Women's skis used to mean one thing: a men's model made softer and lighter. This year's gear test from SKI's experts suggests that era is over. After running the newest women's skis through icy groomers, spring slush, powder, bumps and chopped-up bowls at Deer Valley, the testers crowned a new generation of designs that manage to be stable and playful at once — supportive without punishing their skier.
The big winner is the Dynastar M-Pro 98 W ($850), which took the Editors' Choice award as the top ski overall. Its poplar/PU core keeps things lively while an H-shaped Titanal layer underfoot holds an edge at speed, and testers found it equally happy arcing groomers and ploughing through afternoon crud. One tester declared it her dream ski; the verdict was essentially a one-ski quiver for advanced women who ski everything.
Elsewhere on the podium, the Head Kore 93 Ti W ($750) won over testers as the most forgiving daily driver — metal was added to the Kore line in 2025, giving it more composure while keeping its encouraging, easygoing character. The Rossignol Arcade W 84 ($850) took best carving ski thanks to a central power rail that makes clean arcs feel almost effortless, and the premium Stöckli Nela 86 ($1,379) earned best-for-the-East honours with race-inspired edge hold on hardpack that one tester said she could trust with her life.
For bigger snow, the Nordica Santa Ana 102 ($900) blends a Titanal layer with vibration-damping elastomer to power through tracked-out chop, the Blizzard Sheeva 11 ($900) is the powder pick with a 112mm waist and a beech-poplar-paulownia core, and the Atomic Backland 108 W ($850) covers the backcountry crowd. Beginners and intermediates get a shout too: the Head e.Pure Joy ($599) is the budget-friendly, confidence-building option for skiers still finding their feet.
Why should a holiday-planner care? Because if you're renting or buying this season, the picks now map neatly onto where and how you ski: firm Eastern groomers point to the Nela 86, a big Western all-rounder to the Santa Ana or M-Pro, deep-snow trips to the Sheeva, and first-timers to the e.Pure Joy. Prices run from about $600 to nearly $1,400, so knowing your home snow before you shop is worth real money.
