Best Powder Skis 2024
How we tested
When you’re looking for the right skis, nothing beats advice from a Real Expert. Every ski on this list has been tested by someone who knows skiing inside and out. People who wake up at 4 am to go for a tour, who know the difference between powder, crust and cord — you know the type. Collectively, our Real Experts have tried hundreds of skis from different brands, and they’re given no incentives to choose one over another.
If you’re looking for more personalized advice, you can chat with one of our Real Experts and get product picks!
What's Curated?
Curated is the home of Real Experts. We’re where you go when you’re buying something big (like new skis), and you need advice from someone who just gets it. Our product picks are always unbiased and personalized to your needs, plus we only stock trusted brands. Get a Real Expert to find the right product for you.
Questions You Should Ask
Do powder skis make a difference?
Powder skis can make a big difference to your skiing given the right conditions. Their wider platform helps them float above the surface where turning is easier, plus a proper powder ski will often have a lot more tip and tail rocker making them much easier to maneuver. Additionally, powder skis tend to have a softer flex pattern that allows them to bend and float with ease.
All of these characteristics are especially helpful in heavier snow. If the snow is fluffy and light, the differences can be more subtle.
Why are wider skis better for powder?
In general, wider skis are better for skiing powder. With more surface area, they float to the top of the snow more easily and at lower speeds. Being more on top of the snow makes the skis easier to turn and lets you ski faster in less steep terrain. While wider skis aren't mandatory for skiing powder, they can help make the most of the conditions.
Can you ski in powder with all mountain skis?
Yes, with proper technique you can ski powder in any ski but the difference will be what kind of terrain, stance, and technique you need. Skinnier all mountain skis will require skiers to go faster, lean back and tire their quads, or constantly hop up and down. With powder skis you can generally just ski normally and enjoy the softer conditions. Powder skis make powder skiing easier, allowing you to have more fun without constantly fighting the snow.
Best Powder Skis for Super Deep Snow
For the days when the resort is reporting a foot+ of new snow overnight, you’ll want a pair of skis in this category. They have a wide waist width and a rocker-heavy profile, giving the rider optimal float when there’s feet of fresh snow.
Deep powder days
Playful, freestyle skiers
Touring in powder
Carving
Hardpack or firm snow
The Atomic Bent Chetler 120 is a freeride powder ski with a playful poppy feel. It's big enough for the deepest days on the mountain but light enough to throw around or even use for touring. The rocker-camber-rocker shape gives the ski a lot of pop and makes it easy to maneuver through tight terrain, and beveled HRZN tech shape in the tips and tails keeps them from hanging up. The Bent Chetler 120 is a ski for skiers who like a more upright stance and more progressive ski shapes.
Deep powder days
Deep powder touring
Heli/CAT skiing
Stability at speed
Firm or icy conditions
The Nocta are a 122mm, full reverse camber ski designed to float with ease and stomp huge lines. Add to that a long side-cut and the result is an extremely stable ski that can slash and play in bottomless powder. Sure it's not necessarily built to rip groomers, but they'll hold up well enough to ski back to the lift line for another lap.
Deep powder days
Floating in deep snow
The deepest days of the year
Groomers
Carving
The DPS Pagoda Lotus 124 is a ski for the best days of the season. Its 124mm waist and huge tapered tip are unsinkable. Its long gradual rocker profile with camber underfoot helps it feel fast and stable in open terrain. In the trees, the tapered tip helps shorten the effective length of the ski for easy pivoting. With DPS's durable world cup bases and Pagoda construction, the Lotus 124 is a ski that's built to last. This is a ski for skiers who want their best days on the mountain to be even better.
Best Powder Skis for Playfulness
For the skiers who love to make the whole mountain their playground, look no further. The skis in this category have a softer flex and may have features such as twin tips, allowing the rider to easily jib, butter, smear, slarve, and jump off all the natural features they can find.
Freestyle skiers
Playful skiers
Nimbleness
Effortless float
Groomers
Chopped up powder
Rough, unstable terrain
K2 made the Reckoner 122 to be the deep snow party ski. Soft tips and tails combined with a relatively strong mid-ski, tons of tip and tail rocker, and a medium-long turning radius work together to create a playful ski that is happy to pivot and slash all day long regardless of how deep it gets. Not only that, but they're strong enough to send big lines forward and backward. If there's a downside to this ski, it's that the softer tips tend to get beat up a bit in resort chop, but that's a small price to pay.
Playful powder skiers
Buttering and slashing around in powder
Landing big drops in powder
Groomers
Carving fast on hard packed snow
Armada's ARV 116 JJ is a ski built specifically to be poppy and playful in powder. The 116mm waist and wide tip give the ski lots of float, and the rocker-camber-rocker profile provides some bounce and smearing ability. The Poplar and Ash core is light, responsive, and springy. The ARV 116 JJ is the ski for skiers who like skiing pillows, playing on natural features, and make the most of every powder run.
Landing jumps in powder
Freestyle skiing in powder
Deep powder days
Groomers
Carving on hardpack
The Line Outline is a playful, buttery powder ski for the deepest days. Its 117mm waist and huge 150mm tip are nearly unsinkable. Line's Convex Tech in the tip and tail is a beveled shape that helps the ski feel looser for quick turns, butters, and smears. The Outline's semi-symmetrical shape and fully symmetrical flex are great for skiing switch.
Best Powder Skis for Intermediates
For intermediate skiers who need a pair of skis to help them tackle powder days, take a look at the skis in this category. These skis have the features you would expect of powder skis, but with a construction and flex that offers easier turning and more forgiveness, making them a great option for an intermediate skier.
Excellent as a tool to get better at powder skiing
Powder and all-mountain skiing
Skiing more than just powder
Carving fast on hard packed snow
Rough, unstable terrain
The Atomic Bent 110 is an agile freeride powder ski that's approachable but can be pushed hard. Its 110mm waist excels in powder, but it's a more approachable size that can still handle most conditions. Its rocker-camber-rocker shape makes the ski nimble and poppy, and its lightweight construction makes it easy to move around. The beveled HRZN tech tip and tail add surface area and loosen the tips and tails to make the ski more maneuverable. The Bent 110 is a great powder ski for anyone who needs a ski fore more than just powder.
Versatility in powder and tracked out terrain
A dedicated powder ski in the East
Good balance of powder and all-mountain performnce
Wide shovel provides lots of float
Charging hard on groomers
Super deep powder
The Salomon QST 106 is an all-mountain/freeride ski that is fun in just about any condition. Its 106mm waist is modest for a powder ski, but its shovel ranges from 136mm to 140mm depending on the length and provides excellent float in powder. Rocker in the tip and tail also help the ski maneuver more easily in powder, and camber underfoot lets it hold an edge on hardpack and skiing steeps. Salomon's QST 106 is a great ski for someone who wants a wider ski that excels in powder that they can still ski every day.
Best Powder Skis for Hard-Chargers
These skis are for those powder hunters who like to go fast and send big lines. With a stiffer flex and a construction that supports stability and control at high speeds, these skis are ideal for aggressive skiers charging hard through powder.
Hard-chargers that like to send big lines
Big powder bowls
Chopped up snow
Beginner skier legs
Heavier than most skis
Rossignol's Black Ops 118 is designed specifically to be a hard-charging powder ski. The 118mm waist and 145mm tip float effortlessly through the deepest powder, and its freeride shape is fun and playful. Since not every run can be untouched powder, the Black Ops 118 has enough power to bust through crud and track through variable snow. A softer flex at the tips and tails keeps the ski playful, and a stiff section underfoot lets it hold its own in adverse conditioins.
Chopped up snow
Dropping cliffs and chutes
Hard-chargers that like to send big lines
Powder days with some variable conditions thrown in
Beginners
The Nordica Enforcer Free 110 is a hard-charging powder ski that balances playfulness with power. The lighweight wood core keeps the ski nimble, but two sheets of metal provide enough power to blast through chunk and chunder. Rocker at the tip and tail make the ski more maneuverable, but a section of camber underfoot gives the ski some pop and helps with edge-hold. The Enforcer Free 110 is a good choice for aggressive skiers who want a powder ski that can still be fun when snow isn't flying.
One ski quiver out west
Dedicated powder ski the east
Stable at speed
Directional chargers looking for a soft snow option
Deep powder
Beginners
Armada's Declivity 108 Ti is a directional all-mountain ski with enough float to be one of our top picks for skiing powder. At 108mm underfoot with a wide shovel, it provides plenty of float in powder without feeling too big for daily use. Its lightweight wood core keeps the ski nimble, but metal reinforcement dampens the ski for better stability at speed. Its directional shape and camber profile that extends farther towards the tail make it a good choice for skiers who prefer a more traditional ski and have a more forward stance.
Best Powder Skis for Freeride
These skis are for the skiers who love skiing off-piste on natural terrain. With a wider waist-width and a stiffer flex, they are perfect for skiers exploring ungroomed, untouched deep lines who want a ski with no limits.
Floating in powder
High speed stability
Good balance of playfulness and stability
Beginners
The Rustler 11 will go down as one of the best resort powder options of all time. The perfect width (112-116mm depending on length) to handle deep powder and variable snow alike, the Rustler 11 has the power to cruise through chop, the shape to be playful and loose, and the pedigree of the Freeride World Tour. When it comes to freeride skis, these should be near the top of anyone's list.
Stability at speed
Hard-chargers that like to send big lines
Aggressive skiers wanting a playful platform
Deep powder days
Busting through crud
Beginners
Short turns
Line's Blade Optic 114 is a hard-charging freeride ski that excels in powder. Early rise and taper in the tip and tail reduce the effective length of the ski and help it feel more nimble. Strategically placed metal reinforcement helps dampen the ski and give enough power to bust through chop and crud. A directional flex gives the ski a more playful and forgiving tip while keeping the tail a little stiffer to help hold an edge and finish the turn.
Best Powder Skis for Value
For those skiers looking to add a dedicated powder ski to their quiver but have a budget to keep in mind, check out the skis in this category. These skis offer a good balance of performance and affordability, so you don’t have to break the bank.
Versatility
Beginner through advanced skiers
Floating on powder days
Twin tip shape is good for skiing switch
Carving
High speed stability
The K2 Reckoner 112 is a twin tip all-mountain ski that excels in powder. Its 136mm shovel provides ample float, and the rockered tip and tail add maneuverability. Subtle camber underfoot helps with edge hold, and the wood core keeps the ski playful and poppy. The Reckoner 112 is a great value for someone that wants to add a powder ski to the quiver that can be fun any day on the mountain.
Versatility
Playful powder skiers
Fun in more than just powder
Skiing switch
Carving fast on hard packed snow
Perhaps one of the most popular pow skis on the market, the ARV 116 JJ has been the quintessential pow ski for the park crowd. A burly ski with a playful side, Armada has baked in tons of tech to make the JJ loose, yet stable. Playful, yet strong. A whole lot of tip and tail rocker for float, smear tech for buttering and catch-free takeoffs, and an overall strong character make this a ski to break out for powder days, park laps, and most runs in between.
