Published August 12, 2026 06:00AM
If we had a dollar for every time someone asked us about the Blizzard Black Pearl 88 or the Salomon QST 106, we’d be millionaires (which is to say, we still couldn’t buy a ski condo). Certain skis just amass cult-like reputations, whether through clever marketing or skier word of mouth—and often the hype is deserved. The Black Pearl 88, for one, has legitimately changed how a lot of women ski. But as the gear nerds who test nearly every ski on the market, Jake Stern and I spend a lot of time talking about which skis we’d actually pick from each brand—and they’re often not the ones everyone’s buying.
So we asked top brands which ski has sold best over the past two seasons. Those are below, along with the models Jake and I gravitate toward instead. Do with this highly subjective intel what you will.
Atomic
Most Popular Ski: Bent 100
The freeride-leaning Bent 100, a narrower version of the popular Bent Chetler 120, gets all the love over at Atomic, and we get it: it’s cool-looking, fun, playful, and easy to ski—in soft snow. But we’d argue most resort skiers would be better served by Atomic’s Maverick/Maven all-mountain lineup. With a more directional shape and a core reinforced with carbon and metal, these skis—designed with input from Atomic athletes like Daron Rahlves—are more fun and more dependable in variable conditions. And compared to beefy all-mountain skis like the Völkl Mantra or Nordica Enforcer, the Mavericks and Mavens are still lightweight and agile. You get that playful Atomic flavor with a side of stability.
Jake’s Pick: Atomic Maverick 105 CTi
“It’s essentially a quick, light, directional powder ski that carves quite well for its width. I think this would be a great ski for intermediates to progress on in tight terrain, trees, and powder. It’s super accessible with a pretty high top end.”
Jenny’s Pick: Atomic Maven 94 CTi
“It’s such a fun, easygoing all-mountain ski for women of all ability levels. It does have a preference for soft snow, but ladies who ski with finesse will love its agility and responsiveness in tight terrain regardless of conditions. I also love it on groomers, where it engages and gets on edge the minute I pressure the ski.”
Blizzard
Most Popular Ski: Black Pearl 88
Everyone knows the Black Pearl 88, whether they’ve skied it or not. Anyone who has clicked into it understands why this purple women’s ski is ubiquitous at resorts around the globe: it’s unflappable. Whether a beginner is cruising greens and blues or an expert is maching down steeps, the Black Pearl 88 is steady Eddie. Its stout platform is ultra confidence-inspiring on icy groomers and in leftover crud. The one downside to that dependability: the Black Pearl 88 is not the most energetic or agile ski out there. It’s an excellent choice for women who gravitate toward a predictable platform, but anyone looking for a livelier Blizzard experience should check out the women’s Sheeva line or the unisex Anomaly line.
Jenny’s Pick: Blizzard Sheeva 10
“I prefer the Sheevas over the Black Pearls because they’re less damp, more energetic. I also find them more forgiving. At 102 millimeters underfoot, the Sheeva 10 is wider than I usually like for all-mountain skis, but it’s still responsive and quick enough to be a great all-rounder.”
Jake’s Pick: Blizzard Anomaly 102
“The Blizzard Anomaly 102 is a great choice for expert skiers who want a fat GS ski to push through heavy snow and carve arcs. It’s at home on groomed terrain, in open bowls, and in techy terrain. The flex is more progressive than expected for a Blizzard ski, and the shovel planes up well in soft snow. It’s still a stiff ski and not the most playful, but it’s a more accessible charger than the Cochise ever was.”
Fischer
Most Popular Ski: Ranger 102
We were skeptical when Fischer became one of the first major brands to do away with gender-specific skis and lean into “genderless” designs. But after testing the Ranger 102 in both our men’s and women’s categories at the 2018 SKI Test, that doubt disappeared. Ladies loved this 102-millimeter-waisted freeride ski as much as the guys did, finding it just as fun, responsive, and dependable all over the mountain. We wouldn’t hesitate to recommend the Ranger 102 to intermediates and up who want a wide one-ski quiver—but it’s still not our favorite Fischer.
Jake’s Pick: The Nothing
“This is an awesome powder platform for an intermediate to progress on or an advanced, directional skier to enjoy in soft snow. It’s really damp and fun in soft chop, and shockingly fun on piste as long as the snow is at least a little soft. It’s not my first pick for throwing shifties, but it’s playful in that it’s easy to ski switch, easy to slash and get face shots, and generally easy to get along with. This ski has a huge sweet spot that you find immediately.”
Jenny’s Pick: The Curv 80 GT
“So many skiers—men or women—can get on this ski and feel like a great skier. It helps you make beautiful turns and is very confidence-inspiring. I didn’t really find any weaknesses: it’s equally at home on soft and firm snow, with a great balance of stability and energy. And you can carve or skid this ski. It offers a rare blend of accessibility and precision.”
Head
Most Popular Ski: Absolute Joy
When a brand gets a women’s ski right, it stands out from the crowd. Such is the case with the Absolute Joy, an 80-millimeter-waisted frontside ski that makes women feel confident and in charge. With a wide, rockered tip and lightweight construction, it makes turning easy and doesn’t ask much in return. We get why it’s so popular, and we keep recommending it to intermediates and up who want an easygoing ski that will help them build skills and confidence. But if that’s not you, here are two other Head skis you should know about.
Jenny’s Pick: Head Kore 99 Ti W
“Confession: as popular as the early iterations of the Kore were, I never really liked them. They felt too light and squirrely. But this newer model, with Titanal added to the layup, is smooth, predictable, and still fun. It might not be as light or quick as the previous models, but it’s much more balanced. It leans a little more toward soft snow than firm groomers, but it does it all. I especially liked it in moguls because the tails were so easy to release.”
Jake’s Pick: Head Kore 88 Ti
“The Kore 88 Ti is a nimble, energetic, balanced frontside ski for intermediates and up. It would be a great choice for tree skiers who want some power when they inevitably hit a groomer, or anyone who likes zipping down steeps and chalky bumps. It’s not as strong on firm groomers as some, but it’s a happy little ski with power that can hold its own everywhere.”
Nordica
Most Popular Ski: Enforcer 94
Ah, the Nordica Enforcer. Basically the male version of the Blizzard Black Pearl, the Enforcers turn up in lift lines and rental shops at every resort in the world.The hype is well deserved: since it was first introduced two decades ago now, these no-nonsense all-mountain skis have been a tester favorite and graced the top of SKI’s test podiums many times. While the Enforcer 94 is technically the most-sold model, it’s not the only Enforcer—or Nordica ski—worth knowing about.
Jake’s Pick: Nordica Enforcer 99
“The Enforcer 99 is a balanced, dependable ski for advanced and expert skiers with a need for speed. It’s best suited to charging groomers and big open bowls, but it’s not so unforgiving that you can’t shut it down quick or take it into bumps. It’s a dialed-in rocket ship that’s far more accessible than past iterations.”
Jenny’s Pick: Unleashed 106 CA
“The Enforcers and women’s Santa Anas offer great versatility, but they’re not as playful, forgiving, or fun as the Unleashed models. I particularly love the new Unleashed 106 CA, which has no metal in the core. It’s the first Nordica all-mountain ski I’ve been on in a while that lets me ski groomers, work through tight terrain, and bust through crud without throwing my whole body behind every turn. It made me feel like the best skier on the mountain in less-than-ideal conditions—and it didn’t sap every ounce of strength.”
Rossignol
Most Popular Ski: Arcade 84
We were nervous when Rossignol announced it was scrapping the Experience line in 2024. Those narrower-waisted all-mountain skis were a staple among ski instructors and skiers who cared about making nice turns look easy. But when we clicked into the Arcades, we immediately forgot about the Experiences. The Arcade line—six unisex and women’s models from 78 to 94 millimeters underfoot—is as easy to ski as the old Experience models, but more powerful, more responsive, and with a much higher ceiling. The Arcade 84 is the best seller and an excellent frontside ski, but we gravitate toward the more versatile Arcade 94.
Jenny’s and Jake’s Pick: Arcade 94
“This is a supremely balanced ski in terms of skills and accessibility. It looks like it’s meant for on-piste cruising, but it’s a true all-mountain ski: it does well in moguls thanks to easy, quick turn initiation, and it plows through crud and soft snow thanks to generous tip rocker. You could put a beginner on this and watch them grow into a better skier, or give it to an expert and watch them soar. One note: it skis short, so size up to get more edge contact length for high-speed charging.” —Jenny
Salomon
Most Popular Ski: QST 94
Salomon’s QST all-mountain line has made waves ever since it was introduced a decade ago. The QST 106 is perhaps the most ubiquitous model in the North American West, but the narrower QST 94 is the brand’s top seller globally, bringing all-mountain versatility to the masses. It’s light, precise, and not overly demanding, which makes it a solid tool for intermediates on up who split their time evenly between groomers and off-piste terrain. But the QST 94 is not the only Salomon worth knowing about.
Jake’s Pick: QST 100
“I like this ski for an advanced East Coast skier who really only wants one ski and wants to split their time on- and off piste, or a skier out West who wants a daily driver but has wider skis in their quiver. This ski is remarkably versatile and fun but has a much higher speed limit than in years past.”
Jenny’s Pick: Addikt 66
“I’m a sucker for playful, responsive skis, and the Addikt 66 is right up that alley. Not everyone needs or wants a skinny slalom ski like this, but if you’re looking for a carver to turn boring groomer days into some of the best days of the season, this is the ski. I forgot how much I loved carving groomed runs until I clicked into it.”
Völkl
Most Popular Ski: Mantra M7
The Mantra is a Völkl legacy at this point, and for good reason: it’s an all-mountain ski that performs better on hard snow and groomers than many narrower skis, yet also blasts through crud with unwavering confidence. We’ve loved and recommended it as a top all-mountain ski for advanced and expert skiers ever since it landed on the scene in 2004. But for skiers who prefer an easier-going, livelier all-mountain tool, there’s another Völkl we recommend.
Jenny’s & Jake’s Pick: Revolt 101
“So many skiers could get along with the Revolt 101, but I recommend it to skiers with a bit of a freestyle background who want to rip around all over the mountain. It’s accessible, but skiers who want to spin and charge will make the most of it. It excels in tight terrain like trees and bumps, and in bigger freeride terrain in poor snow. The pintail takes a little getting used to, but the new shape is incredibly accessible and still charges and plays quite hard.” —Jake
