2023 Stockli Laser GS

In the world of on-trail GS carvers, the Stockli Laser GS is a top performer. Built with mostly all of the same technologies and shaping as the FIS counterpart, but in a more user-friendly sizing and shaping, the Laser GS is properly built, super-fast, and incredibly grippy. As a filmer for the ski test, this was my favorite ski to follow, as it looked like the testers had full confidence in their turns, making clean and round unflappable arcs all the way down the mountain. At 68 mm underfoot, the 180 cm length Laser GS creates an 18.2-meter arc, which is certainly shorter than an FIS radius, but still allows the skier to open it up and generate some serious speed and g-forces. Built with a wood core, two sheets of metal, and carbon steering control, these skis have the proper construction to stand up to top-shelf skiing and carving. The carbon steering control uses vertical strips of carbon to help with turn initiation, making the entry phase of the turn super-easy and incredibly quick. Solid metal edge and full camber add to the ski’s on-trail prowess, satisfying the needs of today’s modern GS all-mountain skier.

Chris McClelland was on the 180, noting that it was a bit short for racing, but just right for the resort. With a lot of specific skis, we see some peaks and valleys when it comes to the scoring, so it’s unsurprising to see a low score of 1 out of 5 for flotation and a 2 out of 5 for forgiveness. On the other hand, Chris gave the Laser GS 5’s out of 5 for overall impression, stability, torsional stiffness, and edge hold. This spread of scores shows that the skis excel in certain areas while they are less than ideal in others. Certainly, nobody’s going to take the Laser GS on a heli skiing trip. Chris states that “Stockli’s GS ski does not disappoint. This was a fast and committing ski, and rightfully so. Each turn felt like I was driving a high-performance carving machine with how much energy they carried. It was very smooth through transition and the edge felt locked in the whole time. This is an expert ski no doubt and still something you need to stay on top of and manage, but for a GS ski it's a ton of fun. For terrain you’re pretty limited to steep groomers and the race course, so not the most versatile ski on the planet but it's a GS ski, it's not supposed to be taken off-piste. This is the kind of quality Stockli is known for and it shows in this ski.” Chris does a nice job here describing the ski and its role as an on-piste carver rather than an all-mountain ski for expert skiers.

Also on the 180, Mike Anglin found it to be “Just right! True!” and a length he would get himself. The exclamation points there are a good indication that he’s generally excited about these skis. He gave top marks of 5 out of 5 for overall impression, torsional stiffness, edge hold, playfulness, quickness, maneuverability, and stability. His low score of 3 for flotation is a bit higher than Chris’, and that’s okay! He also found it to be more versatile and forgiving, with those categories earning 4’s out of 5. “Well Dr Odermatt wins world cup GSs on a very similar constructed ski. Granted his are a little more robust, but the 180 Laser GS brings the heat. However hard you want to press the gas pedal, and whatever edge angle you want to throw at it, it will give you the positive, yet damp smooth hand-crafted Swiss feedback that has been the current tide of the Swiss Sunami. Will eat up any terrain that is groomed like melted Swiss cheese over farm fresh ham! On some good sourdough! Advanced intermediates, to the 3+skier type early morning Hollywood Odermatts, will all love the damp yet powerful platform that the Laser GS brings.”

If you’re looking to leave some clean and deep arcs in the snow, the Laser GS from Stockli is the right tool for the job. With a bit wider of a platform and shorter of a radius versus the FIS version of the ski, the Laser GS has a whole lot to offer advanced and expert skiers, as well as former and recreational racers, who just want to carve on the most precise and highest-quality skis out there.