Best Men’s Freestyle Skis 2024
Super fun to ski all over the mountain, if you want more air this winter these Men’s Freestyle skis are for you
Men’s freestyle skis tested and reviewed in the 2024 Fall Line Gear Guide:
- Elan Playmaker 91
- Armada ARV 94
- Head Oblivion 84
- Faction Studio 1
- Line Chronic 101
- Völkl Revolt 104
To read the full list and the in-depth reviews of the chosen Men’s Freestyle Skis of 2024 in the Fall Line Gear Guide, click on the magazine cover below to purchase the issue (£3.50) and explore the complete lineup of this season’s top freestyle skis.
Get ready – Fall Line Gear Guide 2025 is dropping soon
Elan Playmaker 91- Fall Line Ski of the Year 2024
- £499
- Lengths: 156, 164, 172, 180, 188cm
- Radius: 17.0m @ 172cm
- Dimensions: 122-91-116mm
- Weight per ski: 1,630g @ 180cm without binding
THEY SAY
The Swiss Army knife of freeride twins, Playmaker 91 is narrow enough to slash through tight trees, wide enough to surf through new snow, and playful enough to drop into the terrain park on a sunny afternoon with your squad.
WE SAY
Many may compare these with the Ripsticks, and they share the carbon rod construction, but it’s not the same and they’re quite different skis to those award winners. They needn’t feel intimidated though, as the Playmakers are award-winning on their own strengths. Fantastic freestyle freeride toys.
OVERVIEW
These Playmaker skis are new, available in two widths. You can go for the fat and floaty 101, in a white and bright purple colourway, or this, the slimmer 91 version. They both look ace. They share the same construction, so it’s mainly down to the width you prefer. We skied both, and the 91 is the one to go for if you want to ski on and off-piste, with an equal amount of time on both sides of the piste markers.
SPEC
The carbon rods sit in the wood core. There’s one down each side, but they don’t run the full length. The rods in the Playmakers only run around half the length of the ski. The tip and tail have a thin profile to reduce the swing weight. You get a chamfered shape to the sidewall of the ski, to further save weight. The tip and tail rocker gives lovely float in soft snow, and keeps the skis nice and agile on firmer conditions.
PERFORMANCE
“Fun! Loves snappy short turns in all conditions. Moguls? Yes please! Surprisingly stable in longer carves for the shorter length I tried. Softer tails for easy slashes. It can be ridden in a neutral stance or driving the shovels,” was Chrigl’s comment, after we’d managed to get them back off him. Lee has skied the Ripsticks a lot, so was very keen to try out Elan’s new toys: “For me this feels way more fun than the bigger 101. It’s nimbler underfoot and has a greater pop in the mid-body, with less weight in the shovel and tail.
They are grippy on firm snow, and the agility allows you react quickly. If you want to ski them in more of a freeride way, they’re loose and fun. Elan calls these Freeride Twin skis, but these are just as good for all-mountain freestyle riding.” The Playmaker 91 makes you want to play (funny that), and also, it doesn’t matter which foot you put the skis on. The way they float helps off-piste, and the forgiving flex allows you to try new stuff in the park.
BEST FOR
These skis are for getting out there and giving it a go, whether it’s launching into variable snow off the sides, venturing further a field into deeper snow or popping off that little drop. Freestyle is about no constraints, and that sums up the Playmaker 91.
Armada ARV94
- £540
- Lengths: 157, 164, 171, 178, 185cm
- Radius: 16.5m @ 171cm
- Dimensions: 122-94-117mm
- Weight per ski: 1,550g @ 171cm
THEY SAY
Meet the Jack-of-all-trades, master of fun. It’s balanced to excel when buttering and pressing, with plenty of stability and pop to confidently send it on the pro line.
WE SAY
The new ARV skis are awesome. This and the 100 are true do-it-all skis, allowing you to carve ruts down the groomers, slash and drift in the powder and nail it in the park. The biggest issue is, how do you choose between them? (Or could we choose both?)
BEST FOR
Perfect for skiers who love a little freestyle but don’t want an out-and-outpark ski. The ARV 94 (and the wider 100) will work for upper intermediates and above.
Head Oblivion 84
- £385
- Lengths: 171, 176, 181cm
- Radius: 19.0m @ 176cm
- Dimensions: 120-84-109mm
- Weightperski: Approximately 1,855g@ 176cm
THEY SAY
Easy to handle, this is the perfect match for skiers working on take-offs and landings in the park or quick pivots on features.
WE SAY
Quite different to what you may be accustomed to from Head, the Oblivion family is about progressive, expressive skiing across the entire mountain. The 84 is a do-it-all width that’s super easy-handling.
BEST FOR
Intermediate to advanced skiers wanting to ski a little more in the park are a sweet spot for this ski. You can still use this as your all-mountain run around, finishing the day feeling just that bit more youthful than when you started.
