A pick of the best 2023 Women’s Touring Skis, featured in our mega Gear Guide. Order your copy here for the full, in-depth reviews, as well as more Touring, Piste, All-Mountain, Freeride and Freetouring setups, as well as boots, poles, bindings, packs, airbags, goggles. It’s big…
Faction Agent 2X
£599
Lengths 155, 163, 171
Radius 15m
Dimensions 127-96-117
Weight per ski 1,330g
factionskis.com
THEY SAY
Whether you’re after untracked pow or springtime couloirs, the Agent 2X is your go-to when escaping the day-to-day. A lightweight karuba wood core coupled with an all-mountain waist and tip/tail rocker means you can now access a whole different mountain of possibilities, Off The Beaten Track.
WE SAY
Short easy days, longer expeditions, steep sessions and all-mountain freeride forays – the Agent 2X combines freeride feels with big mountain expertise and executes it all in typically cool Faction style. Super sustainable, brilliantly versatile and epically fun – aka the proverbial freeride-slash-touring quiver of one.
BEST FOR
Super accessible to anyone from first-time tourers to established backcountry tourers, the Agent 2X is a lightweight, fun, durable and confidence-inspiring touring ski that will give it the beans beyond the ropes and back in resort – no matter how tricky the conditions. Mount them 1.5cm further forward for easier and quicker turn initiation or at the recommended point for a more classic ride.
Blizzard Zero G 95
£660
Lengths 157, 164, 171, 178, 185
Radius 19.6m @ 164
Dimensions 127-94-111
Weight per ski 1,260g
blizzard-tecnica.com
THEY SAY Backcountry skiers know the descent is the sweet reward at the end of a long journey, and the path to get there is up, with a lot of elevation and probably a few kick turns along the way. We know that most of your day will be spent getting to the top, and we want to make sure the journey is worth it, because first and foremost, we are skiers.
WE SAY An uphill charger and a downhill slayer, pair it with a lightweight pin binding like the Marker Alpinist 10 and you’ll be on your way to peak baggin’ glory.
BEST FOR Dedicated and experienced ski tourers looking for max power to weight ratio.
Elan Ripstick Tour 94 W
£660
Lengths 157, 164, 171, 178
Radius 15.6m @ 171
Dimensions 129-94-109
Weight per ski 1,410g @ 171
elanskis.com
THEY SAY
Elan’s Ripstick Tour 94 W is designed for adventurous women who want all of the benefits of lightweight technology in a wider chassis designed for bigger mountains and deeper snow.
WE SAY
A lighter touring version of our beloved Ripsticks, the Ripstick Tour 94 is the ski we’ve all been waiting for. Whack on a lightweight tech binding like ATK’s C-Raider 12 and float off in search of fresh.
BEST FOR
Anyone who has skied a Ripstick and wishes it was a bit lighter, and everyone and anyone looking for a wicked touring ski that’s ready to rip!
Scott Superguide 95
£575
Lengths 160, 168
Radius 20m @ 168
Dimensions 128-94-113
Weight per ski 1,370g @ 168
scott-sports.com
THEY SAY
The Superguide is iconic, and this model keeps all the freeride DNA of the original, with added touring performance. A lightweight yet playful paulownia/beech core with carbon/aramid reinforcement keeps the ski light and agile yet even more hard-charging. Adding an updated 3Dimension touring sidecut ensures the ski is stable on the ascent and ready to let loose on the way down – whether that’s turning on a dime when things get technical, or opening it up on those long, fast descents.
WE SAY
A well-balanced women’s-specific touring ski for hut-to-hut Alpine tours, summit-to-sea spring Nordic adventures, day hits in Scotland and everything in between. A genuine backcountry-quiver-of-one contender.
BEST FOR
Intermediates, advanced and expert tourers looking for a light and predictable touring ski that just does everything really well.
