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OF THE ALL-MOUNTAIN SKI TEXT MITCHELL scon The skiing industry's fat revolution of the last half-decade has finally made its way to the all- mountain genre. For too long all-mountain skis compared meekly to their powder pig brethren-their dimensions not nearly wide enough to provide the floatation and stability that has sent fat ski sales through the roof. Well, at long last reasonable girth has made its ay to the land of cross-condition skiing. Of course, for those perfect heli-ski or backcoun- ~ry days, when the snow is deep and light and untouched, fat is where it's at. But what the ski industry has been lacking is one ski that tackles the wide variance of ski conditions found on a ski hill on any given day, or, more importantly, any given season. Finally, with the release of this year's all-mountain, mid-fat line-up, there are a number of skis that perform well both in thigh deep powder and boiler-plate; slushy spring terrain parks and mid-winter wind crust. The breakthrough in all-mountain skis comes from an industry that has whole- heartedly embraced the wisdom of width and sidecut. Now, with 02'S fine crop of all-moun- tain offerings you can buy a ski that enables the best of all worlds. Go ahead, carve the hard- pack, float through the pow, the Golden Age of all-mountain skis is finally here. Thank you, you can sit down now. ~~~~~WY~~~~----------------------------------------------------------. No ski turned as many heads as the 10.EX did last winter. Positioned as Atomic's premiere freeride ski, the 1O.EX (which is qualified as a mid-fat ski, but who's dimensions rivals many of the industry's fat- test skis) is oriented towards skiers who know they'll be skiing it all. From deep coastal powder to inte- rior fluff, perfect groomers to cut up crud, the 10.EX rules it all. Using two hollow carbon ovalized tubes to provide the incredible stiffness of the ski, and a Texalium 200 top sheet (fibreglas's impregnated with vaporized aluminum), the 1O.EX is an extremely versatile and light ski designed for skilled, aggressive skiers who spend as much time in-bounds as they do out. Its heavy side cut makes it a dream on hard pack while it's girth let's you float effortlessly through the fluff. The 10.EX is one of the first skis ever made that performs well in every ski condition imaginable. Atomic, 800-258-5020; www.atomicsnow.com.117/84/109mm. 168, 177, 184, 191, 198cm, $795 Designed by the board gurus at Salomon to be the, "do-everything" ski, the Pocket Rocket is just that. With substantial side-cut, prominent twin-tips and a smooth, soft flex, the Pocket Rocket, while still on the fat side as far as measurements go, performs well in a variety of conditions-although it is specifi- cally oriented towards powder, park, and jib-style skiing. In boot deep powder, even at 18scm, its longest length, the Pocket Rocket skied effortlessly. However, even though its design may be powder specific, it makes the transition to hard pack very well. Due to a monocoque titanium shell with foam core, the Pocket Rocket retains lateral stiffness, providing great edging ability for a ski that makes other manufacturers fat skis look skinny. Then, of course, there's the twin-tip element, a fun addition that, skill and nerve willing, enables the possibility of switch park skiing, one of the sport's more innovative and popular trends. Salomon, 800-225-6850; www.salomonsports.com. 122/go/115mm, 165, 175, 185cm, $775 '------------------ -- ------------------------r--------------------------------------------------------------------------------. : I ~