Völkl Tierra (2010)

Ranked highest in stability at speed and hard-snow performance, the Tierras move you fluidly and mindlessly from foot to foot. “Smooth operators!” wrote one tester. Though not too narrow to take off-piste, these damp, even-flexed skis were designed for carving short and long turns at high speeds. Plus: They’re powerful, but still forgiving enough to help women advance to the next level. Minus: Not as stable in crud.