2026 Stockli Stormrider 102

The Stockli Stormrider 102, almost comically, is the widest and most freeride-oriented offering within the Stockli brand. The fact that this ski holds those titles shows the brand’s commitment to more front side and directional skis. Even as the widest, it’s still got a fairly square and flat tail that holds tight to the groomers and makes quick work of carved turns. The shovel is a bit more dramatic in terms of taper and rocker, but it’s still very much on the traditional side. With some structural and graphic updates for 2026, the Stormrider 102 is smoother and quieter than ever before, which is an impressive thing to state as these skis have always been at the top of the class in terms of quality, silence, and damping.

The skis are built with a blend of poplar, beech, and paulownia in the core, allowing Stockli to fine-tune the flex and weight to create this specific character. With two sheets of metal, the Stormrider 102 is predictable and damp, providing an excellent edge grip on a variety of snow surfaces. The top layer of metal doubles as the topsheet, putting more of a direct connection from the skier to the ski. For this year, we not only get the rubber dust in the adhesive laminates, we also get actual rubber reinforcement in the tips and tails. Amazingly, this takes the silence and smoothness to the next level, as if the Stormrider 102 need to be that way any more. Tester Bob St.Pierre notes that “This 102 is instant love. The Stormrider is one of the smoothest and quietest skis out there and it's amazing. The turn initiation is smooth and predictable while the underfoot zone and through the tail is more powerful than you may expect. It feels like you're skiing on clouds and sounds like nothing else out there.”

While drama isn’t a big part of the ski’s story in terms of shape, it does account for a lot of the on-trail and predictable nature. Sure, there’s taper and rocker in the shovel, but that’s about it. With lower camber and a flatter tail, these skis are shaped to be engaged in the snow rather than drifting on top of it. They’re great at cutting through crud and chop but not as excellent at floating and smearing. With measurements of 135/102/125 in the 182 cm length, these skis have a relatively long radius of 19.8-meters. This allows for more aggressive fall-line skiing and in that regard, the Stormrider 102 is awesome. St.Pierre continues to note regarding conditions that “What I was on was perfect: firm spring morning snow transitioning to softer as you descend. Packed powder, crud, choppy snow and wind-blown areas are all right in this ski's wheelhouse.”

It’s got a higher price tag, but for that cost, you get endless smoothness and predictability. These skis don’t really out-perform others in this this range like a Blizzard Anomaly 102 in terms of power and aggression, but they certainly out-class them when it comes to silence and smoothness and overall skier satisfaction.