9 amazing skis from the Gear Guide 2025
Last winter, a select number of us headed out a few days early to La Clusaz, where we spent five days in all manner of terrain testing women’s and men’s skis and were blessed with some of the best powder conditions of the season.
On the Monday of the test, the snow had packed down, becoming rock-solid in places, with much hunting required to get any fresh lines off the sides. These are not the conditions you dream of, but they made for amazing testing, pushing the kit and our test team to their limits.
Here are a few skis that we tested and loved enough to feature in the Fall Line Gear Guide 2025. In the mag, there are hundreds more reviews of skis, boots, and all the essential kit you need to hit the hill. Plus, you can discover which ski has been awarded the coveted Ski of the Year in each category.
Piste Skis
HEAD SUPERSHAPE E-MAGNUM
£765 including bindings
Lengths: 149, 156, 163, 170, 177cm
Radius: 13.1m @ 170cm
Dimensions: 126-72-110mm
Head’s updated the Supershape e-Magnum for this season. The wood core, combined with Titanal, is a tried and tested mix, and you still get the benefit of the integrated Energy Management Circuit, helping to soak up vibrations. They’ve added in a layer of carbon under the binding, whose lattice design delivers even more oomph through the edge underfoot. This is complemented by a dampening layer, so the extra stiffness doesn’t send shockwaves up through the feet. The Better Balance binding solution, seen on the women’s Joy skis last season, has also been brought in, providing a constant ramp angle irrespective of your boot size.
K2 DISRUPTION SC ♀️
£585 including bindings
Lengths: 146, 153, 160, 167 cm
Radius: 12.6 m @ 160 cm
Dimensions: 127-74-109 mm
Weight per ski: 1,471 g @ 160 cm without binding
The women’s model gives you carbon and elastomer damping inserts in the tip, and carbon running on top of the Aspen Micro Block wood core. The Powerwall, where the sidewall extends further into the body of the ski underfoot, delivers grip. A lot of our female test team took this ski out as it’s such fun. Amy sums it up: “A super-fun, springy piste ski that’s great for dancing around the groomers. It suits a variety of speeds and would be a super teaching ski for instructors, or a progression ski for women looking to level up their piste performance.”
If you want to read a lot more about the Disruption SC, check out the men’s ski on page 24 of the Fall Line Gear Guide 2025.
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All Mountain Skis
NORDICA ENFORCER 89
£580 without bindings
Lengths: 167, 173, 179, 185 cm
Radius: 17.0 m @ 173 cm
Dimensions: 121.5-89-109.5 mm
Weight per ski: 2,010 g without binding (no stated size)
The Enforcer skis have been redesigned for this season, and the 89 is the narrowest adult option (they do an Enforcer 80 S for kids). The wood core is split horizontally by two sheets of Titanal metal with an elastomer layer between those. This Energy 2 Ti Pulse Core ensures the Enforcer is torsionally punchy and stunningly smooth. We’ve skied the 89 in various locations and a broad range of conditions, and it’s a brilliant ski, even on the boilerplate hard pistes of La Clusaz last January. It could have taken home an Editors’ Choice award, but we’ve only got so many medals to dish out. The rocker profile aids when skiing challenging conditions off the sides, and the damp ride is a joy.
SALOMON STANCE 88 ♀️
£480 without bindings
Lengths: 151, 159, 167, 175 cm
Radius: 15.0 m @ 167 cm
Dimensions: 122-84-105 mm
Weight per ski: 1,450 g @ 167 cm without binding
Great for intermediate and advanced skiers wanting to be able to nip off the sides and cruise the groomers. The TI-C frame combines Titanal metal and carbon for stability, power, damping, and reduced weight. The wood core combines poplar and caruba. There’s enough rocker through the tip and tail to keep the ski nimble, and it really helps in the changeable conditions you experience off the sides of the pistes.
Ffion gave a cracking summary: “A good-looking ski, it was very easy to pivot in choppy, bumpy terrain and it skied all snow variabilities well. With speed and assertion, it had lots of grip and was awesome to carve longer radius turns. Confident on and off-piste.”
Freeride skis
FISCHER RANGER 102
£680 without bindings
Lengths: 155, 162, 169, 176, 183, 190 cm
Radius: 18.0 m @ 176 cm
Dimensions: 137-102-127 @ 176 cm
Weight per ski: 1,900 g @ 176 cm
Available in two colours: a light grey or this punchy purple (the purple one goes up to 190 cm, like the grey one, but you can also get it in the shorter 162 cm and 155 cm options, meaning it’s more suitable for lighter skiers or those who prefer a shorter platform). The beech and poplar wood core has a metal layer up top shaped to hone the flex and power of the ski. There’s material removed from the metal layer underfoot to free up the flex a touch. Even with this, the Ranger 102 prefers a little more pace and is a perfect partner for hard-charging freeriders who want stability and float while still being able to give it some licks.
HEAD KORE 97 ♀️
£655 without bindings
Lengths: 156, 163, 170, 177 cm
Radius: 15.3 m @ 170 cm
Dimensions: 131-97-118
Weight per ski: N/A
The light core of caruba and poplar wood aids in the nimble stakes, but there’s plenty of reinforcement in this ski too, giving it a decent amount of stability when you open the throttle. This is no bad thing, as it handles variable snow cover easily, punching through lumps that may otherwise throw you off course. This ski feels nice and light on your feet, allowing you to stay agile, as Nicola points out: “So easy to pivot. Easy to manoeuvre in softer snow and a delight to ski in light chop.”
The Kore 97 W is ideal for advanced intermediate to expert freeride skiers looking for a versatile winter weapon to bomb through the trees, float in the powder, carve up the piste, and hike for freshies.
Touring skis
FACTION LA MACHINE 2
£729 without bindings
Lengths: 157, 164, 171, 177, 183 cm
Radius: 20.0 m @ 183 cm
Dimensions: 124-99-116 mm
Weight per ski: 1,450 g @ 183 cm without binding
Faction uses bio-based resin, recycled materials, and a sustainable paulownia wood core, enhanced with two layers of carbon. A long tip rocker is paired with a shorter tail rise. Lee was first up: “Amazing off-piste – pivoty underfoot, and super smooth. Its forte is soft snow and touring, not piste skiing.” Martin said: “This delivers the goods for charging freeriders, heading into wide open places. Not so great for picking your way home through tight trees in slow control.” Al spent time on the wider La Machine 3, which he loved off-piste and in deep snow: “Loads of pop and this ski is a shed load of fun in soft snow. So easy to pivot and steer.”
BLIZZARD ZERO G 95
£730 without bindings
Lengths: 157, 164, 171, 178, 185 cm
Radius: 22.0 m @ 178 cm
Dimensions: 127-95-111 mm
Weight per ski: 1,260 g @ 178 cm without binding
This has a paulownia wood core with a carbon layer on top, along the centre line of the ski to provide stability without being overpowering. There’s also another layer of carbon under each binding section.
Lee reported: “Light, poppy and nimble sums up this ski. Grippy and quick edge to edge, this ski never ceases to amaze me with its ratio of lightness to power. Great in varied terrain, as the explosive pop in camber helps load the ski, making it a joy to change direction quickly. This is useful in tight situations, and as a ski for quick ascents to ski steep, narrow gulleys and couloirs, this is a must-have. It has a traditional shape and build, and is all the better for it.”
Freestyle skis
LINE HONEY BADGER TBL ♀️
£345 without bindings
Lengths: 144, 155, 166, 172, 177 cm
Radius: 16.5 m @ 166 cm
Dimensions: 120-92-116 mm
Weight per ski: 1,499 g @ 166 cm without binding
The Honey Badger TBL, Taylor Lunquist’s ski, won an Editors’ Choice award last season, and it gets a new graphic for this season, which may appeal to a broader range of skiers. It has a forgiving nature that will help you to progress, and this is why it won an award in our men’s test; a fantastic choice for those who want to focus on and develop their freestyle skiing.
Amy is a strong skier, and she reported: “Superb for fridge kids and dry matts. It skied fine down the soft piste but didn’t have the energy of some other models we’ve tested.” Check out the review of the Honey Badger on page 74 of the Gear Guide 2025, as they’re the same ski, just with different graphics.
Check out the latest Fall Line Gear Guide 2025 to discover all our reviews and find out which skis have earned the coveted title of Ski of the Year in their category. Don’t miss your chance to gear up with the best on the slopes!
