Volkl’s Gotama continues to earn its place in the pnatheon of great big mountain skis, with superior edgehold, incredibile stability, and a propensity to turn even the heaviest crud into cotton candy. It is equally proficient off-piste as it is on the hardpack, making even arcs no matter what the condition or speed. And it’s hard to imagine not wanting to grab these boards no matter what the day holds.

The Gotama is a very damp feeling ski, without as much pop or energy as a couple other skis in this category. If you like more float and liveliness, there are certainly other skis here that fit the bill. It does have a great confident, smooth feel, and a couple of our testers went home saying they want this as their go-to ski.