Volkl

VTA 88 Lite Alpine Touring Ski

Distant peaks seem a little closer when you have a lightweight touring ski on your feet, and when that ski throws real descending chops into the bargain, the mountains become your playground. Making long tours seem short and hairy lines seem mellow is the name of the Volkl VTA 88 Lite Ski's game, and it comes as no surprise that it's been earning plaudits from those who value light and fast skis. Vokl built the VTA with its superlight Hybrid wood core and stiff, weight-saving Carbon Construction, so the final package weighs under 4.5 pounds per pair. It's not a terrifyingly chattery rando toothpick; although, at 88mm underfoot, the  VTA floats like an all-mountain ski but weighs about the same as many narrower boards, and it features Volkl's quickness-boosting and stability-enhancing 3D.Ridge design, which gives the ski a smooth, predictable flex and steady feel.