Skis for 2024-25: Carve your own path

With waists of 76, 80 and 85 mm, the Curv GT from Fischer is perfect for ripping groomers. (Fischer)

Skiers seeking the perfect blend of maneuverability and performance — whether they are freeride adventurers, front-side speedsters or playful park lappers — will have plenty of options when shopping for new skis this season. From Black Diamond’s newly fortified Impulse Ti to Scott’s 3D tip and tail rocker, to Rossignol’s aesthetically pleasing throwback Super Black Ops, new and tweaked product lines for 2024-25 are sure to inspire confidence and joy in all conditions. Here’s a closer look at a handful of exciting skis to check out this season.

Fischer Curv GT

The newest in Fischer’s alpine collection is the front-side focused Curv GT lineup available in waist widths of 76, 80 and 85 mm. The Curv GTs race-inspired stability comes from its E-Triple Radius (longer at the tips and tails, and shorter under foot), a lively sandwich sidewall construction that combines a wood core with ABS sidewalls, and a shaped titanium inlay to augment grip and dampness.

New for 2024-25 is the Curv GT 85 Redefine, which the company says revolutionizes standards for environmentally sustainable skiing. These skis were produced with a 36 percent reduction in CO2 emissions, and with flat fibers instead of carbon to minimize environmental impact without compromising performance. Like all Curv GTs, the Redefines are designed for aggressive skiers looking for maneuverability as well as strong edge grip.

Black Diamond Impulse Ti

Black Diamond revamped its freeride line this season, adding a sheet of metal in the new soft snow-leaning Impulse Ti to create a more stable ride that is both smoother and damper. The Ti collection is available in three widths under foot for men (98, 104 and 112 mm), and in two widths in the all-new women’s line (98 and 104 mm).

“Everything we’ve done with this ski is geared toward soft-snow optimization,” said Mike Hattrup, who worked on developing the Impulse Ti during his time as the snow business unit director at Black Diamond. This includes an extended tip that encourages the ski to plane up on the snow quicker for better maneuverability. The ski also features more taper — with the widest points positioned further away from the tips (more toward the boot) for smoother steering, and at the tails, where they also are rockered, for easier release at the end of those soft snow turns.

Rossignol Super Black Ops

In a new limited collection for 2024-25, Rossignol tapped into inspiration from its past to develop a modern version of the classic 7SK that took the industry by storm during the 1990s. Super Black Ops is a freeride ski (98 mm underfoot) designed to perform everywhere on the mountain, both piste and off-piste. Its retro style combines the classic 7SK turquoise color scheme with modern ski technologies like twin rocker, progressive sidecut and Vibration Absorbing Technology to create a playfully agile, surfy ride that inspires smooth turns and confident grip. Frontside stability is amplified by rectangular sidewall construction, a horizontal layering of the poplar wood core along the full-length vertical sidewalls. A metal sheet underfoot transfers power and absorbs vibrations.

Elan Ripstick

Elan made subtle updates and expanded its immensely popular Ripstick line for 2024-25 with four offerings for men (88, 96, 102 and 108 mm underfoot) and four for women (88W, 94W, 100W and 106W).

Layup is essentially the same, with carbon rods running through the wood core to add stiffness (Tubelite Woodcore technology) and asymmetrical rocker profiles (Amphibio) boosting maneuverability. Tweaks for this season’s line include subtle shape changes (slightly narrower in the tip and slightly wider in the tail) and the introduction of Carbon Deck Technology, which reportedly adds strength, response and rebound to the skis’ performance.

Elan simultaneously updated its high-end Ripstick Black Edition models, available in 94W, 96W for women and 102 for men. Updates include a QuadRod reinforcement — two additional carbon rods for added “horsepower and strength with the desired flex for demanding performance.”

The Black Edition also implements C-Ply Carbon Reinforcement, an additional layer of carbon in the mid-body of the ski to improve edge grip and stability.

Scott SEA

SEA is a new line of skis from Scott Sports that tap into the playful nature of freeriders who prioritize their youthful style, whether lapping the park, slaying the frontside or venturing out into the steep and deep. Available in waist widths of 88, 98, 108 and 116, the builds include full-length poplar wood core from tip to tip and sidewall construction. The three widest models feature two Scott technologies, Spin Tech and Air Tec.

Spin Tech integrates 3D rocker into both the tips and tails, making the skis incredibly easy to turn and pivot, perfect for laying down playful butters. Air Tec technology reduces weight by 10 percent by removing material where it is least needed. Grooves along the base side of the wood core help the ski maintain performance and agility.

Blizzard Anomaly

New this season is Blizzard’s all-mountain Anomaly line, which replaces the longstanding Brahma, Bonafide and Cochise models. Available in four waist widths (84, 88, 94 and 102 mm), each Anomaly ski width features a customized Trueblend Woodcore and FluxForm layup.

Trueblend positions three different densities of wood together to form a core that optimizes the ski’s flex. The different woods create three distinct flex zones, softer in the tip and tail areas for easier turn initiation and release, medium flex in the binding area for confidence and stiffer flex underfoot for grip and stability.

Nordica Enforcer

Nordica’s 2024-25 Enforcer line ushers in a new era of all-mountain skis for the company, replacing the beloved Enforcer 100 and Santa Ana line. Built with advanced True Tip technology and a refined wood core, the versatile Enforcer comes in waist widths of 89, 94, 99 and 104 mm. The line-up features a new tail shape with extended rocker and Energy 2TI Pulse Core, which embeds the wood core and an elastomer Pulse core between two layers of titanal. The balance of power and playfulness make the Enforcer a solid choice for aggressive skiers and those who enjoy carving through powder and groomers alike.