Power Picks: Shredding the Gnar
Any ski over 113mm underfoot can be thrown into a skid, but some would prefer it if the pilot knew how to point ‘em. Our Power picks not only aren’t afraid of speed, they live for it and to one degree or another, require it. Imagine you’re heli-skiing on a pitch...JJ (and AK*)
The Armada JJ may not be new, but it shouldn’t be overlooked just because it was ahead of the curve when it came to making a ski with a multi-dimensional sidecut that excused the tip and tail from contributing to a traditional turn. Instead, Armada softened up the...Anima
The traits that are anathema on hard snow are rejuvenating elixir in the off-trail habitat. The Anima’s soft extremities and limited camber zone create a compliant ski that would rather follow terrain than fight it. Its mutable tip may be mobile, but the Anima imparts a sense of secure edge grip underfoot that endures exposure to ratty terrain. The Anima doesn’t require much impetus to bow into a trustworthy arc that holds its trajectory in rough-and-tumble conditions.
Nocta
Black Crows has fat figured out. Despite being 122mm across at its narrowest point, the Nocta feels light enough to toss around all day. It’s torsionally fairly soft, which helps a ski this wide be more manageable. If you want to do a short turn, you’ll have to swivel the Nocta rather than carve it, as it’s gradual, long-radius sidecut isn’t cut out for short-turn duty. To compensate, the Nocta responds with a little pop off the edge when its glass laminates are compressed.