La Sportiva Vapor Float

Float “My favorite ride of the season—and my least favorite,” one editor says. “I rode the La Sportiva Vapor Float in its natural habitat—thigh-deep, Colorado blower—and was ready to end my search for the best ski ever. I felt like I was surfing. And then, I rode it in thick, wet Sierra cement and couldn’t arc a turn.” In the right conditions, the super-light, super-wide, super-straight Vapor made us feel like pros. But with the lightest surface-to-weight ratio in our test (and a 26-meter turning radius), the Vapor Float was unwieldy in mixed conditions.

Touring The lightweight, wide profile also makes this ski great for breaking trail; we stayed on top of new snow when skinning. That said, the extreme early rise in the tip and tail make climbing up packed and icy trails a grind (less surface contact = burning quad workout). 166 (140-117-128), 178 (140-117-128), 189 (140-117-128)