There are a lot of contenders for the title of best all mountain ski. In a category that is becoming more blurred by each successive season, there’s a vast and confusing choice. The core requirement of an all-mountain ski is of course versatility in varying conditions, and that versatility makes the category increasingly popular as more skiers demand the flexibility to go off-piste, and as manufacturers tweak model lines to add a flavour of all-mountain to everything from hardcore piste to freeride models.
All this means that the all-mountain ski category is incredibly diverse, wrapping in everything from svelte-waisted piste machines to freeride planks, and a huge range of ingenious blends in between - some more effective than others. However, fear not - we’ve done the hard work for you, heading out on our annual ski test and trying more than 80 pairs of all mountain skis, marking each on its various capabilities.
The list you see below is our pick of the very best all mountain skis for the 2024-2025 season - whatever your preferences. Of course, if you’re confident much of your time will be spent on the groomed slopes, you might want to check out our dedicated best piste skis list…
- Elan Wingman 82 Ti Mens Skis
- Blizzard Black Pearl 94 Womens Skis
- Fischer Curv GT 80 Womens Skis
- K2 Mindbender 96
- SALOMON STANCE 84
- Armada Declivity 92TI
- Atomic Maverick 95Ti
- Black Crows Serpo 93
- Atomic Maven 93
- Head e-Shape V10
- Rossignol Experience 82 Ti
- K2 Disruption 78c
- Volkl Yumi 84
- Blizzard Bonafide 97
- Volkl Kanjo 84
Elan Wingman 82 Ti Mens Skis
Best for: Advanced skiers looking to carve out their own line on the mountain
RRP: £725
The Wingman 82 is a great ski for those advanced skiers looking to carve out their own line on the groomed pistes. The ti in the name alludes to the titanal in the construction of the ski, giving it both stability and on-edge power. This means you can dig in and rip this frontside ski for effortless cruising at speed. The early rise rocker provides smooth turns on piste and the tublite core keeps the ski lightweight meaning you can carve it out without putting in huge amounts of effort.
Verdict: An all-mountain ski that performs best on piste but with an all-mountain flavour. Responsive without draining your energy!
Overall rating: 9/10
Blizzard Black Pearl 94 Womens Skis
Best for: A hard-pack ripper that’s still fun and supportive
RRP: £660
Blizzard’s Black Pearls have been a popular ski the last few years at the test, and this year we are treated to a full redesign. The Black Pearl can be categorised as a hard-pack ripper. Their narrower waist and lack of rocker means they haven’t been designed with float in mind for deeper snow or chop, however, what they lack in full all-mountain shredability, they make up for in power on the piste. The two-piece titanal layer adds an element of stability to the ski for the more powerful skiers, however, the softer than average flex makes it an easy and enjoyable ski to initiate the turn and feel in control, as well as being forgiving on those side hits and bumps.
Verdict: Quick, fun, and supportive ski. Still a winner in the female piste category!
Overall rating: 7/10
Fischer Curv GT 80 Womens Skis
Best for: Midrange ski with great turn initiation that inspires confidence
RRP: £504
New for Fischer this year is the Curv GT series which is replacing their RC one series as their frontside all conditions offering. The Curv GT 80 sits in the middle of the range in terms of being in the middle of stiffness ratings, flex ratings, and waist width. The rockered tip allows for easy turn initiation but they were not that grippy on the firmer snow and less stable at speed.
A great ski for women wanting something easy and smooth to turn, and great for those wanting to start to explore a little further with their skiing on piste. The Curv range does offer a ski for everyone with wider waist widths and stiffer construction so a good choice of series to look at for skiers who have an idea of what stiffness and width they might like to suit their favourite terrain.
Verdict: A smooth ski for those wanting to cruise the pistes and the Curv range offers a ski for everyone.
Overall rating: 5/10
K2 Mindbender 96
Best for: Strong intermediate and advanced skiers looking to play in the powder, the bumps and the piste.
RRP: £525
The K2 Mindbender 96c is an all mountain ski that lands on the softer side of the K2 2023-2024 range, the ‘C’ standing for carbon, as opposed to the titanal plate built into the more aggressive side of the range.
The K2 Mindbender 96c is therefore ideal for more entry level freeriders and lighter skiers, but don’t let that put you off in any way, it’s a fun and playful ski that delivers fun with a capital ‘F’. Turns are sharp and snappy on piste, and around the edges of pisted areas they offer balance, poise, and an overall responsive feel that boosts confidence without papering over essential feedback.
Verdict: The K2 Mindbender 96c is a truly versatile ski that would suit a huge range of ability levels, making them a perfect entry level freeride ski or a fun, yet undemanding bucket of joy for a more advanced skier that wants to play in a variety of snow conditions through the season.
Overall rating: 10/10
Buy now at Ellis Brigham: ellis-brigham.com
SALOMON STANCE 84
Best for: Anyone looking for versatility across a variety of terrain.
RRP: £630
With a stable yet controlled demeanour - thanks to the poplar wood core and Titanal layer - the Stance 84 from Salomon delivers exactly what you’d want from a classic all mountain ski that’s still at least 75% focussed on piste work.
Very much at home on the chopped snow beside marked runs, they’re responsive and lively everywhere, but easy to turn and mild-mannered to boot. There’s rebound on offer, but not too much to unsettle, and there’s power available when needed.
The 84 version sits towards the lower side of the width scale within the wider Stance collection, with a 90, 96 and 102 climbing above.
Verdict: Lighter skiers that seek a lively, fun and versatile ski are well served here.
Overall rating: 8/10
Buy now at Ellis Brigham: ellis-brigham.com
Armada Declivity 92TI
Best for: Strong skiers that enjoy aggressive turns all across the mountain
RRP: £630
The Armada Declivity 92TI - named after a downward slope or inclination - hits the sweet spot for versatility in a range that spans between 88mm to 115mm under foot.
The ‘Ti’ moniker indicates that a stiffening titanal layer is present and correct, but here it’s combined in a banding layer with an elastic compound layer and caruba wood core, which results in a more forgiving ski overall.
The result is a high-performance on-piste carver that’s got enough gumption to justify the all mountain tag, but while keeping plenty of fun in hand for pisted runs.
Verdict: One for skiers that can handle all terrain and like to push speed and power through everything that is thrown at them.
Overall rating: 9/10
Buy now: armadaskis.com
Atomic Maverick 95Ti
Best for: Strong intermediate to advanced skiers looking for power and versatility
RRP: £630
Atomic is one of the largest ski manufacturers around, but the Maverick bucks the trend a little, injecting personality and crafted quality that belies the price tag. Anyone from strong intermediates right up to experts will find something to like here, and the 95mm width under foot has the definite air of the one ski quiver.
An air of crafted quality infuses the double titanal plate construction, while the soft wood core absorbs chatter and adds stability, even in differing terrain. As a do-it all ski, our testers felt this was indeed ‘one ski to do it all’...
Verdict: For skiers that want one ski to do it all, the Maverick 95Ti will conform to your expectations for an all mountain ski.
Overall rating: 8/10
Buy now: atomic.com
Black Crows Serpo 93
Best for: Expert, aggressive riders that like to push their limits on and off-piste
RRP: £830
Let’s be clear, the Black Crows Serpo 93 isn’t for the shy and retiring - designed for front side skiers that like to carve on-piste but take the odd excursion off into the powder, the result is a full-fat number that requires an aggressive rider to get the full benefits.
However, the grip on offer is stellar, and these skis are built for speed, loving being pushed hard and fast, less happy when in casual cruising mode. Steep and icy slopes are very much where the Serpo is at home, perhaps no surprise from the Chamonix-based freeride ski company.
Verdict: Strong seasonaire’s, technical skiers and heavier built riders will get the most out of these and if you enjoy pushing yourself all over the mountain then the Serpo is a whole world of fun.
Overall rating: 8/10
Buy now: black-crows.com
Atomic Maven 93
Best for: Advanced to expert women skiers looking to hit the whole mountain, in all conditions and buy one ski for the job
RRP: £600
Atomic have packed the Maven 93’s with high-end tech that makes these feel lively at both slow and high speeds. The core—OMatic poplar wood with triaxle fibreglass and a carbon layer—gives a stable feel on groomed slopes but packs a decent punch when turning edge to edge. HRZN tech in the tip rocker increases surface area by 10 percent, making for easier turn initiation and an element of playfulness. The tips float nicely in powder and they ski wider than their width would suggest. It would be hard to better this ski when faced with a range of conditions throughout the winter.
Verdict: Hugely versatile ski for advanced to expert women looking to hit the whole mountain.
Overall rating: 9/10
Buy now: atomic.com
Head e-Shape V10
Best for: Skiers from intermediate right up to experts looking for a reliable all mountain ski.
RRP: £610
Targeted at advanced skiers who like to carve at all speeds, the e-Shape V10’s are seemingly great at everything. An EMC, or ‘Energy Management Circuit’ converts kinetic energy into electronic, dampening the skis without using heavy materials. This sounds gimmicky but really works, and like all the e-Shape range, the V10’s have a super smooth, vibration-less feel. The tip rocker makes turn initiation easy and at 85mm underfoot, they don’t feel like you need to work them too hard.
Verdict: Hugely versatile, not just in the terrain it can cover but also across multiple skier levels, and for good value.
Overall rating: 9/10
Buy now: head.com
Rossignol Experience 82 Ti
Best for Intermediate and advanced skiers that like to carve on piste but take the occasional away trip off the sides
RRP £620
A full Poplar wood core—reinforced with titanium and Rossignol’s Drive Tip solution—combines to produce a high-performance ski that also has a nicely dampened feel. These are stable on piste and smooth through bumpier terrain. The All-Trail rocker aids turn initiation and helps a little with float in deeper snow.
Verdict A solid ski that’s perfect for people looking for a comfortable ride and consistent performance on all kinds of different terrain.
Overall rating 8/10
Buy now: rossignol.com
K2 Disruption 78c
Best for: All-mountain skiers with a need for pure, straight-line speed.
RRP: £525
Like many brands of late, K2 seems keen to blur the piste / all-mountain / freeride categories. This is probably no bad thing, but 78mm underfoot is a very narrow base for a modern versatile ski, and one suspects K2 simply doesn’t like the ‘piste’ label. There’s no getting away from the fact that this ski is highly piste-biased. That said, it couldn’t be considered a performance, race-inspired piste ski, because, simply put, it’s far too much fun. Soft, playful, poppy, and happy at speed, it’s an awesome all-round performer. It might be a stretch to call it ‘stable’ – but again this is all part of the fun; you might feel close to the edge, but that doesn’t make you want to slow down!
Verdict: If hammering down groomers at high speed is your thing, get these beneath your boots.
Overall rating: 9/10
Buy now: snowtraxstore.co.uk
Volkl Yumi 84
Women's best all mountain budget ski
Best for: Advanced intermediates who don’t want to break the bank.
RRP: £525
Völkl’s Yumi features a 3D sidecut and an 84mm waist width, designed to help it float a little easier in powder, without sacrificing any of its carving potential. Despite being marketed to the recreational masses, with a price point to match, the Yumi exceeds expectations of stability. Edge to edge, it’s not just quick, but maintains hold in both long and short radius turns. At super high speeds, stability can start to suffer, with the tip becoming slightly chattery, but that’s not a huge problem.
Verdict: There’s a lot of tech for the price here. This is a ski that will help you step up a level.
Overall rating: 8/10
More info: volkl.com
Blizzard Bonafide 97
Best for: A freeride focussed skier looking for something versatile.
RRP: £600
Back in 2021 Blizzard re-classified the Bonafide as an all-mountain ski, and made changes to its core, which now involves a complex ‘mesh’ of stringers made of different densities of different woods. For the skier, that should result in a more smooth, progressive flex – stiffness should taper off towards the tips and tails. In practice, the flex pattern should make the ski a little more accessible and versatile (hence the re-classification as an all mountain ski, rather than freeride). However, this still retains much of its freeride character; it’s a superb, go anywhere ski, with a forgiving flex. The on-piste performance is superb, but this still flies in soft snow.
Verdict: A very versatile ski, which handles narrower than its waist width would suggest.
Overall rating: 9/10
Buy now: blizzard-tecnica.com
Volkl Kanjo 84
Best for: Those who get up early doors to ride perfect groomers.
RRP: £525
Coming in at 84mm underfoot, the Kanjo is a high-tech, all-mountain ski. There’s a glass fibre frame around the nose and a carbon tip for torsional stiffness, and Völkl have also continued with the piece of German engineering that has so enthused us in recent seasons – the triple radius sidecut. Despite being grouped with the freeride skis in Völkl’s range, the Kanjo is definitely piste biased – through dimensions if nothing else. They’re not the best performers in deep powder, but that triple radius design really works, and they’re super fun for mixing up turns on piste and hard packed side-country.
Verdict: A forgiving and confidence-inspiring ski, that grips like a vice on an edge.
Overall rating: 8/10
More info: volkl.com
