Buying skis isn’t always the easiest task, that’s where we come in. At The Ski Monster our goal is to make the ski buying journey as easy and informative as possible. In order to deliver the best service in selecting skis with customers we spend all season testing gear to learn every nuance of the ski to fully understand how they compare to one another. People who buy skis that are aligned with their personal preferences and priorities will have a better day on the hill than a skier who just picks randomly. Some skiers want a powerful ski for blasting groomers, some skiers want a playful and nimble ski for cruising around the resort, park or side of the trail.
Some skiers want a ski that is awesome on-piste and other skiers want a ski that is great off-piste or in tight terrain. Some skiers want a ski that can handle anything they throw at it. We carry skis for all abilities and types of terrain you might find at the resort or in the backcountry. This isn’t the “end all, be all” of buyers guides, we didn’t list everything. After reading this guide you will have a clear understanding of how key ski models compare to one another.
Because the traits amongst skis are objective we are able to make you recommendations based upon your preferences.
Shop Unisex Ski GuideWe are proud to have the group of women we do testing skis for us year after year. Our testers range from beginner intermediate to former US Ski Team. Unlike other tests where it’s only advanced to expert level skiers, our assortment of testers is significantly more well rounded. This guide will help you understand what skis are better at what, so you can pick the perfect ski for you and your priorities.
This group of New England ladies tests over 30 days a year from coast to coast in order to provide you with the information you need to pick the best pair of women’s skis for your priorities.
Shop Women's SkiThe purpose of this guide is to help steer you towards a couple models that best align with your priorities on the mountain so you can make an informed decision. We’ve taken our already curated selection of snowboards based on extensive product testing and hand picked what you see below to cover the range of abilities, riding styles, and preferences that exist. These boards are organized using some defining characteristics that you can align your priorities with.
The playful side of things caters towards newer riders, park riders, and those preferring a more forgiving feel. These boards tend to be geared towards on-piste, resort style riding. The powerful side of things caters towards fast, adrenaline-seeking riders that are constantly riding hard. These boards come in a variety of shapes and styles for both hard charging groomer riding as well as pow slashing, tree weaving, off-piste shredding. Towards the middle you find some awesome options for those of us that like to do a bit of everything. Keep the extremes of each characteristic in mind and you may lean more in one direction than another. Just left of center will be nimble and easy going boards that are great for exploring everything a resort has to offer. Just right of center are the boards that feel a little more lively and poppy for riders who enjoy side hits, carving, trees, and an overall more energetic ride.
This helps us figure out how these boards actually perform and who they are for. We’ve carefully selected what you see in this guide and there’s something for everyone. Check em’ out!
Photo: Neil Soucy - K2 Alchemist
Shop SnowboardsYou prefer to get a better workout in the winter. Whether splitboarding, skinning or hitting the side country, layering matters. When you prioritize weight, breathability and movement, it’s all about a quality shell. Here are our top tested Shell Kits for this upcoming season.
Touring is a lot of fun but it’s a workout. Your outerwear choices are almost as important as your backcountry safety equipment (and knowledge!) Waterproof but breathable - rugged but made to move - these are all important factors when selecting the best gear for your ascents. Be sure to layer appropriately so you don’t overheat on the way up but have enough insulated layers packed to keep you warm at the summit or wherever you stop to snap that photo you just can’t get from the lift.
Shop I Earn My TurnsYou are trying to hit as many resorts as you can this season. All different snow conditions, terrain, weather, temps - you want to be ready for whatever 2024 throws at you. Here are our top outerwear picks for your winter of travel.
Pass? Check. Ski’s/Board? Check. Fresh kits? No? Don’t sweat (literally- it makes you cold if you don’t have a good base layer). We have some tried and tested outerwear highlighted here to help you pick out the best jacket, pants, layers and accessories for your upcoming season.
All you need now is your buddies to Venmo you for that slopeside condo rental and you are ready to go.
Shop I Just Bought My PassSkiing is fun. Apres is awesome. You like fashion and that doesn’t stop you when it’s time to head to the mountains. And it shouldn’t! There are so many high quality, high performance outerwear styles out there that are designed with the runway in mind. We had to prove even former US Ski Team Racers can get angles while being sleek and stylish.
Skiing or Riding is why you are here - but let’s be real - the fashion is why you keep coming back.
With so many new luxury and standout kits to choose from, we’ve narrowed down some of our favorite functional fashion for the 2024 season. You’ve already got the perfect snowy white backdrop - make sure you stand out.
Shop You'll Remember My Outfit
