From all corners of the country, the Ski Canada Test returned to Big White last March. The atmosphere was charged— something was up and the ski patrol was nervous. Truth be told, there were nothing but smiles and the usual banter: How many skis? What are the categories? Who has a forecast? When do we start? Man, I thought you were dead! We were soon ready to get on with the task: the 30th annual Ski Canada Test
was about to begin.
THE CATEGORIES
EXPERT ALL-MOUNTAIN
All-terrain cruising, long and short turns
As well as checking agility and competence in soft snow, testers skied
this category up to high cruising speeds for recreational skiers and
assessed stability in long and short turns on the groomed. Testers pushed
the limits in this category. They expect these skis to do everything and test
them aggressively. Overall versatility in managing all kinds of conditions
defi ned the best skis in this category. Waist 76-86. (Fall 2009 issue)
ADVENTURE ALL-MOUNTAIN
All-terrain skiing, moderate speeds, medium turns
To match the expectations for this group, testing was not as fast or
aggressive as in the high-performance Expert All-Mountain category.
The same assessment of comfort in ungroomed snow was checked, with
special attention to such things as how balanced they felt (sweet spot)
and general good manners in less-than-perfect conditions. Testers want
these skis to respond to every demand, and also be manageable and
predictable. Waist 75-85. (Fall 2009 issue.)
BIG MOUNTAIN
Like the name says—and beyond
This freeride category continues to test the limits of design—as well as
graphics. Twintips long ago evolved from the terrain park to the trees and
off under the ropes. Big Mountain skis are being seen more and more all
over the mountain and age spectrum now. Manoeuvrability and stability
make them popular choices for travelling through tricky off-piste terrain
as well as high-speed riding, taking air and landing switch. There are
some radical setups such as degrees of camber, binding positions and
fl ex patterns that make these skis more diffi cult to judge, so read the ski
data carefully. Waist 90+. (Fall 2009 issue.)
ON-PISTE CRUISERS
High-performance GS-radius turns
These cruisers were not tested in gates, but most skis in this category
have a racing pedigree. Testers pushed the limits to find the best balance
between raw edge hold and user-friendliness. Where versatility is a big
factor in All-Mountain skis, testers devoted special attention to such
things as agility, power and edge grip for these skis. That said, testers did
move in and out of a variety of terrain and asked the skis to demonstrate
some versatility. The category is not expected to have a speed limit. Waist
68-78. (Buyer's Guide 2010 issue)
EASY CRUISING
Mid-range performance in long and short turns
These skis represent excellent value, but also reasonable performance at
intermediate to advanced speeds on groomed slopes. Appropriate criteria
such as ease of initiation and stability got a lot of attention in identifying
the best skis in this category. This category represents for many skiers
their first carving skis and skis that can grow with them as speed and
skills increase. Waist 70-75. (Buyer's Guide 2010 issue.)
POWDER
Fat boys, off-piste, heli- and cat-skiing
This most obvious category simply means big-snow and soft-snow. These
skis hang in shop windows in places like Rossland, Revelstoke and Fernie
more than they actually make it to car roofs, but if you still have room in
your quiver, the long, über-wide boards with modest sidecuts and soft,
even flexes will give you some unforgettable fl otation and easy turning in
the deep stuff. Waist 90+. (Travel Guide 2010 issue.)
IMPRESSIONS
so many skis make it to the annual Ski Canada Test that it’s
virtually impossible to test and rate them all. But when the
formal testing for the day is complete at Big White each day,
our testers are more than happy to take a few runs on skis brought along
by proud manufacturers. These skis re judged outside the parameters of
Ski Canada's traditional test categories. . From their overall feedback, we
get an impression of how the ski performs and feels,where the ski is best suited. Enjoy the ride!
Test Criteria
Each tester evaluates a number of characteristics out of 10
points to help present a complete picture of how a ski stacks up
after a single run. This data is provided for the reader without
alteration. At the end of each day, the testers meet to compare
their impressions and offer a consensus on which type of skier
would enjoy the ski. Testers have their preferences relating to
their skiing background and style, so factors such as the length
of the ski tested and the tune affects each skier’s opinion. Weigh
their comments against what’s important to you and how you ski.
Here’s what they are measuring:
EDGE GRIP: How well does the ski hold its line once it’s
tipped on edge. Usually the stiffer the torsion, the better the edge
grip. Edge grip is important for carving. Remember the test skis
were tuned by factory technicians for the test day and checked
during the day for any deterioration. It makes a huge difference.
STABILITY: As speed and snow conditions vary, so does the
feel of the ski underfoot. A ski that is too soft may feel loose and
floppy, while a stiff ski may feel heavy and be diffi cult to initiate
into a turn. Well-balanced skis tend to be stable at designed-for
speeds, but still retain liveliness for turning.
AGILITY: The result of easy initiation at a variety of speeds,
energy transfer from edge-to-edge and good acceleration. When
the wow factor is there, the skis are matching the skier’s weight
and skiing style, and feel light, responsive and inspire confi dence.
For big cruising turns, agility is a good thing but don’t confuse it
with wandering instability.
VERSATILITY: Versatility continues to be one of the most
important factors and for good reason. Ski manufacturers
continue to offer innovations in ski profi les and materials to defi ne
the perfect ski. Conditions change with every run and skiers live
for the freedom of moving from the bumps, through the crud to
carving at speed. In some cases the changes feel seamless to the
testers, while in other cases the testers (who are only allowed one
run per ski) have to really look for the sweet spot.
Test 2009 digital (skis tested for 2008/09 season)
NEW! Ski Canada's Ski Test 2008/2009 reports now in digital format for easy reference. Click here
Test 2009 (reports in Fall 2008 issues)
Ski Canada Test 2009 at Big White Ski Resort category reports - all mountain expert and adventure - in Buyer's Guide 2009 on newsstands across Canada. On-piste categories from Fall 2008 issue.
BEST OF THE TEST from Winter 2009 issue
TEST 2009 RECOMMENDATIONS
Ski Canada Test recommendations for skier weight, skier ability, skier style and preferred snow conditions in chart format for easy reference and comparison of models.
TEST 2009 - EXPERT ALL-MOUNTAIN
Skis tested (listed alphabetically): ATOMIC CRIMSON Ti, ATOMIC HEAVEN'S GATE, FISCHER COOL HEAT, FISCHER VAPOR, HEAD MONSTER 82, HEAD WILD ONE, K2 RECON MX, K2 LOTTA LUV M1, NORDICA TOP FUEL, NORDICA VICTORY, OGASAKA CC 8.0, LIBERTY HAZMAT, LIBERTY JINX, ROSSIGNOL ZENITH Z15, ROSSI ATTRAXION Xi MUTIX, SALOMON X-WING FURY, SALOMON ORIGINS JADE, STOCKLI STORMRIDER XXL
TEST 2009 - ADVENTURE ALL-MOUNTAIN
Skis tested (listed alphabetically): ATOMIC BLACKEYE, ATOMIC SEVENTH HEAVEN, FISCHER WATEA 78, HEAD MONSTER 78, HEAD GREAT ONE, K2 XPLORER MX, K2 ONE LUV M1, LIBERTY LAROSE, LIBERTY JINX,
NORDICA AFTERBURNER, NORDICA CONQUER, OGASAKA E-TURN X, ROSSIGNOL PHANTOM SC 80, ROSSIGNOL VOODOO SC 80, SALOMON LORD, SALOMON LADY, STOCKLI STORMRIDER XL
TEST 2009 - ON-PISTE CRUISERS
Skis tested (listed alphabetically):Atomic SX 12 and Raisin Hell, Fischer Progressor 9+, Head Supershape Magnum and Power One, K2 Crossfire MX and Burning Luv M1, Nordica Speedmachine Mach 3, Ogasaka KCRV, Rossignol Radical 9X WC, Salomon X Wing Tornado Ti, Stockli Cross Pro
TEST 2009 - ON-PISTE CARVERS
Skis tested (listed alphabetically):Atomic SL 12, Fischer WC SC, Head Supershape, K2 Hellfire, M2
Nordica Spitfire Pro, Ogasaka Triun, Rossignol Radical 9S WC, Salomon Aero X, Stockli Laser SL
TEST 2009 - POWDER .. tested at Mike Wiegele Helicopter Skiing
Skis tested (listed alphabetically): BSI Valhallas, Fischer Watea 94, K2 Apache Coomba, Liberty Double Helix, Movement Goliath, Movement Goliath Sluff, Nordica Supercharger Enforcer, Ogaska CC 11.1, Prior Overlord, Salomon Czar, Stockli Stormrider DP Pro
TEST 2009 - IMPRESSIONS
Skis tested (listed alphabetically): BSI Kootenay Peaksticks, BSI Valhallas, Fischer Cold Heat, Fischer Progressor 8+, Head MoJo 94, Head Monster Chip, K2 ObSETH'd, K2 Tough Luv, Liberty Hazmat, Nordica Hot Rod Helldiver XBI CT, Ogasaka CC 9.7, Rossignol S7, Salomon Mai Tai
Comments on magazine ski tests.
Ski Canada sees many references to magazine ski tests, often from ski shops that run their own ski tests. Here's an example of one shop's online comments:"Ski Canada and others charge a fortune for companies to be tested in their ski tests... Those who don't charge knowingly or unknowingly bias their reviews through advertising and the use of sponsored testers... Blah blah blah, whine, whine, whine... Conspiracy theorists would have a field day at magazine ski tests." These comments have been made of Ski Canada innumerable times and they are wrong. Each Test report Ski Canada addresses these issues directly.
One more time - Ski Canada does not charge ski companies to test their skis. All brands are invited and it is up to each brand to supply their skis and tech personnel to tune their skis and twist bindings on test days. Some other publications may charge ski companies to test their skis, but not Ski Canada
'Bias .. through advertising.' Anyone can flip through Ski Canada and count advertising pages for each ski brand. Some brands that have appeared in test reports and performed well have spent nothing on advertising in Ski Canada. Some brands that do spend on advertising have test reports that do not place a ski model high in any rankings. There is no advertising influence - pro or con - on test reports from Ski Canada.
'Bias .. through use of sponsored testers.' Ski Canada's testers are usually sponsored. There's a reason for this. We need the best possible quality of skier to be an accurate tester and the best skiers have sponsors. All Ski Canada testers are Level III or IV CSIA certified instructors. Ski companies want other skiers to see the best skiers on their products, so they sponsor them to ski on their skis. Ski Canada identifies our tester sponsors, delete the tester scores for their sponsored brand and then publishes each tester's top 3 choices in each category. That way, readers can see for themselves whether our testers just praise their sponsored brand. Results are often surprising. Read the magazine and see for yourself.
'Conspiracy theorists' - Ski Canada can speak only for our test of course, but we do not go into any test with a preconceived notion of which brands will be winners. Sure, all skiers, including our testers, have biases. So that's why Ski Canada publishes all the details about our testers, their sponsors and their top picks. Ski Canada is the only North American test to mask the ski topsheets to eliminate the influence of colour and cosmetics.
A final comment - ski shops sell skis direct to the skiing public and carry, by necessity, a limited selection of brands. Ski Canada does not sell skis direct to the skiing public and welcomes every brand of alpine ski to our test. Which party has more to gain by promoting one brand of ski over another?
Ski Canada Test 2008 at Lake Louise Mountain Resort, AB
Ski Canada Test 2008 On-Piste Test categories.from Buyer's Guide 2008 issue
Top 3 On-Piste Cruiser for Men: Head Supershape Magnum; Atomic SX12; Rossignol Radical 9X
Top 3 On-Piste Cruiser for Women: Rossignol Radical 9X; K2 Burnin Luv; Atomic Super B
Top 3 On-Piste Carver for Men: Atomic SL12; Nordica Dobermann SL Pro; Rossignol Radical 9S
Top 3 On-Piste Carver for Women: Head Super Shape; Nordica Dobermann SL Pro; Rossignol Radical 9S
Ski Canada Test 2008 All-mountain Test categories.from Fall 2007 issue
Top 3 Expert All Mountain for Men: K2 Recon; Atomic M11 B5c; Stockli Laser SC
Top 3 Expert All Mountain for Women: K2 Lotta Luv and Nordica Victory (tied); Rossignol Attraxion X1 Mutix; Atomic Foxy Mama
Top 3 Adventure All Mountain for Men: Atomic Blackeye; Nordica Afterburner; Stockli Rotor 76
Top 3 Adventure All Mountain for Men: Nordica Conquer; Fischer Vapor; Head Monster 78
Ski Canada Test 2008 Easy cruising Test categories.from Travel Guide 2008 issue
Top 3 Easy Cruiser for Men: Atomic M9; Salomon Aero GT; Head Xeon 9.0
Top 3 Easy Cruiser for Women: Salomon Rush; K2 Tru Luv; Atomic Royal Minx
Ski Canada Test 2008 Twintips from Winter 2008 issue
Ski Canada Test 2008 Impressions from Winter 2008 issue
Ski Canada Test 2008 summary data for all five Test categories. This is a PDF file of the test scores, in spreadsheet format, for all categories published in the 2007/08 season issues of Ski Canada.
Ski Canada Test 2007 at Panorama Mountain Village, B.C.
Ski Canada Test 2007 - On-Piste Cruisers This is a PDF file of the published results in the Fall 2006 Buyer's Guide issue. This section also contains the introduction which explains categories.
Ski Canada Test 2007 - Expert All Mountain Published in the November 2006 issue.
Ski Canada Test 2007 - Adventure All Mountain Published in the November 2006 issue.
Ski Canada Test 2007 - Powder skis. Published in the November 2006 issue.
Ski Canada Test 2007 - Easy Cruisers Published in the December 2006 issue.
Ski Canada Test 2007 - Graphic of recommendations for skill and snow conditions Published in the November 2006 issue.
Ski Canada Test 2007 - Twintips Published in the December 2006 issue
28 Twintips tested. Our team of park-and-pipe Dipodomys had their work cut out this year as they tackled an expanded list of 28 twintips to be tested. Co-ordinated by Myles Ricketts
Best of the Test All 2007 Ski Canada Test data is available online so there's not much point in filling pages with numbers again - but maybe it's worth reviewing some highlights. by Martin Olson, from Winter 2007 issue
Test 2007 categories (November 2006 issue)
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All mountain category test results from Fall 2003 issue.
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After two terrific years at Sun Peaks, the Ski Canada test machine headed southeast across the Okanagan to Big White near Kelowana for a week of testing next year's skis in what turned out to be the best conditions of a dry winter. Indeed, the conditions were terrific for any winter! A record number of suppliers (virtually every manufacturer with skis available in Canada) showed up for a week of testing in up to five categories of skis. We got off to a fast start in the Buyer's Guide 2002 issue with race skis.
The conundrum: you want a ski that will skate like a pair of CCM Tacks on man-made ice, yet not feel stiff and jarring in the moguls. A ski that moves slick and smooth through the bumps and tight trees, yet has that rock-bomber solid GS feel on fresh corduroy.
Well, Free Carve skis are for you. That's free as in "free to roam all over the mountain," and carve as in "rail them over and let the centrifugal force be with you." Some folks call Free Carve skis the "Eastern" category (as opposed to the Free Ride "Western" category), but that's a bit misleading -- the best skis in this category can handle anything.
Freeride (or the considerably less-sexy name of mid-fat) skis are the progeny of specialty powder skis (fatties) and all-mountain Free Carve skis.
Sport Carve is the category that tackles all those excuses your friends have about (not) going skiing--and throws them out on their ear. You know the excuses: the sport is too expensive, it's too difficult to learn, you have to practise consistently in order to make any progress... The fact is, sport skis are so good at getting intermediate skiers into carving that they've significantly reduced the learning curve for beginners, and have allowed many terminal intermediates to make the leap into black-diamond skiing.
