The world of touring and hybrid touring skis has proliferated over the past half-decade and the 2024 Salomon MTN 96 Carbon lies on the lighter side of the spectrum. This is more of that dedicated touring option, but that doesn’t mean you can’t spin a few laps in the resort either, especially now that bindings and boots are so much more capable while remaining light and easy to use. For skiers who are looking for an adventurous ski that’s more efficient in an uphill capacity than a downhill one, the MTN 96 has the character and personality that makes it an awesome climber with a surprising amount of versatility built in.

Built with a light weight full karuba wood core, this ski gets a light and poppy start for sure. The Karuba does a fantastic job of mixing the feather-like feel and uphill efficiency with a confident character when it comes to tricky descents. It’s not like this is a point and shoot big mountain touring ski, but the fact that it can handle some aggressive skiing is a huge plus when you consider the overall weight. In the 182, we’re dealing with 1540 grams per ski, so it’s right around the sweet spot for mixing the ups with the downs. Salomon also inlays their carbon stringers to the mix and a binding retention plate underfoot. Cork in the tips keeps things stable, so there’s a lot going on here for a ski that maintains a relatively low weight and agile character.

At 96 mm underfoot, this MTN 96 Carbon is a strong option for a multitude of skiers and terrain. There’s a lot of versatility here, and the theory follows over from alpine skis to touring, in that the mid-90's is a great place to be for true well-roundedness. Sure, there are better floaters out there, and there are skis that are lighter and more agile for faster and longer tours, but this shape seems to meld the ingredients together in a very effective manner. There’s about 17% tip rocker and 12% tail rocker, lining up well with mixing soft snow flotation and uphill grip with the flatter tail. The shovel is somewhat tapered, so keeping the front of the ski out of the snow will take minimal to zero effort overall. The 182 features a 19-meter turn radius, setting skiers up for success in terms of straight-line efficiency on the climbs as well as a more creative personality when it comes to varying up downhill turn shapes and styles.

While there are a lot of skis out there that are lighter and better suited for longer tours, and there are burlier skis that fit better in big-mountain formats and ranges, the MTN 96 Carbon from Salomon splits all of that right down the middle. Whether you’re a beginning touring skier or a seasoned enthusiast, this ski is capable and willing of tackling the technical terrain as well as meandering through low-lying meadows.