The Best Men's Big Mountain Skis of 2026

The Armada ARV 106 Ti is self-explanatory in its name. Armada took its beloved ARV 106 chassis and added Titanal to it. The result is a fun, damp and energy-filled, big-mountain ski. They first debuted this idea back in 2019 by releasing a limited run and the feedback was promising.

The M-Free 108 is a key player in Dynastar’s freeride category for 2026, designed for freeride competitions and advanced skiers who want to charge hard with a freestyle touch. Standing at 108 mm underfoot with an 18-meter turn radius at 185 cm, this ski is built for big turns in even bigger terrain.

Directional skis with an appetite for playfulness are few and far between these days, but the Elan Ripstick 108 embodies this rare combination. Introduced in 2025, the Ripstick 108 emerged as Elan’s consolidation of the widest of the Ripstick collection, functionally replacing both the Ripstick 106 and 116.

The Kanso 106 is a fresh offering from the young company, Ellis, that has positioned itself as a high-quality, niche offering for big-mountain skiers. The Kanso 106 sits in the middle of the Ellis ski family and serves as the daily driver for skiers who spend their time mostly skiing off the beaten path.

The new 2026 Head Kore 106 Ti has been completely revamped with a clarified purpose. While the previous generation focused on lightweight design, this iteration features a more substantial core, completely redefining how this ski performs. The new Kore 106 Ti is noticeably more powerful and now targets directional off-piste skiers who want stability and energy retention. This ski uses Titanal around a karuba and beech wood core with a flax-fiberglass laminate. This update provides remarkable dampening when tackling everything from firm snow and chop to soft bumps. Its stability when laying on the gas pedal is a significant departure from earlier generations, where the formerly light graphene core was softer and suffered at high speeds.

The widest offering in Kästle’s dedicated touring line, the TX107 returns for 2026 after an 11-year hiatus. At 1,570 grams per ski in the 185 cm length, this ski is light enough for your longest days in the great beyond. The TX107 sets itself apart by maximizing performance thanks to its efficient construction rather than relying on sheer mass. While it doesn’t carry the mass of a resort-focused ski, it more than holds its own through crud and soaks up chatter better than other skis in its weight class.

The 2026 Liberty Radian 106 serves as the cornerstone of Liberty’s directional lineup, offering precision-oriented performance that bridges the gap between burly metal-laden chargers and overly forgiving skis. The ski’s 19. 5-meter radius favors longer turns, which proves ideal for off-piste conditions where big, calculated turns are your friend. This radius, combined with the 106 mm width and metal construction, creates a more merciful charger while maintaining the strength to handle variable terrain.

The Unleashed collection has been making a name for itself the past couple seasons for its stout feel underfoot with a more freestyle-oriented shape. Arguably the most versatile of the Unleashed series, the 108 is a beefy all-mountain freeride ski that is an ideal daily driver for skiers who gravitate to creative riding and natural features.

The Salomon QST 106 has been one of the brand’s most popular freeride skis. For 2026, it features construction updates including cork damplifier inserts in the tip and tail and a basalt/carbon/flax laminate that replaces metal.