2022 Stockli Stormrider 102

The Stormrider 102 is the widest ski Stockli makes now, taking the place of the Stormrider 105 from past seasons. Interestingly, although it’s narrower, the 102 actually uses more rocker than the previous 105. The tip rocker is lengthened, although it’s more of a subtle change than a drastic one. There’s also a little more rise out of the tail, almost like a partial, squared-off twin tip. It still is, however, 100% a directional ski. As it always the case with Stockli, construction and manufacturing is top-notch. It starts with a lightweight wood core, then Stockli adds their Titec Pro construction. Two sheets of metal are used, with one of those sheets also acting as the topsheet of the ski. This reduces weight as Stockli essentially eliminates the need for what’s typically used as the topsheet material of a ski. We also get their Polywall sidewalls, designed to increased vibration damping and improve durability so your skis last year after year after year.

Bob St.Pierre skied the 182 cm length, which he thought skied true to size, but also mentioned he would’ve liked to try a longer length as well. There is a 191 option in the Stormrider 102, which may be the more appropriate size for Bob. Nonetheless, he still enjoyed his time on the ski and awarded it some very impressive scores. 4 out of 5 scores across the board from Bob! While he didn’t give it any perfect scores, we are always impressed with that kind of consistency in scores and always tells the story of a well-rounded, high performing ski. “The newer and narrower Stormrider 102 is an incredible ski that has little to no limitations. When you get it over on edge, the metal topsheet keeps things smooth and stable, and amazingly quiet. These skis simply do not chatter no matter what, and the fact that they're on the light side for a 102 mm underfoot ski with metal in it is quite impressive. The increased splay in the shovel of the ski over the outgoing Stormrider 105 gives the ski a bit more quickness and pop, so it's not quite as surfy or smeary as the 105, but for a lot of skiers looking for something for most snowy days, the 102 will fit the bill quite nicely. For bumps and trees, especially around here, that is a nice upgrade, as it makes it simpler to get around the obstacles that we deal with on a daily basis. Still a pretty darn strong tail to make the finish of the turn as clean and energetic as it gets, not just for a 102, but really any ski. As per usual, the Stockli precision and quality is a real commodity, and it certainly shows itself with this new 102.”

Mike Anglin also took out the 182 cm length, and he thought that size was absolutely perfect for him. Super impressive scores from Mike too. Not a single score under 4 out of 5, and stability, playfulness, versatility, and overall impression all earned full 5 out of 5 marks. “After taking a rip on the Stormrider 95, I couldn't resist trying the brand-new bigger sibling Stormrider 102. Definitely didn't disappoint me, and exceeded my expectations. Incredibly playful, smooth and supple, and was very user friendly at all speeds and turn shapes. Similar feel to the 95, but at the 182 I skied, it seemed a bit more playful and agile. Size up to 191 if you're out west, and keep the 182 for the east and just 'ride the storm' with a huge smile on. I feel a wide range of abilities could enjoy these. Intermediates will find powder days more enjoyable, and experts will think they are ski movie stars.” Jeff Siegel skied the 182 cm length too. “You know how sometimes you pick up a product and it just has that quality feel? That’s what it’s like skiing these. You just feel “classy” when you’re on them. The feel is smooth and refined and every turn you just know that you’re on something well designed. I was able to carve, surf and pivot equally well on the ski. It’s powerful, but never overpowered. As I’ve found with most Stocklis, it has an ultra-supple feel to the flex, yet it holds an edge like a much stiffer ski. The 102 is a well-balanced ski. It feels easy to ski without feeling too light and gives top notch performance without feeling too racy.”

All of our testers were quite impressed with the Stormrider 102. It comes with a pretty hefty price tag, but it’s justified in the performance. It’s stable and relatively powerful, but it’s also smooth and supple and not too hard to ski. It’s responsive, but not so responsive that it feels unforgiving in tricky terrain. It’s not particularly smeary with the lack of long tail rocker, but it also doesn’t feel locked into a turn and allows for a ton of different turn shapes. Overall, we think it’s a great choice for a high-level skier who values precision, edge grip, and stability at speed, but also wants some soft snow performance.