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Our Best Freeride Skis for 2024 > Tried and tested in La Clusaz!
To enjoy freeride skiing, you need the right equipment. Freeride skis are different from regular skis in several ways. They are wider, longer, and more rockered than piste skis, which helps them float on soft snow and adapt to variable conditions. They also have a stiffer flex and a more directional shape, which gives them stability and power at high speeds.
We tested and reviewed some of the best freeride skis for 2024 and help you find your ideal ski!
Overview
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SCOTT PURE MISSION
Inspired by Jérémie Heitz freeride skis, the all-new SCOTT Pure Mission 98 Ti is a freeride-all mountain weapon. Whatever the snow and the conditions, the new Pure Mission 98 Ti will allow you to enjoy the mountain every day of the season. The titanal and sanwich construction deliver the stability and performance needed when the light wood and carbon fibers make the ski manoeuverable. For those who enjoy as much resort skiing as backcountry, the Scott mission is BACK.
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ELAN RIPSTICK 106 – PLAKE’S PICK
The Ripstick 106 is the ultimate ski for variable terrain from boundary line to base lodge, peak to parking lot, and trailhead to tailgate. No wonder it’s Glen’s favorite ski from the Elan collection! Life can get complicated when choosing your freeride quiver. Fatties may leave something to be desired on hardpack in the backcountry, while on narrower sticks you fall behind your buddies on deep days.
The Ripstick 106 is the solution, as it’s the perfect width for a one-ski backcountry quiver. It’s designed for skiers that seek exceptional performance while exploring all the mountain has to offer. It’s a smooth ride no matter where you take it – front side, steeps, trees, or exploring untouched terrain, this lightweight versatile ski is up for any challenge. The addition of TNT Technology, Amphibio profile and SST Sidewall supply the power, smoothness, maneuverability and precision. It’s hard to argue with Plake: “This is the one ski I can take anywhere in the world and be fine.”
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BLACK CROWS ATRIS BIRDIE
This is the third edition of this iconic blackcrows ski that first appeared in 2014. For this new 2022 version, it is slightly refined, to gain even more accessibility and versatility. It is truly the everyday big mountain ski, for women skiers who like it when it excels in powder but who want impeccable behaviour in all conditions. The lines have been revised and will distinguish it from its ancestors for the discerning eye, but the essential is inside, for a ski that achieves its objectives and delights the heart of the most demanding.
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ATOMIC BENT 110
The Atomic Bent 110 ski was designed by Chris Benchetler and the Atomic Freeski team to rip pow turns, slash windlips, and send any line you can imagine. The Atomic Bent 110 takes a similar approach to the mountain as the Bent Chetler 120, with slightly less width. It’s Jossi Wells’s go-to ski for backcountry freestyle, charging lift-served pow laps and days where it’s deep, but not 120-deep. The Bent 110 is designed with HRZN Tech Tip and Tail for a playful performance and better float through blower without adding bulk to the ski. The 110 features a bit less rocker in the tail than the 120 but still charges through variable chop and crud. A Light Woodcore reduces weight and keeps the performance responsive. With topsheet and base art by Chris Benchetler, the 110 is wholly reflective of his approach to the mountains: creative and unique.
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ARMADA WHITEWALKER 116
Armada set out to build Sammy a powder twin tip that is stable enough to charge exposed lines and take big hits with maximum confidence yet light enough for foot-powered backcountry access. A strategically enhanced Caruba Core allows these concepts to merge while the rockered Pin Tip and Tail guarantee quick turn initiation, reduce drag and further lower the swingweight. Lightweight and stable, but offering plenty of release when needed, the Whitewalker perfectly compliments Sammy’s laid-back, surf-inspired style that’s peppered with sudden bursts of all-out aggression.