K2 Burnin' Luv ERS11 (2010)

Skis in this category tend to behave, appropriately, like racecars: If you try to keep them in second gear, they jerk you around. But the Burnin Luv is an exception: Smooth and calm at slow speeds, it’s content to let you do the driving. A sheet of metal gives it stability, and a new binding system improves its comparative lack in edge-grip, but it’s the Burnin’s ease and friendly feel that make it shine. “Ramp them up or rein them in—these skis could suit a wide variety of skiers,” Sheinberg said.