Icelantic Torrent 96 Skis 2027

The Torrent 96 is a bit of a departure from what people traditionally think of when they think Icelantic. While the Nomad lineup leans playful and freestyle-inspired, the Torrent is built for skiers who want to drive the ski a little harder without giving up versatility. It feels more directional, more composed, and more planted, while still keeping enough energy to make the mountain fun.

Construction plays a big role here. Icelantic pairs a poplar and birch wood core with its new V-12 Carbon Matrix, creating a ski that's noticeably stronger and more precise than you'd expect from a ski without metal. The carbon adds torsional stiffness and plenty of energy coming out of the turn, while the birch helps give the ski a calm, confidence-inspiring feel when conditions get rough. It has a lively personality, but it isn't nervous.

The Directional Rocker profile strikes an excellent balance. Turn initiation is smooth and predictable, edge hold is strong, and there's enough rocker in the tip to keep the ski from feeling grabby when you leave the groomers. At 96 mm underfoot, it's right in the sweet spot for a true all-mountain ski. Wide enough to handle soft snow and chopped-up conditions, yet narrow enough to feel quick edge to edge when you're laying over carved turns.

What impressed me most is how broad its performance envelope feels. It'll happily rip morning groomers, snake through zipper-line bumps, cruise through glades, and stay composed once the afternoon piles of pushed-around snow show up. It doesn't have the surfy, slash-everything personality of the Nomad series, but that's by design. The Torrent rewards a more directional skiing style while remaining approachable enough that you don't have to be skiing 50 mph to enjoy it.

For skiers looking for one ski to leave on the roof all season long, the Torrent 96 makes a compelling case. It doesn't try to specialize in one condition—it just quietly does almost everything really well.