2021 Salomon Stance 96

A great new effort for Salomon for 2021, the Stance 96, along with the rest of the Stance series skis, should find a nice little niche in the market for strong, all-mountain skis that have a bit more beef to them than the QST's. With metal laminates and more aggressive shaping, the Stance skis give an increase in stability and strength in all conditions. The 96 is the middle width, between the 90 and the 102, and as such, it functions as the flagship ski in the line. With that versatile shape, it's the crossover model between on and off-trail skiing. This new model consists of a full poplar wood core and two sheets of metal. The second sheet of metal has cutouts in the forebody and tails of the skis to allow for a bit more playfulness and forgiveness. This reduces the planky feeling that most dual-metal skis can create. As such, it's more fun and easier to turn than some of those burlier skis, giving you the skier yet another great option for a wider all-mountain ski. All-terrain tip and tail rocker is well appointed for both on-trail carving and off-trail adventures, so skiers who are looking for that versatility without losing front-side performance will love the Stance 96. They're a bit on the heavy side, but they don't feel heavy on your feet, and our testers and contributors all enjoyed the natural and easy feeling of the new skis from Salomon.

Mike Thomas skied the 188 which is the right length for him. For most bigger skiers, that 188 is a great size. Mike's top scores of 5 out of 5 were given for quickness, maneuverability, torsional stiffness, edge hold, versatility, and the coveted overall impression. For a brand-new ski to get marks like that the first time out is pretty impressive, and it's great to have an experienced professional like Mike to have that type of outing. "I really like this ski. It is definitely the 'Goldilocks' model in the series for me. It differentiates itself from the Mantra/Stormrider 95 in its ungroomed snow performance. It's quicker in moguls and trees but doesn't give up much of anything on the groomers. A skier that prefers to be skiing ungroomed snow but also enjoys GS turns on groomers will really like this ski." Salomon was definitely looking to tap into that Mantra crowd, and Mike seems to think it's got a half-step on them especially in off-trail terrain.

Marcus Shakun got on the 182 and found it to be good, but we'd guess he'd prefer the 188. 5's for Marcus in torsional stiffness, edge hold, and again, overall impression. Great start for the Stance 96! "Where did this come from?" Marcus queries. "Salomon is taking charge in the 96 all-mountain category. What a pleasant surprise. Made such a nice, smooth, round and precise turn. Much like a higher-priced Stockli or Kastle. Stable at speeds and solid on edge like a Mantra, performs all over the mountain like an Enforcer." Ski comparisons are always a hot topic, so it's nice to have some common names thrown around here. Sounds like Marcus is a fan of the 96! Jeff Neagle also skied the 182, and since he's quite a bit shorter and lighter than Marcus and Mike, Jeff found it to be on the long side. Only a 4 out of 5 for overall impression for Jeff, what a shame! 5's for stability, torsional stiffness, and edge hold, though, giving the Stance 96 a clean sweep in that category among our testers. Again with the comparisons: "It's still a pretty heavy and quite powerful ski. I draw a lot of similarities to Volkl's Mantra. In fact, that's probably the closest comparison if you looked at each Stance versus the corresponding Volkl. Speed demons will love the Stance 96 and the fact that they can rip high-speed carves on it but also take it off trail from time to time." More high praise for the all-new Stance 96 right there.

Overall, a wonderful effort from Salomon here, sticking their big toe right in that mid-90's all-mountain category and doing so with a winner. Stable, stiff, and versatile, these skis impressed all of our testers, and will likely make most advanced and expert skiers smile as well.