If you’re a woman who loves to ski, you’re in luck. No longer are women’s skis the poor stepchild of the ski industry. In recent years, ski manufacturers have begun paying serious attention to the women’s market, producing better and better skis for a wide range of abilities and conditions.
Volkl Women's Skis
Volkl is introducing a new technology called "Bio-Logic," which they claim puts a female skier in a more neutral stance. According to the rep I spoke with, the heels on conventional bindings are raised. When this is combined with the higher ramp angle typically found in woman's boots, you end up being tipped too far forward.
As a solution, Volkl has raised the toe in its binding to improve both balance and efficiency in he glues and hamstrings. They've also tapered the tail angle so it releases more readily at the end of a turn. The tip is a bit wider, and the ski has a more consistent flex pattern.
Atomic Women's Skis
The new women's ski from Atomic is the D2 (I think that stands for Double Deck). And it's really lovely, featuring a white topsheet surrounding a raised black area, all covered by thin silver hatch marks. It's really elegant; If you went to a black-tie ski event, this is the ski you'd wear.
The technology sounds cool, too: Simply described, the D2 is essentially one ski on top of another. Although the two skis are produced separately and then joined together, each can move freely. The lower deck (the "adapter" deck) adjusts to the conditions of the slope while the upper deck (the "control" deck) distributes the power generated by the skier.
Sounds great, right? Well, no. I found them very, very heavy, torsionally stiff, and unresponsive. Perhaps they just need a bigger, stronger skier. A man I know tried the men's version and loved it, so it could be just me.
Head Women's Skis
Yes, I have a weakness for Head skis. I can trace this directly to my jealousy over my sister's Head 360's in 1969 (or was it 1970?). Actually, a few years ago I had a pair of Head Monster IM-70's, and thought they were terrific.
Head is offering the same line up as last season with one new addition: the Perfect One, a carver with a 67 waist. Although the graphics are nothing special, the ski is really a lot of fun. The narrow waist allows it to move easily from edge to edge, and it has excellent rebound. Head's other skis have been given new graphics.
Elan
If I was giving an award for the most beautiful graphics, I'd give it to Elan. The Black Magic is gorgeous: black embedded with flecks of color and a small crystal embellishment. The '10 Black Magic is a little stiffer than the '09 (they've added "wave technology"). All in all, a good intermediate ski.
I also skied the Free Spice. This is a wider ski (88 waist); I wish I could've tried this in powder, but alas - none was available. Elan's given it cool new graphics -- a splattered paint look. Other than that, the ski is the same as '09.
Fischer
Fisher has replaced its popular Vision series with the Koa. Available in a variety of widths (75, 78, and 84) the Koa has a sandwich vertical wood core instead of the glass fiber/wood core found in the Vision line. According to the rep, this makes it a lighter, stronger ski with better edge hold.
Blizzard
I tried the Magnum Viva 7.4's, a great, intermediate ski. Good edging, easy to turn, very forgiving. I also took out the Viva 7.6's just for comparison -- a more advanced, all mountain ski with a wood core and an integrated binding system. Holy Smoke - what a ski! Terrific energy, yet stable and smooth with good edging. Two thumbs up!
Dynastar
Dynastar is adding two new women's skis to its line-up: the Exclusive Eden, with an 85 waist, a wood core, and a vertical side-wall, and the Exclusive Elite, a high-end groomer with a 72 waist, a wood core, and a straight side wall.
Rossignol
Rossignol has an extensive line of women's skis. At the low end is the Harmony, with a side-cut tail they says makes it easier to release a turn. Especially intriguing is their new Eco, which they've positioned as an environmentally friendly ski.
Top Women's 09/10 Skis
Here are Wendy Clinch's top ten women's skis.
