2027 Stockli Montero AR

For 2027, the Stockli Montero AR gets a bit of refinement in the construction and a new look but returns otherwise unchanged. This ski, at 84 mm underfoot, is a fantastic option for advanced and expert skiers looking for a wider bodied carver that functions well at speed and has some all-mountain capabilities to it. For the most part, it's still a front side ski, but in the mid-80's it's tough to deny at least some moderate off-piste aspects. When you're up on edge, this ski feels like it's totally and completely connected to the snow with insane amounts of smoothness and composure.

Built with a blend of poplar and beech, the skis use a mix of lighter wood and denser beech to maximize the ski's silent and stable nature. We get two sheets of metal, as we always have, but this year, they put the Tip and Tail Flex slits on the bottom layer of metal as opposed to the top. We found that this increases the flex of the shovels by just a bit and promotes more direct transfer of energy. Other than that, the skis are the same, but it does help to bring a bit more refinement (amazingly) to the skis. Tester Bob St.Pierre calls them "Smooth as silk and predictable as it gets. These skis are insanely quiet and damp and somehow manage to find intensity and energy at the same time. In a carved turn, it's hard to find something better. This is a groomer ski first and foremost. When the groomers get choppy, it handles that as well, and holds up to some lighter snowfalls, but anything deep and I'd rather be on something else. This remains part 1 of my 2-ski quiver. Tough to beat in the mid-80's when it comes to carving precision and power."

The shape and profile of the ski return unchanged, making it a strong and capable performer at 84 mm underfoot. The ski utilizes measurements of 128/84/114 to generate a 17.3-meter turn radius in the 180 cm length. That's slightly longer than that of the narrower AX, putting more of a GS mentality into the AR. This ski is very comfortable at speed and at high edge angles as a result of the width and construction. There's slight roundness to the shovel, but a very square tail. Going off-trail is a bit of a challenge but not impossible. They are stiff and directional, so if you want versatility, the ski needs more input than others. Tester Jameson Halnon states that "This is a ski that the second I grabbed an edge it was just ready to go straight down the mountain, what a great feeling. This ski is perfect for fresh groomer hot laps and feels like it would grab well on ice. My biggest regret with this ski was how quickly I was able to decipher how epic it was. Really just wish I skied them for half a day; they are a point and shoot ski that will be stable and drive. If I had to choose two words, I’d use “cutting daddy” if you have a line picked this Stockli will deliver."

Anyone who has been on an AR says mostly the same stuff. These are insanely smooth and powerful, delivering fantastic edge grip and strength to the snow. They take some effort to find the top end, but when you're there, it's hard to argue that you need much more. Stockli quality and precision is found in this ski from tip to tail and they make such a great option for advanced and expert skiers who like a powerful, wide-bodied ski.