Salomon MTN Explore 95 Skis

Versatility

Finding a ski balanced enough to excel at everything is like looking for buried treasure. But the MTN Explore marks the spot with a combination of control and responsiveness: The pronounced sidecut (the hourglass curve created by the different widths of the tip, waist, and tail) likes tight turns as much as big GS turns. The rockered profile has just enough float to keep tips up on powder days. And the core materials (poplar and carbon) make the ski feel predictable, playful, and powerful all at once. “I skinned up, then charged steeps and trees in the morning, then hit the resort for some bumps and groomers in the afternoon,” one tester says.

Float

The MTN Explore–at 95mm underfoot–is considered narrow by today’s powder ski standards. But thanks to the rockered, wide (130mm) tip it still “stays on top through every turn,” reports one tester after a long day in 10-inch-deep powder on Colorado’s Berthoud Pass.