The top 10 freeride powder skis of 2017

You might enjoy these skis if… Somewhere near the top of your bucket list is “Move to Alaska.” There, you’d live out your days sliding down spine walls, dropping 40-footers and straight-lining run-outs. Deep, steep skiing is your only worthwhile venture. Thankfully, in your dreams, you live in a place that experiences abundant powder days and is a mecca of big-mountain shredding. You seek a stiffer flex with plenty of camber, ideal for holding fast when a grisly fate awaits you on either side of your line.

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1. Black Crows Anima

“‘Nimble,’ ‘reactive,’ ‘snappy,’ ‘agile,’ and ‘maneuverable’ are all words our testers used to describe the Anima, descriptors you don’t often see associated with a ski of this size…” Click for full review and scores.

2. Atomic Backland FR 117

“Inspired by the now-defunct Automatic 117 and taking cues from the Bent Chetler, the Backland FR 117 is a hard-charging, big-mountain soldier that isn’t afraid to have some fun…” Click for full review and scores.

3. Rossignol Super 7 RD

“The cheetah is the fastest land animal on earth; the Super 7 RD is the cheetah of the ski world. In fact, ‘RD’ stands for race department, and these skis are a super limited run, so get ’em while they’re hot…” Click for full review and scores.

4. Faction Eleven5

“For a ski of its size, the Eleven5 can do it all, whether it’s trenching during a storm or blasting the chunder three days later. A combination of dense ash, lighter weight poplar and a layer of Titanal helps this ski straddle the line between power and grace…” Click for full review and scores.

5. Salomon QST 118

“Unlike some skinnier members of the new QST line (QST 99, 92 and 85) the QST 118 (and 106) utilize rocker in both the tips and tails. This translates to a ski with significant soft snow capabilities that’s ultra-nimble to boot…” Click for full review and scores.

6. Scott Scrapper 115

“Scott’s freeski lineup is designed with help from athletes Dane Tudor and Fabian Lentsch, reflecting their hard-charging approach to the mountains. Scott combines an ultra-lightweight paulownia wood core with a fiberglass and carbon laminate, as well as a Titanal insert in the binding area for a boost in rigidity without a noticeable weight increase…” Click for full review and scores.

7. Line Pescado

“The Pescado, the latest creation from the genius mind of Eric Pollard, is a directional powder ski that’s constructed to surf the deepest waves of powder imaginable…” Click for full review and scores.

9. Völkl Confession

“If engaging in steep, no-fall zone debauchery on this ski is wrong, then forgive us Father for we have sinned. There’s our Confession. This all-new ski is geared towards rippers keen on revving their engines and blasting full speed through the steep and deep…” Click for full review and scores.

10. Fischer Ranger 122

“Fischer has rebranded the behemoth Big Stix 122 for 2016-17 and placed it into the award-winning Ranger lineup. New name: Yes. Changed intentions: No. The Ranger 122 is designed to tackle steep, fall-line terrain and deep, orgasmic powder…” Click for full review and scores.

Note: This writing appears originally in FREESKIER magazine Volume 19.1, the 2017 Buyer’s Guide, available via iTunes Newsstand indefinitely. Subscribe to FREESKIER magazine, here.