M7 Mantra Flat 24/25 (also known as Volkl)

The M7 Mantra is Völkl's flagship all-mountain ski and has been the benchmark for advanced all-mountain performance in the 96mm class for years. This is a flat ski — no binding included, so you pair it with your own. Construction centers on a multilayer poplar/beech woodcore with denser beech placed underfoot and along the edges, where torsional stress is highest. On top of that sits Völkl's Tailored Titanal Frame: a variable-width titanal layer that runs along the tip and tail above the sidewall, plus a thinner second titanal sheet in the binding zone. Together they give the ski its signature grip and damping on firm Pacific Northwest snow — the planted, dead-on precision that lets it stay composed when conditions get chopped up or icy. Drive it hard, though, and it gives plenty back: the long, low camber and Tailored Carbon Tips make this a lively ski with real rebound out of a turn, not a dead plank. The 4 Radius Drive sidecut adds four distinct radii across the ski's length, which means you can hook into a short-radius turn underfoot without fighting the tip or tail, and arc a longer line by letting the whole edge engage. Tip and tail rocker keeps entry and exit light without sacrificing camber underfoot, so the ski carves cleanly rather than surfing.

This ski is built for advanced to expert skiers who ski hard on groomed and mixed terrain — people who have enough technique to drive a stiff, metal-reinforced ski and want a reward for doing so. The M7 gives you edge hold, composure at speed, and energy out of the turn that softer, non-metal 96mm skis cannot match. Who should not buy it: intermediate skiers, anyone still developing their carving technique, or skiers who spend most of their time in moguls or tight glades — the stiffness and metal frame that make this ski so satisfying on open terrain become a liability when you need quick pivots and forgiveness. If you want the Mantra DNA in a lighter, more maneuverable package for hardpack, the Mantra 88 is the right call. If you ski more mixed or softer snow and want more float, step up to the Mantra 102.