Best Mountain Skis for Women Reviewed 2020
All mountain skis are designed to be used on highlands and mountains. Many skis available on the market today can be included in this categorization as they are perfectly capable of handling all kinds of rough and coarse conditions in the mountains. The key thing to look for when buying a downhill ski is its versatility. The ski should be able to handle everything from hard-packed/groomed slopes to powder, slush, and ice and must be one-size-fits-all equipment for beginners and experienced individuals who are not looking for fancy / advanced or expensive skis for park skiing, free riding and powder skiing, etc.
Making a poor choice in your purchase, can make your first skiing experience harder than it should be. Skis are not something that you want to experiment with so it is better to look for skis that are matched to your level of expertise. In this guide, we will walk you through the best all-mountain skis to help you decide which gear is the most appropriate and which skis you should invest your money in.
| Mountain Skis | Best For | Width | Profile | Ability Level | |
  | Nordica Santa Ana 93 | Groomed and powder runs | 93mm | Tip and tail rocker | Intermediate to expert |
  | Total Head Joy | All-mountain skiing | 84mm | Tip rocker | Advanced level |
  | Salomon QST 99 | Groomed runs | 99mm | Tip and tail rocker | Intermediate skiers |
  | Armada JJ 2.0 | Speedy powder skiing | 117mm | Tail rocker | Advanced level |
  | Rossignol Soul 7 HD | Groomed and powder skiing | 106mm | Tail rocker | Beginners to intermediate |
1) Nordica Santa Women’s Skis Ana 93
This all-mountain ski is everything that its previous models were but with even more versatility. This version is measures 126mm (tip), 93mm (underfoot), 11mm (tail) and 185cm (overall length).
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It is manufactured with a complete wood core and has two layers of titanium which go beyond the edges. Due to these qualities, this product has a good amount of stretch which you will find very consistent from the tip to the tail of the board. Wood core and titanium layers also contribute heavily to the overall power, strength, and stability of the ski as well.
It holds an all rocker mountain profile thus very smooth at tail and tip. Nordica Santa Ana 93 contains a camber underfoot to give a good and balanced performance wherever the rider wants. With its true tip technology, less ABS plastic and low weight, this ski can stay very strong and steady and give more bounce and playfulness over mountains. The best feature of this ski is its user-friendliness. When you buy this equipment, you will feel it yourself that it is very easy to transition it from one edge to another and to lay it over its edges during skiing. The power and control that you will feel while you arc the turns are unmatched and you will probably not get it in any other model in our list.
This all-mountain ski has an 18.5-meter turn radius but the riders are still able to change the magnitude of their turns according to their preference. It does not have a crud busting tip; rather you will find a blunt-nosed tip that is aimed explicitly to deal with refrozen ice and chunder. Nordica Santa Ana 93 can handle 6 inches of powder and even when there is more snow than that due to its large underfoot which is intended for soft and harsh snow.
- ✓ Energy 2 titanium built
- ✓ 95-110mm brake size
- ✓ Blunt-nose tip shape
- ✓ Core Construction: poplar/ash and fiberglass laminate
- ✓ ABS sidewalls
- ✓ Stable at high speeds
- ✓ Works amazing on groomers
- ✓ Sintered graphite base
- ✓ All-mountain terrain
2) Total Head Joy Women’s skis
After our experience with Total Head Joy all-mountain ski, we can easily recommend it to the advanced level skiers. The light graphene construction of this ski is very lightweight and the user will immediately connect and feel comfortable to ride on it. At slow speeds, this equipment is very spirited so the skier doesn’t have to worry about taking sharp/quick turns, and to adjust or spindle through the arch. Even when the rider is skiing at high speed, they will be able to have an extra grip over the ski without having to compromise on its performance. We feel the most cherished feature of Total Head Joy is its grip, carve and its solid and strong construction.
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When you first start using this ski, it might give you an impression of being delicate but once you get accustomed to it, you’ll be proved wrong. With a turning radius of 13.6, you can use this ski as a dynamic lass who likes to smash out quickly and can take sharp turns over the bumps. Total Head Joy is quite responsive and agile, so you can expect a good edge-to-edge performance even if you decide to take sharp and long turns while skiing, it will still give you a good control to ski right through the slopes.
An 85mm underfoot and its short tip rocker gives it a wide surface area so you can play in powdered as well as compacted snow without worrying about it coming undone. As far as the cost of this ski is concerned, all the models and products launched by Total Joy are mid-range but the riders are guaranteed to have a ski that will keep them entertained and delighted over the mountains.
- ✓Core: fiberglass laminate, graphene tip/tail, koroyd inlays, and silver fir
- ✓ Woman’s camber
- ✓ Very lightweight distribution
- ✓ 13.6m turning radius
- ✓ 133-85-113mm dimension at 163cm length
- ✓ The narrow waist and hooky side cut
- ✓ Gives edge-to-edge performance yet stay compose
- ✓Camber underfoot: 5mm
3) Salomon GST 99 Lumen
Salomon GST 99 Lumen is considered as a free-ride ski but many experts hail it as a great all-mountain ski as well. This ski features koroyd inlays which are polymer Nanotubes present in the tips. Koroyd is quite a strong material to be used in a piece of equipment but very lightweight. This technology is hard to find in budget mountain skis but thankfully, with this product, you can now benefit from this over-the-top feature.
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When tested in any offered lengths, the Salomon GST 99 Lumen excelled in soft snow but proved to give good results even in variable conditions. It has a lightweight design, amazing shape and semi-twin tip that make it a fun ski to use even in less than favorable ski conditions.
You can easily maneuver through turns with this ski due to the presence of a solid and firm edge hold. There is a small titan strip but unlike other ski models in the market, it may feel a little less commanding and powerful. When used at slow speed, the riders may not feel any problem with the crud as it will be super easy to drive and will not hook up a lot through different types of snow. The powder performance of this ski is its best feature. Salomon GST 99 Lumen is quite wide from the tail and the tip with a good amount of rocker so the user can benefit from sufficient float and a consistent flex even when jumping from one face shot to the other.
- ✓ Available lengths are 167cm, 174cm, 181cm and 184cm
- ✓ Tip to tail length is 179.6cm
- ✓ 19.4m side cut radius
- ✓ 5-6mm traditional camber underfoot
- ✓ Sintered base
- ✓Core: fiberglass laminate, titan binding reinforcement, basalt, carbon, and flax
- ✓ Less tapered shape
4) Armada ARW 86 Women’s skis
The latest model of Armada ARW 86, released this year is mostly unchanged and like the previous models, it is still a more stable and all-mountain ski that has a long turn radius. Moreover, the company has worked immensely to reduce the tapered shape and finally with
this model, they have managed to give wide points to offer better float to the users at low speed. This ski is an amazing powder ski that can easily grip its own towards the front. It is not just easy to ride in the soft snow but even when the rider is required to take the groomers towards the high, they will still get better control and stability than their expectations.
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The all-new Armada ARW 86 offers a semi-stable feel. The previous models of this ski could go into deep soft snow and were easy to maneuver around allowing users to surf and ski anywhere they like but the latest launch is even more stable than before. There is a traditional camber underfoot which assists in increasing the stability when you are skiing on a hard pack or soft snow. In this ski, the widest points have also been moved away from the boot so there is less contact between the ski and the snowy ground which may decrease the skier’s enjoyment but at the same time provides good stability.
You will notice a good amount of rocker in both tip and tail which ensures that you have lively, nimble riding experience in powdered snow while holding stability over hardpack. It has a steadier taper which can be used to improve the ski floatation at low speed. There is plenty of surface area which gives a good balance among playful and surfy floatation in the powdered snow and more stable carving over hard snow.
- ✓ Five-dimensional side cut for multiple shape turns
- ✓ 116mm underfoot
- ✓ EST all-mountain rocker
- ✓ Features hybrid ultra-light core
- ✓ Features laminate matrix
- ✓ 1.7 impact edge and AR50 sidewall
5) Rossignol Soul 7 HD
Rossignol Soul 7 HD is soft snow oriented all-mountain ski but it still does not fall short in any aspect when compared to other high-end models. This ski gets full marks from us because it is not just great ski equipment but can also handle rough terrain due to its powerful construction.
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In this guide, Rossignol Soul 7 HD is the only all-mountain ski that has the widest underfoot. It uses Air Tip 2.0 to make it more lightweight while still giving complete stability. According to our ride with this ski, even though its weight is a bit low even going at high speeds your confidence with this equipment will not fail. It is a very steady underfoot due to the presence of a carbon-alloy mixture in its core. If the rider is on the groomer and there is soft snow, they can easily open up to the experience of skiing but if the snow is getting firm or being variable, a little caution would be suggested. You will not hear the tip chatter and aggressive noises when riffing over the frozen snow. The ski will not feel damp and will absorb impact/vibration when needed.
The powder is what Rossignol Soul 7 HD is made for. Everything that has been added in this ski works together, to deliver an incredible performance as compared to the topmost skis in the market. There is a wide rocketed tip (for better floating), wide platform (to give good performance in ill-fated days), and marginally rocker tail (to release the rider out of turn). This ski also outshines in its small radius and sudden carving turns. The racing background of the manufacturers is quite apparent in this ski although unlike its forerunners you can still have a lot of fun using this product.
- ✓ 128-98-118 side cut
- ✓Core: carbon alloy and paulownia
- ✓ Minicap sandwich built
- ✓ Air tip technology
- ✓ Powder turn rocker designing
Buying Guide
Whether you are an expert level skier or a beginner, the ski market has some amazing options for you. In this guide, we are providing you with the guidance and education that is important to find the erect all-mountain ski to suit your style and skill level.
Gender
Several skis are available for men, women, and kids and have features that are gender-specific. Men skis can be found with multiple shapes, sizes, and terrains. These skis are categorized as unisex but women should really only stick to using the products which are designed especially for them. Even the most advanced and expert women skiers will be found riding on women skis because their products are tailored to an anatomical shape, stance, and weight. Many skis available for kids are soft and forbearing so the young learners can grow and improve their skills with the sport.
Flex
The flex any ski can provide can be measured by the help of rider’s weight, and the environmental conditions where they are about to ski. If your weight lies towards a heavy side, you should get a stiffer ski so the pressure when you ride is less. If the ski is too soft for your weight, there will be a lack of responsiveness from it that might affect your performance over the mountain.
Very soft skis are for beginners and children, soft skis are for mellow intermediates who are looking for skis that can be controlled easily, medium flex works best for users who want to ski at different speed levels with more stability and ease, stiff skis work more effectively at high speed and very stiff ones are especially for hard-chargers and aggressive skiers.
Tail Profile
A tail profile directly impacts the overall retreat of your ski. Twin up tails allows the rider to land and ski towards the back and will also let them take sharp turns especially when there are bumps. Flared tails are a little tapered so it gives versatility to the ski and provides good grip during sharp turns. These tails are most commonly found in race skis as they offer good grip power until the rider wants to depart the turn.
Turn Radius
Turn radius can be defined as the size of the arc that your ski makes when tipped over its edges. It is measured in meters. Skis with small turn radius make short turns and skis with high numbers make long turns. The tightness of the radius depends upon the difference of the tail and tip in comparison to the waist of the ski. Skis that have a turning radius of fewer than 12 meters are usually short turning skis. On the other hand, skis with a turning radius of 13-20 meters are called medium turning skis (more versatile) and the skis that are greater than 20 meters are long turning skis.
Waist Width
The waist width of any ski relies heavily upon the conditions and circumstances the rider will be skiing in. skis with low waist width give a quick edge-to-edge performance, they are much better to be used for trail carving and easy to roam around by a beginner’s skier.
The wide waist skis give more float when riding in the powder snow and more stability when riding on broken snow.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the difference between rocker and camber profile?
Ans: Rocker profile allows the users to surf easily through deep and heavy snow and prevent you and the gear from diving nose down in case of an accident. Much advancement has been made with this technology so now it can be used to initiate turning in skis which aren’t fixated on the powder. Camber profile gives a better ability to the rider to carve turns precisely and stably, have a good edge grip/hold, and better traction on hard snow and high speed.
Q: What are on-piste skis?
Ans: On-piste skis are an advanced version of racing skis. They are ideal for resort skiing and highly adored by people who are likely to be a beginner at this sport. These types of skis offer more versatility in terms of features/specifications and have a more integrated binding system than other skis on the market.
Q: Should I wear a helmet while skiing?
Ans: This decision is solely on the preference and responsibility of the rider though it is highly recommended. Most of the skiers like to wear a good quality helmet to protect their head from getting injured if they get involved in an accident. Helmets are a good investment but one should consider its weight and comfort level before purchasing.
Q: Why is the length of an all-mountain ski important?
Ans: Length is an important consideration to make while purchasing skis. It’s because the short skis are easier to maneuver around and that’s why they are more appealing to the skiers. Advanced level skiers usually go for extra-long skis as they enjoy aggressive skiing.
Conclusion
There are so many models and brands of all-mountain skis out there and it can be an overwhelming task to find the right pair. With the basic knowledge of different types of skis (how rocker and camber works and what should be the perfect length), anyone can narrow down their options and then purchase the most appropriate ones.
We are hopeful that with this buying guide, we’ve narrowed down your choices and made your decision easier, now that you have enough tips and recommendations from us, you can use this to purchase the most suitable gear for your ski trip. Happy Skiing!
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