2011-2012 Backcountry Ski Comparison Chart

Snow is finally falling which means that it's time for this year's backcountry ski comparison chart.  I've already been busy stalking this year's boards, and the fruits of my obsessive-compulsive labors are here for your enjoyment.

I've focused on those skis designed specifically for backcountry touring.  Thus, I've eliminated those that weigh more than nine pounds, and you won't find any skinny skate skis.  I've also included the discontinued K2 Backlash (highlighted), which is my favorite backcountry ski, to give an idea of what I see as a near-perfect makeup for an East Coast "quiver of one" ski.   

So, without further ado, here they are, organized from the slimmest underfoot to the widest:

Manuf.	Model	Weight/lbs	Length	Front	Middle	Back	Camber/Rocker	Radius	Cost
Madshus	Epoch	5.58	185cm	99	68	84	Full Camber/Waxless	unk	$309
Dynafit	Broad Peak	5.74	176cm	112	74	96	Rocker Tip	20m	$650
BD	Guru	5.75	176cm	123	75	106	Flat Tail/ Traditional tip	16m	$529
Rossignol	BC110	5.73	179cm	110	78	95	Single Camber/Waxless	unk	$319
Madshus	Annum	5.78	185cm	109	78	95	Full Camber/ Waxless	unk	$330
BD	Syncra (W)	5.75	168cm	124	80	108	Traditional tail/tip	16m	$559
Dynafit	Seven Summits	6.26	178cm	113	80	100	Rocker Tip	23m	$630
BD	Stigma	6.38	176cm	125	80	109	Traditional tail/tip	17m	$559
K2	Backup	6.50	174cm	124	82	105	Semi Front Rock/Middle Camber	19m	$500
Volkl	Inuk	6.56	177cm	120	83	106	Front Tip Rocker	22m	$600
Dynafit	Baltoro	6.08	176cm	116	84	103	Rocker Tip	23m	$650
Fischer	Watea 84	7.30	176cm	126	84	112	Rockered Tips/ Center Camber	18m	$499
Movement	Logic X	4.85	177cm	127	88	115	Traditional Camber	18m	$1,069
La Sportiva	GTS (W)	5.73	166cm	121	88	109	Traditionl Camber/ Flat Tail	19m	$629
Dynafit	Mustagh Ata SL	5.88	178cm	118	88	110	Traditional Camber	22m	$630
K2	Wayback	6.50	174cm	124	88	108	Semi Front Rock/Middle Camber	22m	$600
Volkl	Amaruq	6.61	177cm	127	88	109	Full Camber	22m	$650
La Sportiva	GT	6.21	177cm	123	89	111	Traditional Camber/ Flat Tail	22m	$629
Ski Trab	Stelvio FR Light	5.37	171cm	125	90	112	Traditional Camber	20m	$829
BD	Aspect	6.63	176cm	130	90	117	Traditional tail/tip	19m	$629
Icelantic	Pilgrim	7.85	179cm	127	90	115	Trad. Camber/ Twin Tip	19m	$649
K2	Sideshow	8.14	181cm	132	90	115	Semi Front Rock/Middle Camber	20m	$650
Dynafit	Manaslu (W)	5.60	169cm	118	92	104	Rocker Tip	31m	$700
K2	Backlash	6.88	174cm	129	92	115	Flat Tail/ Semi Rocker Tip	19m	$450
G3	Saint	6.69	177cm	122	93	112	Rockered Tips/ Center Camber	26m	$650
SkiLogic	Piton	6.17	175cm	126	94	116	Raised Tip, Decambered	19m	$850
Volkl	Nanuq	7.69	177cm	130	94	113	Front Tip Rocker	23m	$700
Fischer	Watea 94	8.50	178cm	130	94	118	Rockered tips/ Center Camber	21m	$449
Dynafit	Manaslu	6.30	178cm	122	95	108	Rocker Tip	31m	$700
Rossignol	BC125	6.38	175cm	123	95	120	Single Camber/Waxless	unk	$400
BD	Ember (W)	7.50	168cm	128	95	116	Traditional tail/tip	20m	$589
BD	Warrant	8.63	178cm	130	95	118	Traditional tail/tip	21m	$589
Voile	Vector	7.00	180cm	121	96	110	Rocker Tip/ Tail Rise	23m	$550
K2	Hardside	8.50	181cm	131	98	119	Semi Front Rock/Middle Camber	23m	$700
Ski Trab	Volare	6.56	178cm	127	99	116	Traditional Camber	24m	$899
BD	Starlet (W)	6.19	166cm	134	100	121	Traditional tail/tip	20m	$669
BD	Drift	6.75	176cm	136	100	122	Semi Rear/Semi Front Rocker	21m	$669
Atomic	Century (W)	6.88	166cm	129	100	119	Rockered Tip	18m	$500
G3	Tonic	7.88	177cm	132	100	123	Rockered Tips/ Center Camber	24m	$665
Faction	Agent 100 STP	5.99	174cm	132	102	122	Rockered Tips/ Center Camber	21m	$699
K2	Gotback	7.68	167cm	135	102	121	Front Tip Rocker	20m	$650
K2	Coomback	8.00	174cm	135	102	121	Flat Tail/ Semi Rocker Tip	22m	$650
Movement	Jackal	7.00	177cm	136	105	124	Traditional Camber	22m	$690
G3	ZenOxide	7.19	178cm	131	105	123	Rockered Tips/ Center Camber	31m	$679
La Sportiva	Hi5	7.49	178cm	135	105	125	Tip Rocker/Cent. Camb./Flat Tail	23m	$799
Dynafit	Stoke	7.24	182cm	130	106	120	Rocker Tip	23m	$800
Praxis	Backcountry	8.00	180cm	131	106	121	Early rise tips/Small C. Camb.	23m	$599
Volkl	Nunataq	7.86	178cm	139	107	123	Full Rocker	27m	$700
SkiLogic	Howitzer	7.80	176cm	134	110	128	Raised Tail & Tip	22m	$770
BD	Justice	8.00	175cm	138	111	123	Semi Rear/Full Front Rocker	31m	$699
Voile	Charger	8.75	181cm	137	112	126	Rocker Tip/ Tail Rise	23m	$595
G3	Highball	8.80	180cm	140	116	127	Fully Rockered	25m	$770

If you're looking for a place to purchase your skis, definitely check out the deals at The Outdoor Gear Exchange.

We also have found some decent deals at Evo.com.


Let me know if I've missed some of your favorites-- especially those that have tested well on our fickle New England slopes.

And if you're a manufacturer that I've left out, feel free to show your displeasure by sending a demo pair of your top backcountry planks.  I promise I'll put them to work.