2025 Stockli Montero AR

Even though it’s the widest of the Monteros, the AR, at 84 mm underfoot, is still a sublime carving ski. This all-mountain charger is one of the best out there at mixing soft and hard snow. A company like Stockli puts a lot more emphasis on narrower skis, so this one fits the more all-mountain side of their catalog. We’ve loved this ski for years and its ability to make clean carved turns on groomers while remaining amenable to off-trail skiing. While the Stormrider series is going to garner more attention when it comes to versatility, when the snow is choppy, the AR still holds up just fine. With Stockli’s commitment to precision and quality, the Monero AR continues to shine in a crowded field of mid-80's all-mountain carvers.

We get a bit of a structural update for 2025, most notably in the upper metal layer. The core of the ski is a mix of lighter poplar stringers with denser beech ones, providing a nice mix of energy, stability, and rebound. The ski features two full titanal layers on top and bottom of the core, with the upper sheet getting a bit of a change. While the Flex Torsion Control slits in the upper layer allowed for more agility and smoothness, the new Flex Tip and Tail doubles that process with two curved slits. This allows for greater flex in the ends of the ski and better slow speed control. Since it only affects the very tips and tails, the mid-section of the ski is largely unaffected. This gives more priority to mobility and ease of use, allowing for better initiation and completion in the middle range of speeds. Tester Brett Williamson seemed to like it, noting that “This is your sporty all-wheel drive ski that is performance driven that can handle groomers and ice as well as mixed conditions. You can feel how damp the ski is when you ski it, well-constructed.” The precision and quality of the build stands out, as Stockli continues to infuse their adhesive layers with rubber dust to further dampen vibrations and silence the ride.

The shape remains the same, bringing strong carving and all-mountain performance to the mid-80's range. The Montero AR has a lot of camber underfoot and not a lot of rocker. This keeps it from being very agile and mobile in softer snow and tighter spaces. If this ski is going to excel in softer snow, it prefers wider zones, and that’s okay—it's not like there’s going to be a ski out there that carves like a race ski and still floats like a dedicated freeride ski. Montero cuts its way to the bottom, but in crud and unpredictable snow, that’s a good feeling to have. Luke Miller states that it is “Super fun. Fairly quick but very stable. Felt confident on it immediately. Had just enough under foot to feel good going over some choppier conditions as well.” If you’re a strong skier and you like to maintain the longer arc of the ski, the AR is the way to go.

As the longer turning and wider waisted ski in the Montero line, the AR is likely the most well-rounded. It’s not quite as nimble as the narrower skis in the line, but it sure plows through anything in front of it a lot easier. The blend of heftier weight, high camber, and a smooth feel allow it to go top speeds with minimal vibrations. This ski is very energetic and a ton of fun. Advanced and expert skiers with a relatively high budget will fit in the best here. With quality comes price, but you do get an exceptional product.