Völkl Mantra (2011)

There’s something to be said for the ageless technology of a race-bred, sandwich-construction ski: It works. That’s why Völkl hasn’t messed with the recipe­­—GS sidecut and a wide, do-it-all platform—that has made the Mantra an object of reverence among technically strong classicists. It’s the ideal ski for East Coast expats or any skier with a fetish for rebound energy, because it has the familiar clean-carving feel of a hard-snow tool. The 96-millimeter platform floats crud and powder, and the camber provides unmatched feedback.