2023 Salomon Stance W 80

The 2023 Salomon Stance W 80 returns unchanged for this year, continuing the amazing value and performance blend that a whole lot of skiers can really get behind. This Stance W 80 is a particularly good deal, and also includes a Salomon M10 binding. The Stance W 80 uses a poplar wood core with a single sheet of titanal metal. Salomon removes sections of metal in both the fore and aft sections of the ski (just in front of and just behind your bindings) and replaces the metal with carbon. This brings the overall weight down, which is especially noticeable when you start skiing, by removing weight from the extremities of the ski, has an even bigger effect on swing weight than total weight. The Stance 80 is mostly camber, but does have a little bit of tip and tail rocker. It’s not really rocker designed to give it float or better soft snow performance, rather helps smooth out turn initiations, gives the ski a more forgiving feel, while also increasing versatility for off-piste terrain like moguls.

Lexi Hildreth skied the 159 cm length and really enjoyed her time on the Stance W 80. Lexi awarded it some impressive scores, including a full 5 out of 5 score for forgiveness. In addition to that top mark, we got a slew of 4 out of 5 scores, which is really impressive for a ski of this value. Stability, quickness/maneuverability, playfulness, versatility, and overall impression were all at the 4 level, which surpasses our expectations when analyzing skis in this price range. Stability and torsional stiffness/edge grip dropped to 3 out of 5, but that’s not a concern in our opinion. The Stance W 80 isn’t intended to be exceptionally stable, as that would take away from its ease of use and forgiveness, which are more important characteristics for a ski in this category. “I was surprised by these! They are incredibly lightweight and nimble, but surprisingly stable. I enjoyed them a lot! Great narrower ski option.”

Louise Lintilhac skied went for the 167 cm length, which she thought skied true to size and worked well for her personally. No full 5 out of 5 scores from Louise, but stability, quickness/maneuverability, and torsional stiffness/edge grip all earned solid 4 out of 5 scores. “This ski was most interested in making short to medium radius turns at medium speeds. It was fun and playful when moving edge to edge, but didn’t particularly like choppy or variable conditions as much. Would be good for an intermediate skier looking for a solid groomer ski that can handle a bit of fresh from time to time.” It’s not surprising that Louise didn’t find a tremendous amount of stability for skiing through choppy snow. The Stance W 80 is relatively lightweight and isn’t designed to plow through choppy snow conditions. Its shape can handle variable terrain, but as speed increases, it can start to feel a little twitchy. It’s important to remember in this scenario that Louise is an expert-level, aggressive skier who is generally on heavier and longer skis. Perception goes a long way when analyzing ski performance, and Louise is coming from a background with a lot of bigger, stiffer skis (Louise is a former Freeride World Tour competitor).

For intermediates, progressing beginners, and even lighter weight advanced skiers, the Stance W 80 provides a ton of value. Even if you forget about the price tag for a second, it’s still a really good ski. It holds an edge reasonably well on firm snow so you can progress your carving turns. It’s lightweight so it won’t wear you out over the course of a full day of skiing (or multiple times in a row). It’s approachable and forgiving for less aggressive skiers and its shape helps promote good technique and easy turn initiation. Overall, it’s a great ski to have on the market and one that a lot of different skiers could enjoy and benefit from.