2025 Men's Mid 100mm All Mountain & Freeride Ski Comparison

Up first in our Comparison Series is a compilation of skis in the mid-100 mm range. They are arranged from directional to freeride, focusing on the more on-trail oriented skis first, then going to the fun, creative, and flexible zones. These skis are great for skiers who spend most of their time in search of soft snow, but they also want something to hold up to the rigors of everyday resort use. There’s a lot of fun to be had here, from the energetic Dancer to the floaty Atris—if you are looking for a wider-bodied all-mountain ski or a narrower powder ski, this is the place to be. With huge variations in construction styles and shaping principles, this is one of the more varied groups we’ll deal with this season.

At a Glance:

2025 Line Sakana Skis

Overview:

This directional 105 underfoot ski is one of the strangest and most satisfying skis on the market today. It’s a cheat code. It’s a unicorn. It’s whatever superlative you want to put in front of it. At the end of the day, the Sakana is just flat-out fun. Skis this wide and dramatic and shape don’t come around all that often. With an aspen wood core, carbon/flax tape in the middle, and a metal-filled swallow tail, the Sakana’s 15-meter arc and wide shovel make this fat ski feel like a slalom racer. It works great in powder, is reasonably fun in trees, but the best part is simply how it turns and carves with total ease and smoothness.

Who it's For:

There’s not really a specific skier that the Sakana is aimed at, it’s more a vibe that the ski creates. If you want to be a part of that, then the Sakana is for you.

Price: $799.95

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At a Glance:

2025 Faction Dancer 3 Skis

Overview:

With two sheets of metal and a good amount of camber, the Faction Dancer 3 is a wide-bodied all-mountain ski that carves extremely well and delivers a ton of energy. Skiers can sometimes forget that camber plays a huge role in the pop of a ski, and the Dancer brings that theory right back to life. While many skis on this list in the 106-ish waist width category are a lot driftier and smearier, the Dancer 3 goes the other way—this ski is precise and bold when it comes to carving turns on groomers and beyond. As a result, it’s not the best floater here, but it sure is engaging. Our testers are constantly impressed with the ski’s ability to hold an edge and spring you from one turn to the next.

Who it's For:

Strong skiers who are looking for a wider, more traditional ski will love the Dancer 3. You should appreciate a lot of camber and a lot of metal.

Price: $849.00

At a Glance:

2025 Kastle Paragon 107 Skis

Overview:

This new ski takes the existing mold of the ZX 108 and adds a new build to create that drifty yet directional feel that satisfies the needs and wants of expert skiers and harder chargers. We’ve always found the freeride shovel shape of the ZX 108 to be amazing in powder and the lighter and flatter tail to be energetic and engaging, yet the ski lacked oomph. With two sheets of metal and a sophisticated wood core, the new Paragon 107 takes that shape to the next level. While the ski can easily handle powder, crud, and chop, it’s in a fast carved turn where it really excels. There’s a whole lot of confidence in this ski at higher speed.

Who it's For:

Paragon 107 is awesome for hard-charging experts who never know what they’re going to find on a given day, but they know they want to go fast. You value stability and precision at the same time.

Price: $849.00

At a Glance:

2025 Nordica Enforcer 104 Skis

Overview:

This ski gets a re-do with a bit less of a freeride flair. Now we’re looking at a more stable and secure freeride charger. It’s got some heft to it thanks to a thicker core profile, and it now has more of a directional feel to it with lower tail rocker. They’re leaving the twin-tipped Nordica's to the Unleashed line and keeping the Enforcer 104 firmly entrenched into the high-powered category. We’re amazed at how secure these skis feel in a carved turn—there's no real reason for a 104 to carve this well, but we’ll take it. With two sheets of metal and a new pulse core laminate underfoot, the skis feel quite a bit smoother and damper than ever before.

Who it's For:

Aggressive skiers who know how to point a ski down the fall line will have the most success here. You don’t mind a bit of heft to go along with your ski day.

Price: $849.99

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At a Glance:

2025 Volkl Blaze 104 Skis

Overview:

The new Volkl Blaze 104 is a very nice update to the floaty and agile 106 that we’ve known for a while. The 104 adds some more metal underfoot and brings in the 4 Radius Drive to the shape to create a new feel and character. The 104 now feels more like a lighter all-mountain ski with a wider waist, and it brings with it a lot of pep and zest. We love the new sidecut design and it pairs well with the long and low rocker profile and minimal camber. This allows the skier to have a lot of say in the shape, duration, and style of each turn. With a flatter tail, it still fits into the directional side of the spectrum, but the weight does allow it to be manipulated into agile smears and slashes with relative ease.

Who it's For:

This ski, while more directional in shape and design, is more accessible than a lot of others on this list. It has a great range, from intermediate to expert skiers who like to mix terrain and snow conditions throughout the day. If you have an itch for touring, this lighter weight ski can fit that need as well.

Price: $749.99

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At a Glance:

2025 DPS Kaizen 105 Skis

Overview:

This Kaizen 105 returns unchanged from last year, offering the most precise initiation and completion of all these skis. Since it has more drama in the shovel shape and is on the lighter and more agile side, it gets bumped up this list in terms of its directional capabilities. Carbon can feel finicky sometimes, but DPS does a great job of keeping that chatter in check through the use of a sophisticated wood core. This is one of the more mobile skis on this list, much like the Blaze 104, and it turns on a dime in the woods, bumps, and other more technical zones. While it lacks the power and stability at speed of some of the burlier skis on this list, the Kaizen more than makes up for it with its technical performance.

Who it's For:

The technical advanced and expert skier who wants something that does the bulk of the work for them. These skis can be driven, but they’re also so incredibly amenable to input that you don’t have to work too hard at all. You value precision and quality.

Price: $1,549.95

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At a Glance:

2025 Atomic Maverick 105 CTI Skis

Overview:

This new ski is making waves at it takes the strong on-trail precision and performance from the outgoing Maverick 100 and meshing it with the off-trail and powder capabilities of the wider Bent 110. As a result, we get a sturdy directional ski with a good amount of taper and rocker in the shovel, especially. The use of ash wood in replacement of full-metal laminates makes sense here as the ski relies more on woody stability than metallic dampness. This gives it a more natural feel in crud, chop, and other soft-snow capacities. While it’s a decent carver once you get it up on edge, there is a lot of taper that keeps it from being 100% precise like its slightly narrower predecessor.

Who it's For:

Advanced and expert skiers looking for a strong and sturdy directional freeride ski for mixed conditions and terrain. You ski aggressively and want a ski that’ll hold up to demanding skiing and some rugged adventures.

Price: $799.95

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At a Glance:

2025 Head Kore 105 Skis

Overview:

When the Kore series of skis hit the 105 mm width, a few fun things happen. While the construction stays the same through the lines, the shapes vary quite a bit between the 99 and the 105. We get more rocker, increased taper, and a longer turn radius that allows skiers to take advantage of softer snow, powder, crud, and chop with greater ease. The carbon laminates in this ski make it pretty darn stiff, so by adding the shape when it gets to this width, Head is unlocking the Kore to make it accessible for skiers looking to be more adventurous. The good news is that the on-trail capacity of this ski is still fully intact with its directional character and strong flex. Kore skis, like this 105, have an uncommon blend of light weight and stiff flex, so the flotation is good while the carving is sublime.

Who it's For:

Fans of carbon-powered skis will love the Kore lineup, and those that favor softer snow will especially gravitate to the 105. This is a great option for advanced and expert skiers who like energy, have some mass to push the carbon, and enjoy wonderful rebound and pop.

Price: $799.00

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At a Glance:

2025 DPS Wailer 107 Skis

Overview:

The new DPS Wailer 107 taps into an older name but brings with it an entirely new build. While the Kaizen focuses more on skiers who appreciate the dual-carbon laminates, the Wailer 107 uses a simpler wood core and carbon stringers paired with a more traditional DPS shape. With their signature 15-meter turn radius, these skis are highly mobile and eager to turn. They deliver excellent energy out of the back with the carbon/fiberglass laminate. By adhering to the 15-meter arc, the skis do have to use a lot of taper and rocker. That gives them their signature bend and makes them incredibly adept at floating through fresh powder. These wide-bodied floaters still have more of a directional cut and character to them, offering more of a technical feel to most skiers.

Who it's For:

Smooth and sturdy skiers will love the shorter arcs that these skis create, making easy and quick work of pure powder, slush, and crud. You want the feel and pep of carbon without going full-on dual laminate style.

Price: $1,299.95

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At a Glance:

2025 K2 Mindbender 106C Skis

Overview:

This Mindbender 106 C is a total treat to ski and we’ve found a lot to like when it comes to powder and softer groomers. It seems like this 106 range is a sweet spot for skis that excel in a multitude of areas and zones. We got on this ski on spring snow, powder, and even firmer groomers and it holds up quite well. By using a playful aspen wood core and their carbon spectral braiding, the K2 engineers make the ski smooth when it is on edge and playful in softer snow. There’s a lot of rocker here, especially in the shovel, increasing the flotation and mobility at the same time. This is a phenomenal tree ski and functions well in technical zones as well as open areas. For its width, it fares quite well in moguls, mainly because getting the shovel around is very simple. Nice steering from the tail as well, acting with rudder-like qualities.

Who it's For:

Playful skiers who still like to get down to business will like the well-rounded feel of the Mindbender 106 C. You like making various turn shapes and styles and are comfortable in the trees and tighter spaces.

Price: $699.00

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At a Glance:

2025 Salomon QST 106 Skis

Overview:

As one of the more stout and stable skis without metal on this list, we’re constantly impressed with the well-rounded nature of the Salomon QST 106. It’s hard to think of a ski that falls more in the middle of a category than this one, and that’s a very high compliment. When you’re in the powder, the rocker and taper keep you afloat from tip to tail, but when you’re back on the groomers, the double sidewalls and carbon/flax fibers let the ski eat up the firmer and more hard-packed snow with confidence. They’re quiet, steady, and 100% predictable. They love to be used in a variety of conditions and terrain, and never seem happy when they’re standing still. Activity is the key here.

Who it's For:

You don’t have to be a strong or aggressive skier to enjoy the QST 106, but it helps. The range here is incredible.

Price: $749.95

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At a Glance:

2025 Armada ARV 106 Skis

Overview:

With a new wood core and a fun-loving character, the Armada ARV 106 is an awesome addition to the freeride twin tip lineup. By moving from caruba to poplar, the ARV 106 gets more smoothness and confidence with a lighter weight than before. We get the additional benefits of w3dgewall technology to go along with new taper shapes and rocker profiles that align with the rest of the ARV lineup. There’s a lot to like here with the new 106 as it becomes one of the more playful skis on this list while keeping a sturdy feel overall.

Who it's For:

Fun-loving thrill seekers looking to put some creativity into their freeride and powder skiing. You want smoothness and stability to go along with a twin tip shape for endless fun and freedom.

Price: $749.95

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At a Glance:

2025 Blizzard Rustler 10 Skis

Overview:

As a carryover ski for 2025, the Rustler 10 solidifies its position as a strong freeride ski with a turned-up tail for playful creativity. The sophisticated build that came along last year continues for this one, including flux form metal laminates, true blend wood core, and innovative shaping that takes advantage of soft snow while leaving firmer snow performance at a very high level. At 102 mm underfoot, it’s not quite as floaty as some of the wider skis here, but it pivots well, has good smeariness, and is quite drifty for its metal layers. It’s surprisingly good at carving but is light enough for agility and mobility. It’s not as much fun in bumps and making tighter turns, but when you can open it up and let it run, the smoothness and stability stand out a whole lot.

Who it's For:

Well-rounded skiers looking for a well-rounded ski. You value strong edge grip with the metal layers with the sturdiness of the wood core with the blend of beech, poplar, and paulownia.

Price: $799.95

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At a Glance:

2025 Line Optic 104 Skis

Overview:

It’s fitting that this ski finds itself near the Rustler 10 in this lineup as the Line Optic 104 has a lot of similar qualities. Like the Rustler 10, the Optic returns structurally unchanged but has a new name and topsheet. They still use an aspen wood core and a partial metal laminate affectionately called Gas Pedal Metal Overdrive. This stabilizes the central spine of the ski and has branches that extend to the edges for better grip and increased torsional stiffness. There’s a lot of rocker here, and it nicely coincides with the move from a sidewall to cap in the construction of the ski. This makes the tips and tails considerably more playful and creative than the central 2/3rds of the ski which is very thick and business-like. Edge grip and stability in the middle of the ski are exemplary while the playfulness at the ends make this ski a whole lot of fun in soft snow, crud, trees, chop, and even natural features at the mountain.

Who it's For:

Alternative and creative skiers who still want some business in their ski. You may identify as a freestyle skier but want some power and chops in your twin tip. Still not a park ski but can be used for mild tricks elsewhere. Not the lightest ski.

Price:

At a Glance:

2025 Black Crows Atris Skis

Overview:

With playfulness in mind, the Black Crows Atris is an awesome choice for progressive freeride skiers who are looking for a ski with creativity, energy, and endless enthusiasm. When we get to this point on this list, the skis start to lean a lot more to the fun-loving side of the spectrum. Black Crows uses a semi-cap construction here, keeping more cap and less sidewall. This boosts the pep of the ski but it does come at the cost of carving power and edge control. For most skiers, this is an acceptable loss, keeping the full breadth of flotation and slarvyness at the forefront of the conversation. There’s not a whole lot of technical engineering going on in the build—it's basically just poplar wood and fiberglass, but it’s the shaping and profile that makes this ski stand out among its peers. There’s a lot of rocker in the tail, allowing this ski to be totally amenable to your input in softer snow.

Who it's For:

Demanding, but not overly aggressive, freeride skiers. This Atris works great on the feet of an accomplished skier, but that skier should stay a bit short of 1000% effort all the time—there are chargier skis for sure, this one likes to play.

Price: $979.95

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At a Glance:

2025 Line Vision 104 Skis

Overview:

What a treat to ski the new Vision 104 from Line. For years, Vision has been associated with lightweight freeride skiing with some touring potential. Line would never say that, though, allowing the skier to make up their mind when it comes to how they’ll use their skis. The new shape of the Vision 104 is fun, mobile, easy to use, and surprisingly snappy. By blending paulownia, aspen, carbon, and aramid (kevlar) into the build, there’s some sophistication and thought here for sure. It’s not going to hold up to aggressive or fast skiing on firm snow, but it is certainly going to fulfill the needs and wants of progressive freeride skiers who are looking for agility and fun more than all else. Awesome in the bumps, trees, and interesting terrain, the Vision 104 loves to be surfed and smeared, pressed and pushed. This is a very fun ski for this year and we’ve loved every minute of it so far.

Who it's For:

Playful skiers who are looking for light weight freeride performance. You value energy and quickness, but do not want to lug around the weight of a heftier ski.

Price: $799.95

At a Glance:

2025 Faction Prodigy 3 Skis

Overview:

Faction refers to the Prodigy 3 as an “all-mountain freeride twin tip” and this pretty much covers it all. Other than having any real “on-piste” chops, the Prodigy 3 is the soft snow, go-anywhere ski that has a lot of playfulness built in. With a mid-range flex and a good amount of rocker, this ski is fun and engaging in a variety of conditions and terrain. We definitely think of natural features and backcountry booters when it comes to this 106 mm twin. It’s pretty simple in design, utilizing a light polar wood core and not much else. The narrower Prodigy skis get the carbon/rubber stomp pad for this year, but the 3 does not, keeping it more firmly entrenched in soft snow performance. There’s a bit of heft in the 184, mainly due to the thicker core profile, but that comes in handy when encountering adversity on the hill.

Who it's For:

We like to think that park skiers looking to expand their horizons will find a lot to like about the Prodigy 3. Also, skiers that have that playful character and persona and don’t want too stiff or rugged of an experience will be able to flex, bend and maneuver this ski with ease.

Price: $749.00

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At a Glance:

2025 Fischer Nightstick 104 Skis

Overview:

With a very round and fun flex pattern, the new Fischer Nightstick 104 represents a wider version of the more park-oriented 97. With the shovel shape generally resembling the Ranger, the similarities end there. While Ranger (specifically 102) feels like there’s a bit of a hinge point where the metal starts, the Nightstick 104 has no such issues. They use a similar poplar wood core with fiber tech reinforcements but use titanal underfoot only. This allows for that flex pattern to be more playful and smearier while still holding on tight in the middle of ths ski. While flexible, the ski holds better than expected. In the softer snow, the flotation is fantastic, offering smeary and surfy characteristics to go along with the twin-tipped freestyle character. If you’re looking for a backcountry freestyle ski, this is a great place to be.

Who it's For:

Evolving park skiers looking to expand their domain. You want a quality product that feels surprising and innovative at the same time.

Price: $699.99

At a Glance:

2025 Volkl Revolt 104 Skis

Overview:

With a sweet new graphic update for 2025, the Volkl Revolt 104 returns as a prime example of a smooth-as-silk freeride ski with unlimited potential. As a heavily rockered and tapered twin tip, the Revolt 104 has considerably more freeride than freestyle chops, making it an excellent choice for high-performance freeride skiers who don’t want to skimp on sturdiness. The tail is on the narrower side when it comes to taper, so it acts like a rudder in deeper snow increasing agility and mobility. There’s not a lot of sophistication when it comes to construction—the ski is a relatively simple multi-layer wood core of poplar and beech. They do use thicker sidewalls and an overall burlier core profile, but the ski remains incredibly playful and smooth. For tricks and stunts, there are lighter options, but for soft snow playfulness and creativity in powder, it’s tough to beat the Revolt 104.

Who it's For:

Playful skiers who want to let it send from time to time. You get all the benefits of a Volkl when it comes to precision and power and all the creativity in terms of soft snow drifting.

Price: $699.99

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At a Glance:

2025 Liberty Scope 104 Skis

Overview:

As Liberty has basically upended their entire lineup, the new Scope 104 emerges as an amazingly playful ski in the mid-100's range. It’s basically taking the Origin 106’s spot but feels considerably different—these Scope skis are some of the most creative and wiggly skis in this range. Built now with a blend of poplar and ash, the skis are very flexible, especially in the thinner tips and tails. Underfoot, they use a phenolic plate to stiffen the middle of the ski, so there’s some sturdiness in the center, but the tips and tails are about as flexible and amenable as it gets. This makes the Scope 104 uncommonly mobile in the trees and other tight zones. It’s not so strong if you open it up in wider spaces, but I don’t think there are skis that are more agile in this realm.

Who it's For:

Creative skiers who want to put their own mark on the mountain, especially in a freestyle application. If you want a wide rail and park ski with some decent grip underfoot, this is the place to be.

Price: $749.99

Buy Now | Ski Review