The Cool Heat is the same basic ski construction as last year’s version but without the burly flowflex plate. The addition of the simple and effective Railflex binding system has dramatically improved the Cool Heat. The ski is now much lighter, lively, quick with great grip and well modulated energy. When I got the Fischer Cool Heat out on a steep face with choppy wintry snow, it was very nimble in the tight spots and smooth in the area where som...

Every year in early December the ski reps put on a shop demo day for all the dealers. I use this two day event as a refresher on the mid level men's and women's skis that I didn't have time to really wring out the previous spring. This year as usual, the early season conditions were variable between hard manmade snow and very hard manmade snow. The first thing that impressed me about the Red Heat was the edge grip. It was way bette...

The Fischer Watea 78 has a new graphic for this year but it is otherwise unchanged. Many of our 70/30 skis are biased more towards hard snow and groomers but the 78 is a bit biased the other way. This is a great nimble, easy going ski that is among the best in category in bumps. The first day that I tested the 78 was in late January at Mammoth where there was an assortment of firm groomers that softened a bit in the sun, and also a few patches of...

The Watea 84 returns for ’09 with a graphic update but no other changes. Following is my review from last spring after quite a bit of mileage on the 84. Update by Jim....late March '08 I've had the chance to ski a lot of different 50/50 skis this winter and spring and the Fischer Watea 84 is emerging as one of my favorites. Within the 50/50 category there are some skis that have a bit of a bias toward hard snow (such as the Volkl AC-...

There are not many skis this wide (94mm waist) that we rate as 50/50 skis. To us that means that ski is not a specialty powder tool but is very capable as a daily driver. The Fischer Watea 94 is among the wider skis in this category yet it is very versatile and capable in a variety of conditions. I've had the Watea 94 out twice this year in typical Sierra "day after" conditions and it is a superb choice. This ski chews chop and flo...

I have tested the Fischer Vision Vapor twice and my cohort Katie once and we are both amazed by the Vapor. This is one of the best balanced women's skis on the market. It is easy to make a ski stable and grippy....heck you just make it a plank. However, those skis can often feel....uhhhh.....welll....planky. The Vapor doesn't feel that way at all. It is nimble enough, grippy enough, and conditions friendly enough for almost anyone. Both...

Back for another season with a graphic upgrade but no other changes, the Fischer Vision Exhale remains a standout among skis for good intermediates. The Vision Exhale is tremendously popular (I think) in part because of its light weight. Unlike some low end skis that are light, the Exhale doesn’t give up much performance. Fischer uses a very high tech construction of wood, carbon fiber, and composites to make a ski that is solid, grippy, and vers...

A well constructed and playful woman's park ski, the Dynastar She's Trouble delivers a great all mountain feel, while still performing amazingly in the park and the pipe. Not the softest park ski in production, the She's Trouble maintains a versatile flex that will give you some extra pop off jumps, great edge hold in the pipe, and you'll still be able to butter. Enjoy.

Eric Pollard has created 2 new graphic versions of the original Anthem. The construction is the same, but the graphics are as one-of-a-kind as Pollard's skiing. If you're looking for skis that will set you apart from the rest, then this is the model you've been waiting for. With less than 150 pair, per size, per model world wide, these limited quantities won't last long. The Anthem returns this season unchanged other then gra...

Eric has created 2 new graphic versions of the original Anthem. The construction is the same, but the graphics are as one-of-a-kind as Pollard's skiing. If you're looking for skis that will set you apart from the rest, then this is the model you've been waiting for. With less than 150 pair, per size, per model world wide, these limited quantities won't last long. The Anthem returns this season unchanged other then graphically...

The AC-20 is a long running favorite in the Volkl lineup. We categorize the AC-20 as a 90/10 for the intermediate to advanced skier. Every year when I test this price level of skis, I try to start my testing with the AC-20. It is a proven performer with category leading edgegrip. This past years test series was no different, except that I couldn't get on the AC-20 for starters. By the time I got back to the Volkl, I had been on several other...

New for '08, the Katana returns unchanged for '09. This is a big, wide ski with a medium stiff flex and zero camber. The target skier is an aggressive big mountain skier with a taste for speed in the steep and deep. I felt the Katana was not quite as aggressive as the hype suggested that it would be. On the only foray into deep snow that I had the chance to try it in, I found the 183 to be nearly as nimble as my 183 Gotama but it was mo...

The Gotama returns unchanged except for a new graphic theme. This has been my personal powder ski for two years now and I see no reason to change or add to my '08 review (below) except to note that we have broken up the fat skis into two rough groups for '09. The Gotama is part of the "Big Mountain" grouping. We classify these as skis that are wide enough for most any powder situation but that still have at least passable util...

As skiing continues to progress, there is the necessity for a ski to handle all the abuse and performance that comes with modern terrain parks. Volkl's answer to that is the Wall. One of the best true twin skis produced, the Volkl Wall is stiff enough to handle 60 foot tables without washing out, but still has a super predictable twin flex that will allow you to ski switch easily. A ski that kills it in the park yet is still a stable al...

Introduced last year for 08', the Bridge was first marketed as a "Bridge" between park skis and all mountain skis. My first take was that this is an all mountain ski cleverly disguised as a twin tip. For an occasional fling in the park, the bridge is OK, but the stiff tail and wide tip/narrow tail profile limit it's usefulness in switch riding. We have increased the number of twins that we are categorizing as all mountain skis...

The Kiku is Volkl's long awaited women's specific Gotama. Like the Gotama the Kiku will be a stellar performer in deep snow while being nimble enough for reasonable utility when outside of the powder. I own a Gotama and one of the attributes that I most appreciate about it is that is handles powder and crud superbly yet it doesn't feel like a powder ski when on other snow conditions. I had only limited time to test the Kiku last fa...

For s few years now, Volkl has not had a Ladies ski in this 80 mm width range but now the wait is over. This is Volkls women's specific AC-50 and the wait has been worth it. The Aurora has the same shape as the AC-50 but like all Volkl women's models, it has a lighter core and a specific flex for lighter skiers. For all that, this is not a ski for the casual skier. This is a ski for a true expert with strong skills and probably a prett...

The Luna is a 90/10 ski that is priced for the strong intermediate market but skis better than that. This ski has outstanding grip and stability combined with just the right amount of energy and forgiveness. Most women in this market will venture off trail once in a while but usually only when the snow has been skied out and is no longer deep. The Luna is great fit for this skier as it prioritizes the things that matter to her without compromises...

The Fury returns for ’09 with no significant changes other than graphic. I ski the Fury often and find that it is a great blend of groomer performance and grip with a nimble and compliant feel in the off trail and in softer snow. Among the 50/50 skis, this is one that can be a fit for a wide number of skiers. Edge grip is better than average for the 50/50 group and the deep sidecut makes the Fury feel very quick and "carvey" on the gro...

The Tornado Ti is a new model that uses the same shape, core, and sidecut as the other Tornados but has added two Titanium alloy stringers that run the full length of the ski. This simple addition gives this version of the Tornado more appeal for the heavier or more aggressive skiers out there who thought that the non Ti versions were a bit lacking at the highest end of the performance range. This is a great example of the new breed of skis that ...

A couple of years ago, Salomon introduced the first generation X-Wing Fury. This was a very user friendly 50/50 ski that was rapidly embraced by skiers of varying ability levels. Since then, Salomon has moved on and the newer generation Fury, is stiffer, wider, and like most other 50/50 skis, is targeted for skiers of a pretty high aggressiveness level. Such skis, can sometimes make life tough for an intermediate or advanced skier or one that is ...

The Opal is a new addition to the Origins lineup this year and is basically a women’s specific Tornado. The Opal uses the same shape and wood/isocell core of the Tornado but with a slightly softer flex and lighter weight. When I tested the Opal I knew immediately that this was a winner because the trademark Salomon "feel" (i.e.: light, nimble, and snappy) is right there in the Opal. This ski is very quick and likes short to medium radiu...

The Topaz returns from ’07-’08 with a new graphic but is unchanged otherwise. This is another ski that bears the Salomon family characteristics. Light, nimble, and energetic are the hallmarks of the Topaz. This is a 90/10 ski with a moderate shape and enough edge grip and stability for most skiers up to the solid advanced level. The Topaz has a fairly conservative sidecut and that makes it a great choice for the skier with a more "traditiona...