INSTINCT PRETTY SAVAGE $1,249

BEST FOR: Lighter skiers looking to ski off-piste with aggression. LENGTH: 176 DIMENSIONS: 134/106/126 @ 176

RADIUS: 19 @ 176

WEIGHT: 1,680g @ 176

The Pretty Savage is similar to the Original Sender, but designed for lighter-weight skiers. In the fresh snow at Mount Washington we sent it out under women, teenagers and some of our more confident men. Everyone returned with a grin. “Great ski in the powder,” said Zak Baikie. Like all Instinct skis, it’s lightweight for its size and in combo with tech bindings easier on the uptrack, but also something to consider when you’re schlepping gear from parking lot to slopes or being weighed at the airport. The Pretty Savage is built from a hightech, burly combination of Kevlar, basalt, spectra and carbon fibres around a wood core. With tip and tail rocker, camber underfoot and a wide shovel, this ski planes quickly, connects into a turn with minimal steering, and smears, sluffs and butters with ease. There’s enough torsional rigidity for it to crush through chopped-up and tracked-up powder. Testers found it a bit more work on firm snow, particularly groomers. And the ski definitely rewarded a more aggressive, high-speed style. “Floats in the powder and stable in the steeps,” said Deanna Papineau. “Hold on and it’s fun and solid.”