Salomon "30-Second" ski reviews

These reviews are of new and updated 08/09 models. More detailed reviews of many more models, current and past, are now available on the subscription site.

Origins Opal1-ski-quiver for female skiers who ski 50%+ on the groomed. Similar to the Origins, slightly less aggressive and demanding. Good tool with which to improve skills and tactics and a good teaching ski.

CzarEven beefier than the Gun, the rockered Czar was deemed to be a powder ski and only a powder ski. Think helicopters, snow cats, Alaska, some days at Alta, Snowbird or Jackson. This is about as tightly focused ski as there is in Salomon's lineup. You know who you are . . .

LordThose looking for a Salomon rocker (and unless you've been on a rocker, it would be risky to buy any without trying first) will probably find the Lord a better choice than the Czar. While still focused on deep snow and backside terrain, the Lord is more versatile and handles reasonably well on tamer terrain to and from the steep and deep. A rockered ski is, for the moment at least, about as far from a 1-ski-quiver as is a World Cup slalom. Any special purpose ski should probably be a second (or 3^rd) pair, unless the skier is fortunate enough to have access to powder most of the time. That's unusual, even at resorts like Alta or Steamboat.

LadyFemale-specific companion to the Lord and it elicited fairly similar, though slightly lower, scores. Same cautions apply . . .

DumontSalomon's lead park/pipe/crossover ski was a hit with our crossover skiers. It lands well, is stable yet quick and works efficiently off-piste and even on groomed terrain. For the freestyler looking to use one ski in the pipe or out, this is a good choice. Versatile for a park-oriented twin.

SuspectLess demanding version of the Dumont. At least one tester asked," Where can I get a pair?" Freestylers tend to get recommendations from friends and we predict the word of mouth on the Suspect will be strong.