The idea behind our in-depth review program is to make sure our readers have access to the most honest and comprehensive reviews for Newschoolers type skiers. Our reviews are open to all brands, big or small, whether they work with Newschoolers or otherwise. Our Editors' Picks are exactly the same, but being truly comprehensive is hard to pull off. Skis we haven't skied are out of the running for obvious reasons, so the ON3P Magnus 102 and Vishnu Plus skis (among others), which are obviously super popular among our community, weren't eligible for that reason.
Trying to define what counts as a park ski, let alone what are the best park skis, is ultimately a matter of personal preference. A couple of years ago, we split our best park skis into categories (Comp, Jib, and Fat) but we sometimes ended up picking skis that we weren't really all that stoked on ourselves. Since then we've eschewed that approach, and instead, picked the skis we'd choose to ride ourselves, and that's the best endorsement we can give.
We've tested a lot of skis and narrowed it down to three. These are our favorite park skis for the '19-20 season.
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@P3t3r loved the Wallisch Pro at the SIA On-Snow test. They're his kind of ski: fairly stiff, energetic, and poppy. Skis for a skier who likes to go big. I, on the other hand, rarely like skinny skis. I rarely like stiff skis either. I was therefore very surprised to be blown away by the Tom Wallisch Pro when I skied it for the Roofbox Review when the world shut down. It's just one of those skis that work perfectly. The flex pattern matches the shape and profile perfectly and they feel 'right'. If you like to go big, but don't want a full-on comp ski, these are the skis for you.
For our full, in-depth Line Tom Wallisch Pro review: Click Here
"Despite it not really being my kind of ski, I think that objectively speaking, the Line Wallisch Pro is one of the best skis I’ve tried in a long time. It has almost all the benefits of a full-camber comp ski, but remains far, far more versatile. They are still fairly fun
to butter around, play with transitions, etc. And of course, they are quick edge to edge for technical tricks and stable on landings. As an all-round park ski for someone who likes to get sendy, these are the pick of the bunch for me." - @Twig
An ideal ski for: Those who like to ski fast and go big but also occasionally want to play around with butters and other smaller tricks.
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I was surprised to see how much Mark loved these skis because he's typically a guy who likes stiffer skis in the K2 Poacher/Liberty Helix mold. The fact that he does is a testament to the combination of butteriness and stability that they offer. These are certainly the softest of our picks overall. In fact, and they come pretty close to the Vishnu Wet in terms of what you can do with the flex in the tips and tails. That they offer so much more of a stable platform overall than the Wet, the Blend, and the like is a testament to what Phil and Armada's engineers have done with this ski.
For our full, in-depth Armada BDog review: Click Here
"While this ski excels in the park, where you can easily take your butter game to the next level, it does most other things well too. I would say the number one factor for me with this ski is the durability. They don't really have an upper limit, level-wise, either. They work for anyone, of any level who is getting after it many days of the week, both on the mountain and in the streets" - Mark
An ideal ski for: Those who like to flex, butter, and jib, but still want something of a landing platform for jumps.
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The Armada EDollo has been my park ski pick for a couple of years now and it took something special to displace it. There were two skis this year that could have done so; the K2 Reckoner 102 and the Faction Prodigy 3.0. I've gone for the K2 here because it's just that little bit more of a park ski vs a jibby all-mountain ski, but both are fantastic options. Like the Wallisch, this is a ski that just feels 'right' thanks to a perfect match of profile, flex, and shape. I skied this ski all summer long and loved it.
For our full, in-depth K2 Reckoner review: Click Here
"Simply put, I loved the Reckoner 102. Even when the Saas-Fee summer park was icy, it felt relatively ok, which is more than can be said for almost any other ski this soft. When I was surprised to get some pow in Zermatt, it held up well there too. The softness fits the other attributes of the ski perfectly, particularly the dampness which stops it from getting too flappy. It’s also a fairly light ski, but it doesn’t ski like one, and I mean that in the best possible way. For me, they're the best wide park ski out there right now." - @Twig
An ideal ski for: Those who like a wider, softer ski in the park, or want one ski for like 70% park, 30% soft snow.
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Next week: All-mountain Skis
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