Kids who shred the park and the rest of the resort with equal enthusiasm finally have a real freestyle ski built for them in the Salomon Départ. Ten. A junior twin-tip with a 94mm waist at the longest length, this ski sits squarely in the progressive-freestyle category, with a freestyle rocker profile, sandwich sidewall construction, and a short turn radius that lets young skiers play across the whole mountain. The dual woodcore keeps things light enough for kid weight while still delivering real torsional rigidity, and wide steel edges hold up to rails, side hits, and the rest of the abuse that comes with park-and-resort skiing.

Why we like it:

The full sandwich sidewall construction is the standout feature here, since most junior freestyle skis in this price range cut corners with cap construction; sandwich sidewalls translate to better edge hold on rails and more durable repeated landings.

Who it's for:

Junior skiers and progressing intermediate young skiers who spend their days bouncing between the park, side hits, and freestyle exploration across the resort. The twin-tip shape and short radius reward skiers who want to play, while the freestyle rocker profile keeps the ski accessible for kids still building edge skills.

Highlights:

The Départ. Ten is built around a dual woodcore that splits the difference between two complementary wood types for torsional stability and lightness under foot. Full sandwich sidewalls run the length of the ski, giving it the same construction approach as more serious adult freestyle skis and adding real durability for rail edge contact and feature impacts. Wide steel edges resist the dings and chips that come with park skiing. The freestyle rocker profile sits at 20% tip rocker, camber underfoot, and 13% tail rocker, giving the ski a playful, surfy feel that still locks in when a young skier wants to carve. Turn radius runs short across the size range, from 12 meters at the 143 up to 15 meters at the 163, which keeps the ski quick and engaging at slower kid speeds.

Things to consider:

This is a freestyle-first ski; kids who want to ski hard and fast on groomers rather than play across the mountain may have more fun on a Salomon Equipe Jr or similar all-mountain junior ski. The 94mm waist is on the wider side for a junior boot and binding setup, so very small kids on lower-DIN bindings may want to look at a narrower junior ski instead.

Fit & sizing considerations:

The Départ. Ten comes in 143, 153, and 163 cm. For a freestyle ski, sizing to the skier's chin or nose is the standard approach, which gives a young skier a manageable swing weight for tricks while still providing enough platform for landings. Sizing on the shorter side of the range encourages playfulness; sizing longer adds stability.