The 2012 Never Summer Raptor features graphics inspired by the F/A-22 fighter jet, and rightfully so. I ride the 2011 Raptor X (the wide version of the original) and it is the fastest and most powerful riding tool I have encountered in 15 years of riding. From ripping groomers at mach speed to shredding deep and steep powder, the Raptor was built to offer supreme riding power to the user in any situation.

Putting Salomon's Geisha to work outside of their natural powder environment - on the corn snow at Steamboat in March - made me wonder if I'd like them, but as always, a ski of this caliber is full of surprises.

Award Winning Design

Winner of Powder magazine's Skier's Choice two years in a row, the Elevation Outdoors Editor's Pick in 2011, as well as the 2012 Telemark magazine and Backcountry magazine Official Test Selection, the Liberty Double Helix is really taking the market by storm. It will be available with a new top sheet and Liberty material innovations, as well as with the company's new three-year warranty, in retail shops this fall.

It's predecessor, the Helix, also won Powder's Skier's Choice award this year, Freeskier magazine's Editor's Pick in 2011, and Telemark magazine's Official Test Selection in 2012. With national rankings like this, you don't even need to demo the ski before you buy.

The Rockette is Salomon’s answer to women. The full twin rocker comes off the heels this season’s success with the Rocker 2 122 — a twin rocker designed for an all-mountain experience encompassing deep-powder, big landings and fast turns on groomers. This fall, Salomon introduces a ski specifically for the hard-charging women, complete with women’s sizing and cool purple and gray graphics.

The Rockette 90 is denoted numerically for its waist width. The mid-fat ski is light and playful and rips through bumps and powder. Yet it’s solid enough to power through crud and clumpy spring slush. And, it’s stiff enough to hold steady on hard pack — something not every powder ski can pull off.

The Fortress Snowboard is Burton's high end women's board, designed for freestyle and all-mountain riding by long time Burton pro rider Kelly Clark. It has been specially crafted in three lengths (147, 151, and 154) to be very light and responsive.