The One Ski Quiver 2024 | The Best All Mountain Ski Buying Guide!

[@faceinthecrowd5810]

One ski…..from a guy with like 7 pairs of skis, I do clearly remember the years and years of my ski career that spans 60 years, before there was sooooo many variations of skis. Before the shaped ski revolution the length and stiffness was the general available choices. Twin tip, race cut, all mountain, free ride, groomer, powder, touring, etc., sort of overwhelming and can be very specific which does give us a fantastic ride, but deciding which ski to take to the mountain can be a challenge and I remind myself at times that in 1984 I had one pair of skis that I skied everywhere in any condition….ignorance can be bliss. At the end of the day it’s the wizard, not the wand.

[@HALFLIFEVIDEO]

I personally roll with a one ski quiver (Tim). Kevin rides them all so has some great insights but ultimately - you'll make the call if your wizardry requires one or more wands :-) Cheers, Tim

[@MacThreinfhir]

I have a previous version of the Rustler 10 and love them. Playful and quick turning on the groomers and enough width and rocker to make them fun in crud and powder. I also have a pair of Volkl RTM 84 but they now only see the slopes on the hard snow days.

[@HALFLIFEVIDEO]

Sounds like a good combo - thank you for sharing. Have a great season Best Half-Life Crew

[@stihlnz]

I'm a big fat old ski patroller. I've had 5 pairs of the Volkl Mantra in 191 and they have been superb and just get better and better. The Pow ..incredible ...crud even better ...watch it they tend to ski a bit tooo fast

[@HALFLIFEVIDEO]

Great to hear what's working best for you. Thank you for being a Ski Patroller -- Old and Fat or not (says the old, slightly chubby reviewer :-) Have a great season Tim

[@ryanevans2655]

Definitely go with the Mindbender 99 ti over the 96C. Was shocked at how easily the 99ti can be slid around given its high end stability and power. Probably my favorite ski I’ve ever skied

[@HALFLIFEVIDEO]

We're huge fans of that ski as well -- it's what I ride. Best Tim

[@ryanevans2655]

@@HALFLIFEVIDEO update, demoed the 96C. GREAT ski also. Definitely not quite the same top end, but it’s a blast too! (I’d personally still choose the 99ti though)

[@HALFLIFEVIDEO]

Right on - glad you got out there to shred! @@ryanevans2655

[@davidbeazer9799]

One ski quiver depends on technique! If I had to choose just one of my 7 pair it would be my Head E-Rally 78 waist! Skis deep pow just fine and of course carves!

[@HALFLIFEVIDEO]

7 Pair!!!! Clearly you are a ski junkie. That's awesome -- can't wait to see some footage of you ripping each of those 7 skis! Best Half Life Crew

[@bretts7037]

LOL what is your definition of deep pow?

[@davidbeazer9799]

@@bretts7037 18” or more! Dude, I have 7 pair (65 to 116) and you don’t think I know deep pow! You can ski “in” deep pow on a slalom ski! 65 under foot and only 165 long!

[@KA-ne2et]

78 waist don’t ski deep pow fine 😅

[@johnbradley1586]

You don't need 100 under foot. If you have a 130 plus tip and around 120 tail , with a little rocker , 86 - 88 under foot is plenty. Quicker edge to edge than 98 - 100. I had a pair of JJ Armada. Great ski's , but , they kept me too much on top of the powder. I wanted to get down into it. My one ski quiver for the past few years is the Rossignol '88.

[@HALFLIFEVIDEO]

Nice! Glad you've found the ski combo that works best for you. May you have inches and feet of fresh POW to get down into this year. Best, The Half-Life Crew

[@dogwoof5715]

you want to be down in the powder? Enjoy the Rossi 88's JERRY

[@NexusDL12]

Hmmm. I’m a North East Skier. 100mm way too wide for a 1 quiver ski in the East. If I was skiing mostly powder like western skiers then a wider underfoot makes sense. I’d say 80 and up for 1 quiver skiers in the East.

[@stlthice]

What ski should I get. I like sending it down blacks carving and doing sweeping turns but occasionally liek the woods and park. Not too much powder tho since I am on the east coast

[@HALFLIFEVIDEO]

Give us a call at Gerk's we'll get you hooked up - - [phone] Now is a good time - end of season sales. Best Tim

[@JayantW55]

Thanks for a great video. I just realized I need one of these instead of my K2 mindbender and Volkl RTMs. Which one of these skis will work better in moguls?

[@HALFLIFEVIDEO]

Hi Janant -- Give us a call at Gerk's we'll get you hooked up - - [phone] Now is a good time - end of season sales. Best Tim

[@n-da-bunka2650]

Need a softer all mountain ski that will be supple in moguls and powder in the trees. Currently skiing Head KORE 105's and they are simply TOO STIFF in the bumps to the point that they want to just GO GO GO when I am trying to finesse!

[@HALFLIFEVIDEO]

Interesting! Check out the RIPSTICK on demo day. Best Half-Life Crew

[@jakobnorling4886]

I’ve been looking into the atomic bent, Salomon qst and the nordica unleashed. I ski 40% trees 20% powder and 40% pist, which one would suit me the best?

[@HALFLIFEVIDEO]

Right on --- would need to know a bit more about your ability in those various areas - how would you classify your skiing ability? Likely better to give us a call at Gerk's. Best Half-Life Crew

[@hsla3]

What ski is best for me??? I like a stable ski, one that can go on moguls, groomers, in powder. love doing carving turns big & small, want to get into the park more. female, 5'5,120lbs. Have been skiing for a long time. I ski all over the place- canada, usa, japan, nz, aus, eur. Thanks!

[@Skedawg88]

One ski isn’t a quiver, but if one must only have one ski make sure it is a versatile ski.

[@StarvingPilot_21]

I wish people would talk like this more. Skiing is so much more fun when you open up a few options to choose from for varying conditions and skiing disciplines/styles

[@HALFLIFEVIDEO]

Agreed - thank you for checking out the video. Best, Half-Life Crew

[@HALFLIFEVIDEO]

Hey James - good point. Match it to the typical terrain you ride. Have a great season. Best Half-Life Crew

[@leecarlson5182]

I’m 6-1 200lbs and am looking for a new ski… I’d say I’m 80/20 groomers/off trail. I would stylistically I’m more athletic than technical. Thank!

[@HALFLIFEVIDEO]

Give us a call out at Gerk's -- [phone] -- We'll get you dialed in! Best Half-Life Crew

[@boardhead6720]

I mostly snowboard in the PNW but pull out the skis on especially firm/icy days. Been thinking on the Salomon Stance 96. Other skis to consider?

[@HALFLIFEVIDEO]

Any one of these skis would work for those conditions --- Personally I love the Mindbender because of the flexibility on ice, hard pack, and pockets of pow. If you're in the PNW - head into Gerk's and talk it through with them - they'll get you dialed. Best Half-Life Crew

[@boardhead6720]

Thanks! One more thing…last year I got to demo the Ranger 99t at Mammoth and loved it… what’s something comparable?

[@HALFLIFEVIDEO]

If you're rolling 99 and like it -- Mindbender

[@duducesca]

Which one can fit also for ski touring

[@romain7663]

Hey, I definitly need your help, I have already slalom ski for carving so I dont need a ski that is a pro for that, I research a ski to make the rest : pow, hit bumbs, make tricks as butter or 360, backcountry, and of course a little bit of carving to get to the chair, and I cant choose one, there is way to much ski, I'm looking for a 100mm ski, double rocker, the most playful ski (I'm a "very" good skier) I dont know wich one to choose, maybe the arv the bent or maybe a black crows ? Or the M-free 99 ? I really need your help, if you could help me if would be so nice ! Thanks you so much !

[@HALFLIFEVIDEO]

Sounds like you have a pretty good idea given how you ski. Give Gerk's a call to talk it through -- [phone] Best, Half-Life Crew

[@theoutsider6191]

My top list of one ski quivers - interested by the Unleashed 98, cause it has no rocker really, would like shorter tip and tail splay though for longer effective edge, but its the right idea: 2012 Atomoic Theory 184cm, was excellent in park, off piste and on piste, very low and short tip rocker and no tail rocker - proper directional twin tip. Awesome ski, still the most versatile I've ever used. Super long effective edge means you can ski it like a race plank, also had the competition race base so ran nice and quick. Heavy camber for pop, and carbon to keep it stiff. No early tapering into the spatula either end. Exactly what you want - which is why I think they stopped making skis like this to promote buying multiple different planks for different jobs, but this just means that on those days when everything is on, you are getting let down with performance in one area or another as the ski is too specific, unless you really are HH and you like buttering off 20m kickers 🙂. Dynastar Big Trouble 186cm. Another directional twin tip with no rocker with a nice long 23m radius. Slightly narrower waist at 92mm, but I used this in the trees in BC heli-skiing in waste deep fresh and it handled perfect. Current plank - JSkis Masterblaster 186cm. Great ski, but I wish it had no rocker as it simply doesn't need it and it makes the ski less powerful as a result of having it and and the early taper to tip and tail which can let the ski wash more than you want and reduces the effective edge, which is not a good thing. Also have a pair of ARV96, and they're OK, but are a little more centre mounted than I think is good for a really versatile ski. Anything too centred is less stable once you get trucking. Fine if you are a pro, but more work than you want for recreational use 🙂

[@HALFLIFEVIDEO]

Thanks Outsider -- Love the breakdown of what's working well for you. Where do you ride? Best, The Half-Life Crew

[@theoutsider6191]

@@HALFLIFEVIDEO usually france 3 valleys or Val D'Isere 👍 but asked all over the world. Jp and bc are also great. But in its day 3 Valleys France is the best place in the world imo 👍 nothing like it for scale and options.

[@HALFLIFEVIDEO]

That is absolutely awesome. I'd love to hit those slopes sometime. I personally - have not skied the Alps -- unbelievable I know --> life goal. Thanks for checking out the video.

[@theoutsider6191]

@@HALFLIFEVIDEO No worries, am always on the lookout for a pair of planks I like as much as those Atomic Theory 186cm. Nothing as good since IMO. And defo get out to the Alps if you can, best time is late Feb to early March. Usually the last week of Feb and 1st week of March are as good as it gets, but obviously it can vary season to season. Lots of folks go for Chamonix, and if you like the idea of mental steep, roping in and out, dodging crevasses etc, then yeah can be good. But honestly you have to ski 3 Valleys to appreciate what they've created there. Something like 120 uplifts, with over 600km of piste over 4 long valleys (approx 11km long each). And the linkage is all top quality, with multiple points of entry and uplift for each valley. It used to be as good as it gets for park skiing as well. Until about 6 years ago they had 3 world class parks, now its more like 1 or 2. They're not investing as much in that now sadly. Is the only reason I started going elsewhere the last 4 seasons cause I love park. All that said, you will usually get far better pow stats in Pacific NW USA, so if that is what you want you've already got it 🙂 The season of COVID in 2020 though I had the best single week of pow I've ever had in 3V, better than the heli skiing in BC, better than Japan also IMO. You just don't get the terrain in JP as they keep all the steep stuff closed generally for avie risks. France, its up to you what you do except on very very rare occasions when they keep lifts closed til they bomb stuff.

[@abcpenguin]

are there any major differences in feel between the mindbender 96c and the 99ti? Thanks!

[@ryanevans2655]

Go for the 99 ti imo, unless you’re pretty lightweight and/or a more cautious skier. The 99ti is easier to turn than you’d think and is very smooth.

[@ScottIngram-cz1hp]

I have a question. Can you mount a Marker Griffon 100 on a Rustler 102. Thanks!

[@HALFLIFEVIDEO]

Please reach out to Gerk's for this question -- [phone]. Thank you for checking out our video! Best tim

[@darinsmith2458]

There is a lot more you can about all of these skis.. You can break down everything a lot more.. I will use carbon as an example.. I demoed the Head Kore 99 and the carbon in that ski was to reactive fore me with a 180 length.. I am 5.9 210.. Maybe a longer ski will dampen it a little for me.. I have talked to people who had wider skis and it sounds like those are more damp.. I do have another ski that has carbon but it is more damp.. The length is 184..

[@HALFLIFEVIDEO]

Thank you Darin - appreciate you checking out the video and appreciate your comment. Best, Tim

[@richardgeorge3115]

How can you discuss one-ski quiver and leave out the Nordica Enforcer 100?

[@HALFLIFEVIDEO]

The Enforcer is a great ski - agreed!

[@choski76]

How bout throw Salomon qst 98 or Fisher Ranger in the mix?

[@HALFLIFEVIDEO]

Oooooh nice. Unfortunately we can't cover them all but appreciate the suggestion. Best Half-Life

[@aemk6129]

Qst 98 is in the mix…

[@choski76]

@@aemk6129 ok. Thx.

[@anacquiredtaste3582]

Line Sir Francis Bacon

[@HALFLIFEVIDEO]

Yes indeed -- great ski! Thanks for the comment. Best Tim

[@JulieMelville]

Hey - awesome vid. I'm 65 in SV and still carving hard turns. I'm hating the ski that I got last year - it's a boring all terrain ski. I need some starting info to pick out something new and this is terrific to start the search The Dynos seem good, but I don't want my skis staring at me everywhere I go. Will leave that to Mona Lisa. I'm with you, based on your description I like the Rossi - Love the K2 look, so it's the real winner if it works. Can't wait to get out a demo!! Off to see the women's ski review.

[@HALFLIFEVIDEO]

Thank you for checking out our video Julie. Let us know what you end up with. Hope the women's review helped you make a choice. Best Half-Life Crew

[@res_ipsa-REX]

One ski quiver is not practical, at least out west. You need a daily driver (approximately 88-104mm wide) and then a separate dedicated deep powder ski. You will have far less enjoyment skiing 18"+ of powder on a ski less than 110mm wide. Size up in length for your pow ski since it is all about flotation. Two ski quiver is a minimum out west. I would think on the east coast you would also want a two ski quiver but probably more narrow (76-88mm) with metal and damp for your daily driver and then maybe a 98-104mm for your pow ski. However, I have never skied on the east coast.

[@HALFLIFEVIDEO]

Interesting perspective -- thank you. It's likely personal preference and ski history/technique. For me - while I agree 110+ is ideal for pow - My Mindbender 99ti rip powder as well as other conditions. So - I agree with you - and - for folks who only want to own one pair of skis, the one ski quiver can get it done. If you can afford and don't mind storing two -- absolutely grab that powder ski. You'll see last year's powder ski guide here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bZWxe4yaaLF2irM We'll be coming out with our '25 season ski reviews in the next couple of weeks. Thank you for checking out this video and for your comment. Best Half-Life Crew

[@bretts7037]

Sooo if you're going to list 5 or 6 different skis all at the same width, you need to line them up and say which ones are fun & forgiving vs hard chargey. A person that likes the QST or Bent isn't going to like the Mantra (aka volkl's version of the Enforcer 100). Ya know?

[@HALFLIFEVIDEO]

Hey Brett -- good feedback. We'll incorporate that in next year's review. Best Half-Life Crew

[@drjaygarlicandwx]

The artwork is a tie breaker - so many good options. I think "men's" skis need artwork as good as "women's" skis.

[@HALFLIFEVIDEO]

Totally agree -- artwork is where the personality comes in. Best Half-Life

[@yocos10]

Great video! So much insight. I do feel a little overwhelmed with so many options. What do you suggest for an expert skier that lives in the Northeast?

[@bretts7037]

Elan Ripstick 96 black

[@bretts7037]

although if you're an expert... why are you asking the internet for help on gear

[@yocos10]

@@bretts7037 thank you so much! Appreciate it!

[@yocos10]

@@bretts7037 because I remain teachable. Thx again

[@peterwoolston6325]

Thanks for the review. You missed the best ski on the wall though - the Elan Ripstick Black. Perfect ski!

[@HALFLIFEVIDEO]

Hi Peter - if only we could review them all! Glad the Ripstick is treating you well and we hope you get a TON of killer skiing this season. Enjoy! Best Half-Life Crew

[@andrewsc7304]

For a one ski quiver, I would certainly stay between 86 and 95 width.

[@HALFLIFEVIDEO]

If that works for you - that is great. I'm on the Mindbender 99 and wouldn't change a thing. Worth demo'ing a few widths to find what's best for you. Best Half-Life

[@andrewsc7304]

@@HALFLIFEVIDEO I should mention I live on the east coast, where we have terrible snow conditions. Often icy, hardback with afternoon crud. Or man made snow.

[@renounskis]

What a great breakdown! Would love to send you guys a pair of Renoun's to check out! :)

[@HALFLIFEVIDEO]

Thank you! Always happy to try out skis to consider for inclusion. Email [e-mail]. Best, Tim

[@sjoerdsoet2252]

ONE SKI QUIVER AHHHHHH WICH ONE SHOULD I PICK??????? AAAAHHHH like to have a stable ski Love stability at high speed on the groomers. Love deep snow and floating easy Love making carving turns small and big. Not a park lover Like some response - [ ] Black Crows Mirus Cor - [ ] Blizzard Rustler 9 ski - [ ] Revolt 114 vökl - [ ] Faction prodigy 2 - [ ] Rosignol black ops 98 - [ ] Revolt 104 Vökl - [ ] Faction dancer 3 - [ ] Black Crows Atris! - [ ] Vökl mantra m6 - [ ] Rosignol sender ti - [ ] Armada ARV 100

[@HALFLIFEVIDEO]

Male vs Female? Main mountain you ski on? Height/weight? Best, Half-Life Crew

[@Adrenaline55]

Stormrider 88

[@davyb123music]

I would also recommend Stockli Stormrider. You won’t regret it. Kastle also makes some stable, charging rides.

[@hopsterbb2571]

No Stockli’s?

[@HALFLIFEVIDEO]

Haha -- Unfortunately we can't carry & review them all. Do you have a Stockli that you love? Best Half-Life Crew

[@hopsterbb2571]

@@HALFLIFEVIDEO Montero….enjoy them on moguls and double black runs…handle moderate powder well! They are a heavy ski, and not for an average skier.

[@davidtroger1688]

What about the 1000 skis?

[@HALFLIFEVIDEO]

Sorry David - can you please be a bit more specific? Best Half-Life Crew

[@davidtroger1688]

@@HALFLIFEVIDEO Do you think the 1000 skis are good?

[@ghostriders2s218]

Hey iam want buy bent 100 but what size iam 1.70 78kg i take 164?

[@HALFLIFEVIDEO]

Please call us at Gerk's -- [phone] Best Half-Life Crew

[@forallyall6143]

no stormrider ?

[@HALFLIFEVIDEO]

Impossible to include them all! Hope you love your stormrider

[@user-bm5bs5pu7n]

Playmakers only have the rods underfooot, unlike the Ripsticks. They do not run the full length of the ski in order to keep the tips and tails soft and buttery.

[@JayantW55]

So basically, you are saying that if you don't know what conditions are going to be, then expect that there is going to be some powder. Climate is changing. Chances of getting powder are reduced.

[@HALFLIFEVIDEO]

Tough season so far all around. Dreaming of POW! One ski quiver is the ski that handles it all for you - pow or not. Best Half-Life Crew

[@ryan39584]

I could ski on pretty much everything using my Nordica 104 free

[@HALFLIFEVIDEO]

Nice! Glad you have found something that works great for you. Thank you for sharing. Best Half-Life Crew

[@misterfunnybones]

Stöckli Stormriders 95mm skis or a Dupraz 158cm snowboard. Expensive, yes, but they pay their staff living wages & if you can afford to ski or snowboard, then you can afford good equipment made by humans rather than race-to-the-bottom mass-produced junk.

[@HALFLIFEVIDEO]

interesting! haven't ridden those - thanks for checking out the video and thanks for the tips. Tim

[@josefschefer580]

Storm Rider 95, definitely checks most of those boxes, had a chance to ski on those. Incredible smooth and quiet, quality made for sure but expensive, they also have a reputation for holding up for a long time, (money saving in that section)

[@exothermal.sprocket]

There's a need to narrow down selections within the intended category of skiing. There's also a need to be negative about the design features that these brands have incorporated in their ski, which did or DID NOT reach the intended goal. Not every brand produces successful product, not every ski is a winner. There are losers, and loser products (while acceptable in isolation) deserve to be taken off market. Balanced reviews would go into greater resolution about ski features, hits and misses, and recommendations for preferred skiing type and whether a given make and model hits that goal, or fails in some nuanced or major way.

[@HALFLIFEVIDEO]

Thank you for the feedback. Best The Half-Life Crew

[@GraemeChapman-d6z]

American definitely needs to go metric. It’s so simple and logical to use.😊

[@HALFLIFEVIDEO]

We're getting there -- waist width and length are metric.......to bad we didn't have more conversion homework :-) lol Best Half-Life Crew

[@bearclaw5115]

More like the worst ski buying guide. Sorry guys but this doesn't cut it. Less energy and jokes and more ski talk please. Why would I choose one over the other? What are each skis stand out strengths? What type of skier would gravitate to each model? And you say you don't have time to cover any more skis but is that really true? You're only spending a mere minute on each ski, would it have been that hard to talk about more of them? When someone is thinking about dropping a thousand bucks or so, do you think you are giving them enough information to make that choice? Also the carbon rods in the Playmaker do not extend the whole length of the ski. They are very short and just under the binding area. The graphic even indicates as much. This is one of the chief differences to the Ripstick and part of why they ski differently. If you want to hang out your shingle and say you have the best buying guide, you are going to need to get 10x better than this. I will give you points for discussing ski construction and showing off the demonstration models though.

[@HALFLIFEVIDEO]

Hi Bear Claw - thanks for the feedback - we're always working to get better. We try to balance depth w/ breadth and it looks like we could have done better on that for you. This is really an overview of the top skis to give you a sense for where you'd like to do a deep dive. We'll take your feedback in and be better with next year's review. Best Tim

[@kevin43joseph]

Can you say " one ski quiver " another 100 times please.

[@HALFLIFEVIDEO]

Hi Kevin - you bet. We can likely work that into next year's video :-) I do hope you got a good feel for the various skis. Have a great ski season. Best Half-Life Crew

[@joesmith-m9l]

It isn’t possible to have only one pair of skis and call yourself a skier.

[@HALFLIFEVIDEO]

Well Joe.....let's not judge too much. There's plenty old school skiers who make the magic happen on a single pair. That said -- there's no reason not to have more than one for different conditions and terrain. Especially if you can get more than 10 days on the hill a year. We welcome all skiers! One ski that does it all or multiple. Thanks for checking out our video -- please see our 2025 video here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fYqkmJKPm6uio7c

[@goldyg6511]

this day and age ...... I have to say a daily driver can easy be a 104 Nord free or a Head Core 105 for examples, my Vaca one quiver is the Head Core 105 and it feels like a 100 or smaller ripping on groomers, great in trees and good (not great) in some pow ..... ! my 10 cents

[@HALFLIFEVIDEO]

Goldy - Love it! Thank you for posting this. Can't wait to see what you think of our 2025 ski guide that we'll drop in October. Best Tim

[@kec2528]

Stockli storm riders