By: Jordan Berde: Assistant Ski Buyer | September 13, 2022
Shopping for that first ski for a beginner skier has always been a challenge. It’s a delicate balancing act to find a ski that’s accessible and easy to turn and get used to but will hold up to more aggressive skiing as they grow and improve. In the past, beginners have often been limited to cheap, fragile skis that were designed more to meet a price point than to offer a quality performance product to new skiers. But now, skiers just starting can shop between a wide variety of beginner skis that are tailored to fit their goals, terrain, and ability level. This year’s crop of beginner skis is more capable than ever. These are all skis that can handle runs all over the mountain, not just groomers on the bunny hill. Many of them share the same construction and design elements as more advanced skis, so they’ll hold up as new skiers progress and get stronger. And, from an aesthetics standpoint, these beginner skis are no longer plagued by cheap-looking graphics you’d expect from an entry-level ski. There's a lot to consider when getting started skiing, thankfully at least one step has been simplified as there’s never been a better time to shop for beginner skis!
There are now more capable system skis than ever before with more shape, better construction and materials, and similar graphics to flat skis.
If you're feeling like it's time to get some exploration incorporated into your resort days, look no further than the K2 Mindbender 85 Skis. They have the versatility to help you maneuver tougher terrain, but once you're confident in those new skills, the skis keep up as you progress. Like their bigger sisters in the Mindbender Collection, the K2 Mindbender 85 Skis include the lightweight Aspen Veneer core and All-Terrain Rocker profile packed into a more narrow width to keep you on edge for what's to come. The K2 Mindbender 85 Womens is a high-quality ski at a very affordable price.
Waist Width | Bindings | Original Price |
85mm | None | $429.95 |
Just getting into park riding, but still need a quality ski to get around the whole mountain? Check out the Völkl Revolt 81 Skis and call it good. A full twin rocker with a slightly directional shape for "all-mountain" capability, the Revolt 81 gets it done whether you're cruising the groomed with your buds or getting slappy on features.
Waist Width | Bindings | Original Price |
81mm | None | $349.99 |
It's all about the experience. Rossignol has been propelling people up the learning curve for decades, and there's no better way to start the process than with the Rossignol Experience W 76 Skis + Xpress 10 GW Bindings. Forgiving, confident, and smooth, the Experience 76s will show you the way with no unpleasant surprises, taking you from "never skied" to "loving it" in a few short turns. This package is perfect for new skiers in lower snow areas who don’t need the added hassle and effort of a wider ski.
Waist Width | Bindings | Original Price |
76mm | Xpress 10 GW Bindings | $479.95 |
OK, you're a new skier, fresh out of the gate, and rarin' to go - except for that rental line. It's enough to make you stay home and do the crossword. Or, you could get the versatile and forgiving Elan Wildcat 76 Skis + LS ELW 9.0 Bindings and know you're on the best learning platform available every time you head to the mountains. These skis were designed to make learning easy, you’ll be progressing in no time!
Waist Width | Bindings | Original Price |
76mm | ELW 9.0 GW Bindings | $549.99 |
The K2 Disruption 75 W Skis + M2 10 Bindings are entry-level groomer skis with above-average construction and attention to detail. Borrowing the same shaping philosophy as the rest of the Disruption family, these skis swap out for flexible materials and a catch-free rocker profile. They're straightforward to pilot, smooth on edge, and make carving across groomers easier than ever. Sure, the Disruption is an easy platform to learn to use your edges on, but as you grow as a skier, they’ll keep up, pushing you to ski with more speed and power.
Waist Width | Bindings | Original Price |
75mm | M2 10 Bindings | $449.95 |
Sometimes being one with the crowd isn't such a bad thing if you want to fit in, and if the crowd is the Park, Pipe, and Air Crew you'd do well to pick up a pair of the Faction Prodigy 1 Skis. Poppy, precise, and perfectly suited to excel in any direction whether or not you're on the ground, the Prodigy 1 is the ski you need to progress to the next step. These affordable skis are built with high-end construction and design that will allow them to grow with you.
Waist Width | Bindings | Original Price |
88mm | None | $449.00 |
If rentals just aren't cutting it anymore and you're feeling confident that it's time for an upgrade, the K2 Mindbender 85 Skis are your next step towards continual improvement. This lightweight, forgiving and intuitive setup helps you inch out of your confront zone to tackle new parts of the mountain and have loads of fun doing so. The agility of these skis will help spark confidence in your skills while you take to more challenging terrain, getting you pumped for what's to come.
Waist Width | Bindings | Original Price |
85mm | None | $399.95 |
The Atomic Maverick 83 Skis + M10 GW Bindings may be Atomic's entry-level package, but it's no slouch. The crew in Austria don't build wimpy skis; this is a legit setup built for progressing skiers, with Atomic's proprietary Flow Profile shaping to help you along. Why spend any more time in the rental line when you can just buy this ski and hit the slopes? The Maverick just makes things simple, click in, hop on the lift, and get to the business of skiing.
Waist Width | Bindings | Original Price |
83mm | M10 GW Bindings | $499.95 |
Tired of spending an hour of your ski day waiting in line for rentals? Get the Rossignol Experience 76 Skis + Xpress 10 GW Bindings and head "Direct To Lift" any time you choose with confidence that your setup will perform just the way you like it each time you ski. The Experience 76 is a quality, wood-core ski with a forgiving and versatile character, designed to get you up and on your way as easily as possible. They’re forgiving when the snow or your form is less than perfect, and when you want to push yourself, the Experience 76 is up to the challenge.
Waist Width | Bindings | Original Price |
76mm | Xpress 10 GW Bindings | $479.95 |
Step up to Völkl quality for your first pair of skis and feel the difference in quality. The Völkl Deacon X Skis + vMotion 10 GW combo is designed to let you navigate the learning curve with ease and stay with you longer than most beginner ski packages. A narrow 72mm waist lets you master the art of transitioning from edge to edge and a mellow flexing overall design lets you progress with confidence. The Deacon X is a powerful, approachable ski, perfect for anyone who wants to push their limits on groomers.
Waist Width | Bindings | Original Price |
72mm | vMotion 10 GW Bindings | $499.99 |
Our ski buyers have an endless amount of knowledge on all things skiing stemming from years of experience in the ski industry in tandem with their countless hours spent on slopes everywhere from groomers to the remote backcountry around the world. evo's buyers assess all products coming to market, lean into this knowledge, and put together this selection of the best products. They have a unique perspective as they truly see everything offered across the category.