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PTO Review
We skied them. Here's how they stack up.
These skis span 2 categories (Freeride, Carving). Scores reflect each ski's intended use — direct comparison across all dimensions may be misleading.
FREERIDE 108 — skiers buying for soft snow, and buying deliberately: you already own something narrower for firm days, and what you want next is float. Laser SX — piste skiers who want one comfortable, wide-range carver and prefer all-day ease to race-build effort. Check the radar chart below to see where each one wins.
Each row compares all skis on one dimension. 🏆 marks the highest score.
| Dimension | FREERIDE 108 | Laser SX |
|---|---|---|
| Carving | 4 | 8🏆 |
| Park | 1🏆 | 1🏆 |
| Playfulness | 6🏆 | 5 |
| Forgiveness | 4 | 6🏆 |
| Stability | 8🏆 | 7 |
| Powder | 8🏆 | 2 |
Skiers buying for soft snow, and buying deliberately: you already own something narrower for firm days, and what you want next is float. The FREERIDE 108 suits a skier who wants metal underfoot for damping but not a full sandwich of it under a 108 mm waist, and who would rather choose a binding than take a system package. Van Deer states no ability level; PTO's read, from the width and the layup, is advanced — this ski asks for speed and soft snow.
Skiers whose days are mostly hard snow. For exactly the same $1,500 the FREERIDE 98 gives you full Titanal layers under 10 mm less waist, and on firm groomers and mixed resort snow that is the better buy. Beginners and soft intermediates: bending 108 mm of metal-reinforced ski takes strength and speed, and Van Deer's silence on ability level is not permission to ignore that. Carvers: 148-108-130 on a 16 to 19 m arc does not make a short, fast turn — the PRO or the H-POWER 68 is that ski. Tourers: no skins are sold for this one, and the TOUR line is what the uphill is for. And anyone counting on the extra width being free — Van Deer says the centre stripe costs nothing in performance or stability, no independent test settles that, and the FREERIDE 98 costs the same.
Piste skiers who want one comfortable, wide-range carver and prefer all-day ease to race-build effort. It suits medium-to-long-turn skiers at moderate-to-fast speed — the Laser SX runs the longest radius in the line — who value low-input, forgiving manners on groomed and variable hard snow over maximum edge bite. Stöckli's own brief calls it a genuine all-rounder among piste skis.
Powder and off-piste skiers: at 74 mm on a pure on-piste geometry the Laser SX has no float, and the wider range Stöckli talks about is range within the groomers, not off them. Short-turn and slalom-rhythm skiers: the radius bottoms out at 13.1 m, and quick edge-to-edge belongs to the Laser CX or the shorter Laser SL. Skiers chasing race-level grip and power: there is no Race Core, no carbon, and no racing sidewall here, and the 1.5° comfort base bevel is not the 1.0° race tune of the SC and WRT — that bite lives on those skis, not this one. Anyone who needs a published on-snow test before buying should wait: this generation is completely redesigned and no independent review of it exists yet — every existing Laser SX review is of the older, narrower ski and does not apply. And Stöckli lists no skier level of its own; read this as an intermediate-to-advanced piste ski, inferred from its mechanics rather than measured on snow.
The FREERIDE 108 is best for skiers buying for soft snow, and buying deliberately: you already own something narrower for firm days, and what you. The Laser SX is best for piste skiers who want one comfortable, wide-range carver and prefer all-day ease to race-build effort. The right choice depends on your primary terrain, ability level, and riding style.
The Van Deer FREERIDE 108 scores highest in Stability at 8/10, making it the strongest all-mountain option. It handles groomers, chop, and variable conditions without losing composure, so it's the best single-ski choice for skiers who want one pair for the whole mountain.
The Stöckli Laser SX leads in Carving with a PTO score of 8/10. Its edge grip on hard snow and groomed runs is the strongest in this comparison.
The Stöckli Laser SX is the most forgiving option with a Forgiveness score of 6/10. It doesn't punish imperfect technique, making it the easiest ski to progress on among these.
Not sure? Ask us.
