2021 Stockli Laser MX

Fans of short turns and high-precision levels will love the Stockli Laser MX. As the first Laser ski designed specifically for the ladies, the MX is light, narrow, and easy to turn. The top-end quality that accompanies all of Stockli's skis continues with the MX, and they just seem to have it all dialed in. Swiss-made skis have always been synonymous with precision, and these skis are no exception. At 67 mm underfoot, the Laser MX is one of the narrowest skis on the market. As such, it does require a fairly strong balance point on the part of the skier. The narrower the waist, the more it behaves like an ice skate, and for edge grip and carving control, this is a good thing. For all other types of skiing, this would be more of a detriment. As a result, these MX skis are more pigeon-holed into front side carving, and for that application, they perform more than admirably.

With a light balsa wood core and Stockli's Turtle Shell Technology, the skis have the maneuverability and stability to take your skiing to the next level. Balsa is a very light wood, and when used in skis, it makes for a nice base to start your ski construction. With a light fiberglass laminate, the skis gain a bit of strength and traction. The Turtle Shell allows the titanal to flex longitudinally along the ski. It's an interesting concept, as they basically slice the top third of the titanal laminate in half, allowing it to flex naturally as the ski bends. While top-end performance is usually reserved for stiff and planky skis, Stockli kind of goes the other way. By softening the flex of the ski, they're able to open up and access the entirety of the sidecut and allow for the ski to make clean and round turns. The ski has to bend in order to get to the full arc, and Stockli builds their skis to the appropriate stiffness for the skier to get to the radius. The 152 cm length ski generates an 11.5-meter arc, so the skis have to be able to bend enough for that circle to be reached. It's a very ingenious way to build skis, and allows the skier to have full control of the shape of the turn at any speeds.

Not much to talk about in terms of taper and rocker-these are pretty straight-forward carving skis with full camber and full edge contact. As a result, two main things happen. First, the moment you put any energy into the ski, it responds instantaneously. The widest point in the tip is the first part of the ski to touch the snow, so when it's engaged, it responds accordingly. Conversely, at the tail, the widest part is very far back, so the ski holds tight to the turn all the way through. This long effective edge is a valuable tool in creating an engagingly smooth ski that loves to be on edge. Not much straight-lining on these skis-they're meant to carve.

Totally precise, completely exacting, and a whole bunch of fun, the Stockli Laser MX is an on-trail tool meant for skiers who love the art of the carved turn. For ladies who love to be on edge, from intermediate skiers to former racers, the Stockli Laser MX is an ideal choice-one worthy of serious consideration on the upper end of the ski world.