Designed by Salomon as a hybrid backcountry and lift-serve ski, the MTN Lab 115 is an extraordinarily versatile ski that earned one of the highest scores of any ski we tested last winter. Using Salomon’s new CFX Technology, a mix of carbon and fiber over a poplar wood core, it is lightweight, almost intuitively maneuverable, and multi-talented enough to slarve the deepest powder and even throw clean arcs on the hardpack as you’re heading back to the chair.

The only minor negatives were that a couple testers thought the lighter weight of the ski made it feel hollow, and resulted in it getting knocked around a little in heavier slop. It still garnered “Excellent” or “Favorite” status across the board. A sure pick for hitting the backcountry, and for powder days in-bounds, even when only six new inches fell.