10 Best All Mountain Skis For 2024
The Nordica Enforcer 100s are my choice for the best all-mountain skis. These skis are maneuverable, stable at higher speeds, and fun to carve with. More importantly, they can handle less-than-ideal conditions like crud, hardpack, and choppy snow.
The biggest downside is that these skis aren't as forgiving as others, making them harder for beginners and intermediate skiers to control. The Nordica Enforcer 100s offer a lot but demand a skier with strong fundamentals. Having said that, at 100 millimeters underfoot, the width hits the sweet spot for a wide variety of conditions.
This is a true all-mountain ski, offering dependability across the board. If you’re looking for one pair of skis to rely on, the Nordica Enforcer 100s are a great bet for advanced and expert skiers.
Technical Details
- Ski length: 165, 172, 179, 186, 191 cm
- Tip width: 132, 132.5, 133, 133.5 mm
- Waist width: 100 mm—
- Tail width: 118, 120, 120.5, 121, 121.5 mm
- Turning radius: Medium (17-22 meters)
- Ski Profile: Tip Rocker/ Camber/ Tail Rocker
All-mountain skis are great for people looking to buy their first skis or those who want one pair to do it all. There are three major types of skis, all measured by their width. Skis that are too thin will sink underneath any fresh snow, and skis that are too wide won’t be able to stay stable in hardpack or icy conditions. All-mountains are in the goldilocks zone, right in the middle.
The all-mountain category is unique because of its high level of usability. You won’t be getting the fastest or best powder ski on the market, but you will get consistency across the majority of snow conditions out there. A solid all-mountain ski can become your daily driver, providing consistent performance across the board for multiple years.
My Review Process
Buying skis can be like fumbling through a maze with a blindfold on. There’s a ton of information, and it’s very easy to make a purchase without considering all the relevant factors. After skiing for 25 years, I’m here to present the best options with easy-to-understand positives and negatives.
Below the reviews, you can find our buying guide, where we go into the details of what you should look for. For those interested in the technical details, each selection below has the data listed to help you make your purchase. If you don’t know what a term means, an explanation will be included in our buying guide.
Best Overall All Mountain Skis
The Nordica Enforcer 100s are my choice for the best all-mountain skis. These skis are maneuverable, stable at higher speeds, and fun to carve with. More importantly, they can handle less-than-ideal conditions like crud, hardpack, and choppy snow.
The biggest downside is that these skis aren't as forgiving as others, making them harder for beginners and intermediate skiers to control. The Nordica Enforcer 100s offer a lot but demand a skier with strong fundamentals. Having said that, at 100 millimeters underfoot, the width hits the sweet spot for a wide variety of conditions.
This is a true all-mountain ski, offering dependability across the board. If you’re looking for one pair of skis to rely on, the Nordica Enforcer 100s are a great bet for advanced and expert skiers.
Technical Details
- Ski length: 165, 172, 179, 186, 191 cm
- Tip width: 132, 132.5, 133, 133.5 mm
- Waist width: 100 mm—
- Tail width: 118, 120, 120.5, 121, 121.5 mm
- Turning radius: Medium (17-22 meters)
- Ski Profile: Tip Rocker/ Camber/ Tail Rocker
Best Runner Up
I don’t always include a runner-up category, but the Volkl M6 Mantra needs to be talked about. These stellar skis are great for aggressive skiers because they’re stable at high speeds, fun to carve on, and quite maneuverable in bumps and trees.
The M6 Mantras don’t handle ice very well, and their stiff design means they’re less playful than other options. However, if you are an advanced or expert skier with strong fundamentals, you’ll have a blast breaking the speed limit on a pair of Volkl Mantra M6s.
Technical Details
- Ski length: 163, 170, 177, 184, 191 cm
- Tip width: 135mm–
- Waist width: 96mm–
- Tail width: 119mm–
- Turning radius: Medium (17-22 meters)
- Ski Profile: Tip Rocker/ Camber/ Tail Rocker
Best Budget & Beginner All Mountain Skis
The K2 Mindbenders are an awesome budget ski purchase that should appeal to a range of skiing styles and skill levels. They’ll also last for multiple seasons, which gives them excellent value for the money.
The Mindbenders are easy skis to control with a short turn radius, a lighter weight profile, and quick edge-to-edge transitions. They’re growers that you can keep in your effective quiver for years.
The downsides are the narrow waist width, which will sink in deep powder, and the lightweight construction, which means the skis get batted around in crud and uneven conditions. However, for beginner skiers, these small issues won't override the carving ability, easy handling, and terrain park playfulness.
Technical Details
- Ski length: 156, 163, 170, 177 cm
- Tip width: 130mm–
- Waist width: 85mm–
- Tail width: 113mm–
- Turning radius: Short (~15 meters)
- Ski Profile: Tip Rocker/ Camber/ Tail Rocker
Best Women’s All Mountain Skis
After already making a splash with the Enforcer 100, Nordica is back with the best women’s all-mountain skis, the Santa Ana 98s. If you value versatility and dependability, these skis are for you. The Santa Ana 98s carve well, provide decent float in powder due to the 98 mm width, and can ski firm snow.
As is typical for the all-mountain category, the Santa Ana can hang with most skis. However, if you want the absolute best pair of skis in each category of ski terrain, the Santa Ana falls a bit short. But if you want a pair of skis to carry you through multiple seasons, the Santa Ana 98s hit the sweet spot.
Technical Details
- Ski length: 151, 158, 165, 172, 179 cm
- Tip width: 130, 130.5, 131, 132, 132.5 mm
- Waist width: 98mm–
- Tail width: 117, 117.5, 118, 120, 120.5 mm
- Turning radius: Short (10-16 meters)
- Ski Profile: Tip Rocker/ Camber/ Tail Rocker
Most Playful All Mountain Skis
Featuring a well-rounded profile, quick edge-to-edge transitions, and maneuverability, the Elan Ripstick 96 is here to rip. These playful, lightweight skis are a great one-ski quiver for bumps, tree skiing, and low-end powder.
The Elan Ripsticks don't handle crud well. Crud is an uneven and bumpy snow surface that, unfortunately, knocks lightweight skis like the Ripstick around. However, if you’re like me and value playfulness, carving capabilities, and a lightweight profile, the Ripstick is a solid choice.
Technical Details
- Ski length: 164, 172, 180, 188 cm
- Tip width: 136mm–
- Waist width: 96mm–
- Tail width: 110mm–
- Turning radius: Medium (17-22 meters)
- Ski Profile: Tip Rocker/ Camber/ Tail Rocker
Best All Mountain Skis for Intermediate Skiers
The Head Kore 93 skis are a dependable, popular, and lighter-weight all-mountain option for intermediate skiers. The Kore 93s have high maneuverability due to a short turning radius, are smooth at speeds, and provide decent float in moderate powder and soft snow conditions.
Like a few previous entries, the lightweight construction has trouble handling crud. Additionally, the width means they won’t deal with deep powder well.
However, for the vast majority of skiers, the Head Kore 93 can act as an effective quiver of one, handling whatever type of terrain the mountain gives you.
Technical Details
- Ski lengths: 153, 162, 171, 180, 189 cm
- Tip width: 133mm–
- Waist width: 93mm–
- Tail width: 115mm–
- Turning radius: Short (~16 meters)
- Ski Profile: Rocker/Camber/Rocker
Best All Mountain Skis for Advanced Skiers
I love these skis. They're a great all-mountain daily driver for advanced skill levels. The fantastic responsiveness on a wide range of ski terrain is a delight, and the skis are lots of fun in moderate powder.
The downside to the Fischer Ranger 102s is that they're relatively heavy; however, there's a hidden advantage. The weight makes these skis one of the best crud busters out there.
A ski that’s fun in the powder, choppy snow, bumps, and trees, and can handle crud, should be on everyone's radar.
Technical Details
- Ski length: 155, 162, 169, 176, 183, 190 cm
- Tip width: 135, 135, 136, 137, 138, 139 mm
- Waist width: 100, 101, 102, 103, 104 mm
- Tail width: 125, 126, 127, 128, 129 mm
- Turning radius: Medium (18 meters)
- Ski Profile: Tip Rocker/ Camber/ Tail Rocker
Most Versatile All Mountain Skis
This extremely versatile pair of All Mountain skis is one of my favorites. You can carve easily, handle a decent amount of powder, and the skis have excellent grip on harder snow surfaces like icy groomers. The Line Blade Optic 104s are a really enjoyable pair of skis for the entire mountain.
The skis do chatter at high speeds; it isn't enough to impact your performance, but it will happen. Compared to others, the Blade Optic 104s are also a little on the heavy side.
But for their versatility, performance, and fun factor, these skis will appeal to a broad range of skiing styles.
Technical Details
- Ski length: 171, 178, 185, 190 cm
- Tip width: 132mm–
- Waist width: 104mm–
- Tail width: 123mm–
- Turning radius: Medium (19 meters)
- Ski Profile: Tip Rocker/ Camber/ Tail Rocker
Best All Mountain Wide Skis
The Salomon QST 106s are incredibly maneuverable, powder-leaning all-mountain skis. They’re an absolute delight in fresh snow. The skis are also dependable in groomed terrain and offer consistently high performance in bumps and trees.
The QSTs are good skis but get knocked around in the crud quite a bit. They’re also not the fastest skis out there. However, if you anticipate skiing in soft conditions often, either fresh powder or packed powder, a pair of Salomon QST 106s is an excellent choice.
Technical Details
- Ski length: 157, 165, 173, 181, 189 cm
- Tip width: 136, 137, 138, 139, 140 mm
- Waist width: 106mm—
- Tail width: 123, 124, 125, 126, 127 mm
- Turning radius: Medium (16-20 meters)
- Ski Profile: Tip Rocker/ Camber/ Tail Rocker
Best Frontside All Mountain Skis
The front side refers to the area of a ski resort closest to the base area. If you love frontside groomers, bumps, and steeps, these groomer-leaning all-mountain skis are for you. The Nordica Enforcer 94s have brilliant carving ability, hold an edge well, and are dependable across the board.
While the Nordica Enforcer 94s can handle low-end powder, they have a hard time staying afloat on deep snow days. Having said that, in the vast majority of conditions, the skis can hold their own.
Every time I ski with the Enforcer 94s, I have a good time.
Technical Details
- Ski length: 165, 172, 179, 186, 191cm
- Tip width: 125.5, 126.5, 127, 127.5, 128mm
- Tail length: 112.5, 114.5, 115.5, 115.5, 116mm
- Waist width: 94mm–
- Turning radius: Medium (~17 meters)
- Ski Profile: Tip Rocker/ Camber/ Tail Rocker
All Mountain Ski Buying Guide
Most skiers dream of deep powder, free refills, an uncrowded liftline (or wide swaths of empty backcountry terrain), and endless enjoyment. This mindset means we often buy the most idealistic instead of the most realistic options.
Use the points below to analyze all relevant factors so you can find the perfect ski for you. Buying a pair of skis, whether it’s your first or tenth time, is a big deal, and we want to make sure you get the best one.
Price
New skis are expensive. You’re looking at probably $600-$700 for a mid-range and over $1,000 for the pricier models. Discount skis can hover in the $300-$500 range. As the central purchase of a budding skiing career, it’s a tough but often necessary pill to swallow.
Skis aren’t the only thing you need to buy either. A proper kit requires helmets, goggles, bindings, and boots, so watching the budget is a good move.
Geography
What types of snow conditions does your preferred resort experience most? For resorts with lots of powder, you can use wider, floppier skis without layers of metal. However, if you ski at an area with frequent wind, high humidity, freezing rain, and hardpack, it’s best to get a stiffer, heavier ski with metal edges that can carve.
Width & Length
All mountain skis fit between the skinnier racing skis and wider powder skis. The width is measured under the bindings, which is the thinnest part of the ski. This is often referred to as millimeters underfoot.
Leading all-mountain skis typically run from 80-104mm wide, with a couple of exceptions on either side. Thinner skis are usually easier to tip onto the edges for carving, while wider skis tend to float better in softer conditions.
Ski length corresponds to skier height. Measure yourself in cm from head to toe. Then, measure yourself from the top of your shoulder to your toes. A correct ski length for you is somewhere between those two measurements.
Within that range, longer skis will be more stable but require more energy to control. Shorter skis will turn easily, useful in bumps and tight trees, but offer less control at high speeds.
Camber/Rocker Profile
These terms refer to the profile of your ski. Place a ski on a flat surface. Then, step back a few feet, get on the same level and look at the ski from the side.
If there are upward bends at the tip and/or tail, that's a rocker profile, also called reverse camber. A rocker profile helps skis stay afloat in powder. The downside of rocker profiles is less carving capability.
If the middle of the ski has an upward bend beneath the bindings, that’s camber. For carving purposes, a traditional camber profile helps propel you into the next turn by acting like a spring. As you compress your body and put pressure on your skis, the camber flattens. Then, as you extend out of a turn, the camber profile pops you up faster.
In some ski descriptions, you’ll encounter the phrase effective edge. This simply means the amount of ski that touches the ground when you're in your bindings. Unusually large traditional cambers or a pronounced rocker reduces the effective edge.
Sidecut/Turn Radius
Skis are not straight lines, the tip is the widest part, followed by the tail. The skinniest part is in the middle, also called the waist width. The sidecut is the combination of these three width measurements (tip, waist, and tail).
Because of the hourglass shape created (wide-thin-wide), if you tip your skis onto their edges, the skis will make a turn without you trying. How large that turn ends up is the turn radius. In general, beginners want a shorter turn radius (10-15 meters) because it helps to encourage turning.
Stiffness/Flex
This category is about ski design. A softer flex will make it easier to bend the ski but floppy skis don’t feel as stable at speed. A ski with a rigid design takes more energy to bend and usually has a few sheets of metal woven into the construction. Once you do bend it, however, you get a lot of control and power out of the rigid design.
Stiffer skis tend to work better in challenging conditions like ice and crud and often demand aggressive skiers to master. Flexible skis are great for the terrain park, bumps, trees, and softer snow.
Summary
For advanced skiers, the Nordica Enforcer 100s, Fischer Ranger 102’s, and Volkl Mantra M6s are the best all-mountain skis. If you know you’ll be skiing in soft snow conditions, the Salomon QST 106 or Blade Optics 104 are fun and reliable.
If you’re looking for the best women’s all-mountain skis, it’s hard to go wrong with the Santa Ana 98’s. Additionally, if you’re a beginner or on a tight budget, grabbing a pair of K2 Mindbenders or an Elan Ripstick will set you up for long-term success without destroying your wallet.
Common questions
They are a category of skis that are often used because of their high level of usability across a wide range of conditions and variable terrain.
Yes. A few seasons on a reliable pair of all-mountain skis will help you find your skiing groove.
Racing skis are the skinniest, built for speed. Powder skis are the widest, and built for flotation on fresh snow. All-mountains fit right in between, borrow elements from both and perform well across the entire mountain.
Yes, some more effectively than others. If you ski in an area with icy conditions (Northeastern US and Southeastern Canada), getting a ski with sheets of metal and sharp edges worked into the ski design is a great benefit.
Yes, but not all. All-mountains with slightly less width, sharp metal edges, and a stiff construction will feel very supportive on groomers. Floppier, wider skis may be more unstable at higher speeds on groomed terrain.
I’m happiest on long backpacking trips into little-known pockets of wilderness, skiing down backcountry mountains, and on all-fours, scrambling the rocky spines of alpine ridges. When I'm not adventuring in the outdoors, I'm most likely writing about them.
*The information on this site is based on research and first-hand experience but should not be treated as medical advice. Before beginning any new activity, we recommend consulting with a physician, nutritionist or other relevant professional healthcare provider.
