Well, this is an absolute treat of a ski. The 2024 Scott Pure Mission 98 is one of the most intuitive and well-rounded skis we’ve been on in quite some time. Scott does a better job than most when it comes to making more traditional skis these days—most other companies are pushing the needle in the other direction, while Scott seems to be quite content in making a ski that has more old school notes to it, and we’re all about that here at SkiEssentials.com. With a huge range of applications for this ski, there’s also going to be a lot of skiers who will settle in nicely to the Mission 98. The blend of build, shape, and profile all combine to make this an excellent choice for those who, quite simply, may not know exactly what they’re looking for in a ski.

The build of the ski, despite being on the light side of the spectrum, is actually pretty darn sturdy. Scott uses a blend of paulownia and beech in the wood core to mix up the agility, energy, and dampness, and it works quite well. They also use a titanal reinforcement laminate that functions as more than just a binding mount plate. It extends a bit into the tips and tails to keep the vibrations low and the torsional stiffness high. Additionally, Scott uses vertical carbon stringers to stiffen the longitudinal flex of the ski and too add pop to the mix without adding weight. In the 177, this ski is pretty light at 1670 grams. Given the sturdiness of the performance, this is a very respectable and impressive weight to hit. Even in the 184, the ski only hits1830 grams, so it’s not like the big ski is super heavy. As a result, many skiers will be able to access the top levels and limits of performance.

Keeping with the traditionalist mentality, the shape of the ski is basically a wider-bodied version of a good old fashioned mid-fat ski. We mean this in the best way possible. The Mission 98 has a pretty flat and squared shape, and we wouldn’t want it any other way. We do get tip and tail rocker, but it’s pretty subtle. We get a longer turn radius of 19-meters in the 177, so it’s more up to the skier to dictate the shape and duration of the carve, and we also get a pretty flat tail. This is great for cutting through the crud and chop with smoothness and predictability. Twin tips are great, but they can be a bit jittery in the manky snow whereas the flatter and more squared tails cut right down to business. Overall, this leads to a ski that relies heavily on skier input, no matter how much you choose to transmit.

If you choose to be lazy on this ski, it will not punish you. If you lean the other way and want to charge the whole time, you will be rewarded. Basically, you get out of it what you put into it, and for skiers who fall more to the traditionalist side of the spectrum, this is the way. By combining a strong yet agile build with a straighter shape, Scott has homed in on the mid-range of skier and performance, and there’s a whole lot of people in this realm.