Head Monster IM 88
Sizes Available: 164, 175, 186
Sidecut: 126/88/112
Jans' Assessment: It's a ski designed specifically for ungroomed conditions, but the 88 performs impressively on hardpack and will soon become a legend among skiers seeking the ultimate powder/crud weapon. All our testers agreed this was the best big mountain ski they had ever been on.







Volkl Unlimited AC 4
Sizes Available: 163, 170, 177, 184
Sidecut: 125/82/110
Jans' Assessment: Volkl has always built an aggressive "big" ski, and coming off past success is the latest and greatest AC 4. Real all-mountain freeride geometry and a big footprint make this ski a blast all over the hill. Go ahead, huck yourself.
Ski Magazine Assessment: Volkl's AC 4 replaces the 724 Pro. Its powerful wood-core construction and shapelier sidecut give it highly credible results on packed snow, but an 82mm waist still means plenty of flotation in powder.







Rossignol B3
Sizes Available: 160, 168, 176, 184
Sidecut: 120/83/110
Jans' Assessment: Don't confuse this ski with the B3 of 2005, because it's an entirely new ski. Not as wide as last year's model but still a big ski. It will eat up powder and funky snow, yet outperform the old B3 on groomers. Hey freeriders – your ski is here!
Powder Magazine Assessment: A slightly easier-turning ski for powder and crud, the B3 is a reliable all-mountain board. The increased torsional rigidity in the Shark Nose tip and a Microcell foam core offer control at high speeds.
Ski Magazine Assessment: This by far Rossi's most successful ski! It excels in powder and carves mean arcs on soft groomers, but its damp, quiet ride is ideally predisposed to warping quietly through piles of junky snow no matter how fast you attack.







K2 Apache Outlaw
Sizes Available: 174,181,188
Sidecut: 124/88/111
Jans' Assessment: K2 has done it again. They have come up with an incredible freeride tool that will conquer any big mountain crud, death crust, Sierrra slop, wind-blown powder etc., etc. It has plenty of power, is exceptionally stable, and is a pure pleasure in adverse conditions.
Ski Magazine Assessment: Voted the best Powder and Crud performer! Two sheets of metal add power to its wood-core laminate lay-up. The top layer is perforated to reduce swing weight. It has nice flex and float for off-piste conditions.






Volkl Mantra
Sizes Available: 170, 177, 184
Sidecut: 130/94/113
Jans' Assessment: Now this is a big ski! 94mm under the foot should tell you what this thing is all about. Not for the faint of heart, the Mantra is designed for the serious freerider that spends most of their time poaching the backside, looking for that last bit of overlooked pow. Adults only!
Ski Magazine Assessment: Testers could find few flaws, praising its balance of fun-loving forgiveness and there-when-you-need-it power and precision. The Mantra topped its category for rebound energy, forgiveness and most tellingly, overall impression!






Atomic Metron:EX
Sizes Available: 155, 165, 175, 185
Radius: 19 m
Jans' Assessment: Twin titanium pulsars help smooth out the widest of the Metron series skis to produce a true freeride ski that does it all. This is a high octane board that loves speed and can handle anything a big nasty mountain can throw at it. I dare you to out-ski this thing.
Ski Magazine Assessment: The M:EX's mission is to be the one ski that can do it all! It comes equipped with the sidecut and torsional rigidity you need for arcing on hardtack, plus the width and surface area required for soft snow. This ski leads in stability at speed!






More Skis
Competition GS | Competition SL¬ | Super-Carve/ Skier Cross | High Performance Shape¬ | Ladies HP/ Performance Shape | Performance Shape¬ | All Mountain Freeride | Twin Tips | Blades