Free, the best skis of 2026

The direction of the freeride ski market is more difficult to define than that of freeride boots, largely down to the varied, and ambitious, goals of the riders themselves. These days, a freeride ski has to do everything: float in powder; slice through hardpack; turn on a dime; provide support on wide turns; and be stiff, yet light enough to skin uphill. There are versatile all-mountain models designed for freetouring that perform almost like a pure freeride ski, and light powder skis that add millimeters underfoot while keeping the gram count low.

Declaring an absolute winner was a complex process, there was no clear victor. The Armada Declivity 108 won the day for its ability to faithfully reproduce that feeling of pure freeride that so many skiers are looking for. Versatile and reliable from the resort to the backcountry, this solid ski also boasts a sick graphic.

An adaptable, intuitive ski for all those freeriders who hang out in Alpine resorts. It’s taken a huge leap forward compared to previous models, which were designed for more skilled riders. A cutting edge piece of kit, light enough to skin uphill with your binding of choice.  

Strikes the right balance between aggressiveness and skiability, stiffness and progressive flex. The Rustler 11 has a robust, planted feel and lets you charge hard at big-mountain speeds or land gnarly cliff jumps effortlessly. 

The understated geometry lets you take on all kinds of snow conditions in a logical, natural way, and adapts to turns of all shapes and sizes. It works well in ascent on hardpack and technical terrain, even over long distances, and the low weight makes it the complete freeride touring package that you can take anywhere.