9 | SkiPress Ski Test 11 Powered by the Quebec Subaru Dealers Association

SS TITAN129-79-115@177 cm | R 14.7 | $1,378 w/bA fatter ski is supposed to be a soft-snow ski, right? Yet look at the skiers Head has in its racing stable Bode Miller, Hermann Maier, Maria Riesch who contribute feedback for Heads Super Shape line. All are racers who like going big, fast and hard. I think this is a carving ski, commented one tester, expecting a soft-snow fl oater. This burly board is best when making World-Cup-like turns. If you cant bust a little Bode boogie, another ski is for you.

PEAK 78 PRO125-78-111@177 cm | R 15.7 | $950 w/bThe Peak 78 Pro makes excitement come easily. Its loaded with high-speed, big turning power, yet its so easy to turn that one tester called it soft and cuddly. Another called it as comfortable and relaxing as a massage, but with the rush of skiing downhill. Best at big arcs in big snow, it can still handle the harder stuff if needed. The result is a multi-faceted ski thats about as versatile as a mid-fat gets.

PEAK 82123-82-109@177 cm | R 18.9 | $1,075 w/bTo paraphrase Macbeth: Out, out, sweet spot! When the sweet spot comes out of its shell on the Peak 82, a wonderful, soft-snow cruiser reveals itself. Ideal for powder, commented one tester, for whom the ski was spot-on. Another tester found himself more befuddled. Life is full of mysteries, and this ski is one of them, he commented. The Peak 82 has a sweet soul; it just takes the right skier with the right skiing style to fi nd it.

ICON 60116-67-100@170 cm | R 14 | $850 w/bCruise, cruise, cruise. Thats your simple game plan. Stick to the groomers, and take it easy. You spend most of your skiing time playing with the wife and kids rather than launching a macho assault on the mountain. The Icon 60 is a cruiser, not a fi ghter. Its over its head when travelling at high speeds on challenging terrain. But for splashing around in the shallow end of the pool, its a pleasing, playful toy. Cruise, baby, cruise.

PEAK 74 FLR121-74-107@170 cm | R 14.1 | $600 w/bAaaaaahhh. Take a deep breath and relax heres a ski to settle in with as if kicking back on a soft, upholstered chair. One tester called it an easy rider, soft and fl exible forgiving in crud, quick around bumps and trees. This is a ski that seems to fl ow over the snow surface rather than digging in the key to its versatility. Dont push it too hard on hard snow, and youll be saying aaaaaahh all day long.

SS MAGNUM122-71-108@177 cm | R 14.7 | $1,325 w/bAre those fl ashing blue lights you see in your rear-view mirror? The SS Magnum is the kind of ski that wants to live in the fast lane, not worried about exceeding any speed limits. Big turns at big speeds on hard snow are the forte of a ski that acts like a machine that escaped from the race-car garage. A forceful pilot is essential, and versatility is elusive. But to activate any racing urges lurking within, slide into the SS Magnums cockpit.

SS SPEED117-69-101@177 cm | R 15.7 | $1,250 w/bIf you didnt know any better, you might swear you were wearing Lycra and a race bib. This is about as close to GS racing as skiing gets outside of the gates. The SS Speed does OK when executing short-radius turns, but it really KOs the bigger arcs, especially on fi rmer snow. There is no speed limit, as the name suggests. Like driving a race car at high speed, wrote one tester. Now entering the starting gate . POWER ONE

115-68-99@163 cm | R 13.3 | $1,075 w/bEven for carving skis, carving isnt everything. Some situations especially in softer snow call for pivoting skis underfoot rather than riding the edge. That twin turning ability is what gives the Power One its unique identity. Its lightness makes it easy to turn in deeper snow, yet its narrow waist helps create fast, carved turns on fi rmer surfaces. Great on hard and groomed, but easily adapts to powder, summed up one tester. To carve or not to carve both work with this ski.

PERFECT ONE115-67-99@164 cm | R 12.7 | $850 w/bTake a light ski, throw in a little stiffness and narrow-waisted sidecut, and what do you get? A ski that reacts quickly and turns easily in light powder and crud but can still hold its line when encountering the harder stuff. Solid performance in variable conditions and variable turns, wrote one tester of a ski that all testers appreciated for its versatility. Much-appreciated good looks, too. Commented one tester: Its a very sleek and sexy-looking ski. Think of it as a light, lean looker.

GREAT ONE124-78-110@171 cm | R 14.6 | $950 w/bWhat works for one skier might be terrible for another. Two testers just couldnt get enough of the Great One, rating it best in the category, but others got too much of the ski. Awesome! gushed one enamoured tester. Whistler, here I come! But others found the ski hard to control, commenting that the tested length at 171 cm, the longest in the category might have been too much. To tap into the Great Ones greatness, going shorter might work better.

WILD ONE121-82-107@166 cm | R 16.5 | $1,025 w/bThe Wild West is the Wild Ones playground. On harder snow, the light and soft-fl exing ski can be a rough-riding bronco. But as the snow softens and deepens, the Wild One can provide a smooth and satisfying ride, especially if a lighter woman is in the saddle. Super fun on groomed (snow) because of its fl exibility and lightness, wrote one tester. When cruising at moderate speeds on the softer stuff, the Wild One is home on the range.

COOL ONE117-71-102@163 cm | R 13.6 | $625 w/bFor you, skiing should be as effortless as lounging in a hammock on a summer evening. You need a ski to match your laid-back style, not a ski that demands a muscular commandant. The Cool One is all about sweet forgiveness, a light and soft ride best for easygoing speeds on easygoing terrain. Perfect for smaller skiers who ski softly, wrote one tester or for those who liken skiing to fl oating on a summer breeze.

EVERY ONE123-72-107@163 cm | R 12.1 | $750 w/bSome womens skis are really just mens skis cross-dressing in a womans top sheet. Others, like the Every One, are the real deal skis that respond to skiers with a kinder, gentler, more feminine touch. Grace, rather than muscular athleticism, wins the day. Dont push too hard or too fast, and the Every One can do everything green slopes and black, big and tight turns, moguls, you name it. Lots of fi nesse an excellent weekend companion, wrote one tester. A true ladys ski.

125-78-111@177 cm | R 15.7 | $950 w/b

Some womens skis are really just mens skis cross-dressing in a womans top sheet. Others, like the Every One, are