WNDR ALPINE VITAL 100 $850

BEST FOR: A one-ski quiver for the environmentally conscious expert.

LENGTHS: 155, 162, 169, 176, 183, 190

DIMENSIONS: 126/100/118 @ 183 RADIUS: 23 @ 183

WEIGHT: 1,850g @ 183

As much as we would all love to be gentler on the planet, few of us are willing to do it at the expense of performance. WNDR is dedicated to achieving both. The Vital is designed for technical backcountry terrain (think steep lines, tight chutes and firm conditions), and we found the same attributes were equally handy inbounds. “Smoothed out the rough bits, held an edge on ice and floated in powder like a wider ski,” noted Technical Editor Ryan Stuart. “What’s not to like?” WNDR builds by milling strips out of the top of an aspen core and filling them with a PU liquid made from algae instead of petroleum. The sidewalls are more of the same and both adhere to the wood without glue. It also uses bio-based resins. The Vital, the brand’s narrowest board, is available in both a cambered shape with tip and tail rocker or full reverse camber. We tried the traditional camber. The straight sidecut made the ski feel a little sluggish, especially initiating a turn, but it’s powerful, stable and surprisingly nimble. “It carves nicely, but is also easy to get off edge to dump speed,” Stuart said. With the weight focused underfoot, the ski felt light, even if it’s not especially. Consensus: a versatile ski for resort and backcountry conditions.