We had to wait two seasons to get a detailed report on the 90 Eight W, but at last Stacey Kellner of Squaw Valley Ski School came through with this detailed report.

“Conditions skied: CHUNDER, spring corn. It took me a little while to warm up to this ski – it skis pretty long for a 163. A little softer than the Secret, it’s really quick to get on edge and can carve great at all speeds. A little chattery when going straight and fast, and short-radius turns a little more difficult (since it felt long for a 163). But this ski’s true time to shine is in the variable, choppy, off-piste terrain – this ski CRUSHES through chunder and made this heavy spring day a total blast.”

If only we’d garnered more such glowing cards, but alas, we again didn’t get enough feedback to validate the 90 Eight W’s place among our Recommended models.  The 2018 and 2019 men’s 90 Eight, essentially the same ski as the women’s model, were well represented in our results, and were accordingly ranked among our favorites in this genre.

The linchpin technology that makes the 90 Eight W such a strong ski is 3D.Glass, which transformed every model it touched when introduced last year. Adding to its on-trail aptitude is enough camber underfoot to hold a clean edge on groomed carpet, but its double-rockered baseline begs to adventure off-trail. The addition of 3D.Glass adds a smidgeon (20g) to its weight, but its effect on performance is exponential. The 2019 90 Eight W has the support and energy its first edition lacked, making it a viable lightweight alternative to Völkl’s new Secret.