G3

Synapse 109 Ski

G3 might have sold its soul to make the Synapse 109 Ski as light, stiff, and versatile as it is, but ski it once and you'll think it was a pretty fair deal for G3. The biggest, burliest ski in the Synapse family, the 109 is designed to crush powder, big lines, and steep descents, but it can handle a little hardpack and crud like a champ, which is just the way G3 wanted it. You'll be up, down, and heading up again by the time the other schmoes are leaving the parking lot thanks to the Synapse's lightweight construction. At just over three pounds per ski, the Synapse makes short work of skintracks and long approaches, but does so without compromising even a smidgen of performance on the descent. It has a light, energetic poplar and paulownia wood core that's laid up with two sheets of carbon fiber to keep it stiff enough to handle rough snow, while its ABS and TPU sidewalls direct plenty of power to the burly steel edges when things get dicey.

The shape of the Synapse features a highly rockered tip, minimally rockered section underfoot, and an early rise tail that provides a supreme combination of float in the deep and edge grip on firm snow, with equal measures of surfiness and directional feel so you can get playful or point the Synapse and charge. The easy to maneuver profile is also handy when you need to navigate through tight chokes in steep couloirs. The base is made of a tough P-Tex 2000 to handle the occasional ding, and there's even a Titanal plate under the binding zone to ensure rugged mounts and serious binding retention.