomers; it is easy to initiate the turn with and feels quick and responsive. It also has enough stability to handle well on chop. Typically, when I find a ski that I enjoy on groomers and crud, the ski does not perform well in tight trees and moguls. However, I have not found this to be true with the Mindbender.

The rocker profile allows you to pivot the ski when you get in a tight spot or into soft snow. However, the Mindbender Ti is probably not the right choice if you are a beginner or intermediate skier. In addition, if you like a playful ride and a ski that wants to pivot underfoot, you may not like the feel of the Mindbender. This ski really wants to hook up, a popular choice for retired ski racers!

5. Black Crow Captis Birdie: For the Progressing Intermediate

Ratings:

• Groomers: 3/5
• Powder: 2/5
• Moguls: 5/5
• High-Speed Stability: 1/5
• Playfulness: 5/5

The Black Crow Captis Birdie is a great playful ski for the progressing intermediate getting into some off-piste terrain. This ski has a rocker/camber/rocker profile with a wood core. The Captis Bridie is 90mm underfoot, making it great for groomed terrain, but it also has enough width to take in some softer snow. Although the turning radius on this ski is slightly longer than some other skis we have looked at, this ski feels quick edge to edge. I would have guessed the turning radius was closer to 14 or 15 meters. The Captis Bridie is a softer ski, meaning it won’t take quite as much work and powder to bend it. In addition, it is super lightweight, making it very maneuverable and easy to pivot. This makes them a blast to ski in moguls and trees.

The Captis Birdie is super playful and nimble, but on the contrary, it is not ideal for variable snow and high speeds. This ski is soft and forgiving, but at high speeds, this ski will feel a bit unstable. Therefore, if you are looking for something that will charge through chop or feel stable when flying down a hard groomer, the Captis Birdie will not do the trick for you.

Who Is This Right For?

If you are an intermediate skier who loves a good soft groomer and wants to venture into some moguls and trees, the Captis Birdie may be your ski. This ski is playful, forgiving, and great for someone who wants to progress beyond groomed terrain into some more mellow off-piste terrain. However, if you are an expert who knows how to charge and bend the ski, I recommend something a bit stiffer and more stable.

Conclusion

The world of skis is extremely extensive, and countless options exist. I chose these skis as my top picks for women's all-mountain skis due to their versatility, popularity, and great performance. However, it wasn’t easy to narrow it down to just five skis because there are so many other amazing skis out there!

Before deciding on a pair of skis, try to understand your priorities in a ski and what compromises you are willing to make. If you are still unsure about what is right for you, feel free to reach out to me or any of our other qualified Ski Experts at Curated!