“For the vast majority of recreational skiers, the Rossi E88 HD is all the ski they’ll ever need,” notes California Ski Company proprietor Greg Whitehouse. “It’s more of an on-piste or “carve” ski than many in this category, but it’s great at what it does.”

Whitehouse has a point about the E 88 HD’s propensity for cutting up a groomed carpet. It comes from a large family of on-trail skis, as evidenced by a continuous sidecut that runs from tip to tail. Of course the forebody is rockered, but modestly by today’s standards and not so much that it interferes the flow from edge to edge.

Just because a ski has a sidecut suitable for carving doesn’t mean it must be pigeonholed as a groomer-only ski, any more than having a mustache means you’re a cad and a bounder. Presented with a foot of fresh powder, the E 88 HD doesn’t realize it’s not supposed to be particularly good at navigating freshies and dives into the fluff without hesitation or a hiccup. It doesn’t flinch when crossing old tracks and if it gets to go first, all the better.

Replace the powder with a pounded-down version of the same stuff and the E 88 HD really distinguishes itself. “It’s the most stable non-metal ski,” observes Olin Glenne of Sturtevant’s of Sun Valley. “It has the energy and response of a crotch rocket,” says an admiring member of the Cal Ski Co contingent, comparing the E 88 HD’s acceleration to a motorcycle’s. That’s probably overstating the case, but there’s no denying this ski has the grip to hold onto high speed turns.

If you’re scouring the web looking for deal on the E 88, be alert to the year of issue. The “HD” suffix signifies the presence of Carbon Alloy Matrix, a big performance booster that only became available for the first time last year. Ever since it went HD, the E 88 has become a reference ski in this genre both for its ease and its performance.

For its all-around excellence across a broad range of abilities and snow conditions, we gladly award the 2018 E 88 HD a Silver Skier Selection.