In case you missed it, POWDER is all in on polls.We just lately added the power so as to add polls throughout our website, and Instagram adopted the characteristic for posts. So, we, being the big-brain ski bums that we’re, schemed up a enjoyable strategy to get POWDER readers concerned.”Let’s ask skiers questions. Skiers love to speak about snowboarding,” I mentioned in a latest assembly. Thus, the POWDER Weekly Ballot was launched. Our first Ballot, which this text will share the outcomes of, was associated to the proper ski width.POWDER author Izzy Lidsky is a diehard 112mm gal, a lot in order that she thinks it is the proper width for all situations. Her daring proclamation that she might ski 112mm skis, “each day for the remainder of her life,” had the whole employees questioning if POWDER readers really feel strongly a couple of explicit ski width as effectively.We’ll soar into the constraints and shortcomings of our first Weekly Ballot (we’re skiers and do not work for Gallup, in spite of everything). Nonetheless, I am thrilled to say that 5,895 skiers participated within the ballot on our web site and Instagram!Take a look at the outcomes under. Preserve studying for a breakdown of the stats, a mirrored image on what we discovered, and our plan for the POWDER Weekly Ballot transferring ahead.The 2026 POWDER Photograph Annual is right here! Search for a print copy on a newsstand close to you, or click on right here to have a duplicate shipped on to your entrance door.
Survey Outcomes
The chart above took me approach too lengthy to make for the way easy the information was. Additional proving my level that there can be some studying alternatives on this complete POWDER Weekly Ballot factor, so bear with me!Let’s break down the outcomes:
Carter Edwards
Survey Highlights
Complete Votes: 5,895Number of Votes on Instagram: 3,889Number of Votes on Web site: 2,006Most Common Waist Width: 100-108mm (2,981 votes, 50.6% of voters)Least Common Waist Width: 112mm (121 votes, 2.1% of voters)Different outcomes:
100mm or Much less: 1,295 votes (22.0%)
108mm to 112mm: 1,265 votes (21.5%)
115mm+: 233 votes (4.0%)
There you may have it. In line with over 5,800 POWDER readers, the waist width vary of 100-108mm is the most effective for all situations.Now, let’s break down some shortcomings of our survey and what we discovered for future POWDER Weekly Polls.
Hanne Lundin
Errors/Classes Realized
Izzy actually likes 112mm, so we needed to embrace it as an choice on the web site ballot, however Instagram solely permits 4 choices per ballot. We made the choice to scrap it from Instagram and simply embrace the width ranges. Sorry, Izzy. Future POWDER polls will solely have 4 constant choices throughout the board.As our pals Ross Tester and Jonnie Merrill talked about in our Instagram feedback, 114mm underfoot skis are frequent and fairly dang sick. Ross loves his Volkl Revolt 114s, and Jonnie his LINE Optic 114s, and we utterly fumbled the bag by having one width vary finish at 112mm and the subsequent begin at 115mm. Sorry fellas, that is our unhealthy.There have been some discrepancies concerning the length for which the Instagram and Web site polls have been energetic. Shifting ahead, each will begin at Midday PST on Mondays and run by means of 3 p.m. PST on Fridays. Outcomes can be shared every Sunday in an article and on Instagram.
Observations
Many Instagram feedback took ‘on a regular basis ski’ out of context. We have been hoping to listen to a couple of ski you’d use all 12 months, irrespective of the situations. Consider it as your each day driver, in case you had to decide on one.Favourite Instagram remark: “I simply got here right here to make use of the phrases playful and quiver.”Anecdotally, it appeared that skiers from the East Coast desire skis that have been lower than 100mm large. Skiers out West tended to decide on skis within the 100mm-108mm and 108mm-112mm ranges. Ice, ice, child.Our Alaskan, Japanese, and BC-Heli information readers actually made their voices identified. 233 skiers mentioned that they might select a 115mm+ ski for all situations. We’ve got a sense their situations vary from deep to very deep, therefore their desire. We’re not jealous, you might be.A typical narrative, significantly espoused by the older era of skiers, fashioned within the Instagram feedback: “I’ve skied two ft of powder on 70mm skis.” Certain, you are able to do that, however are they the optimum skis for all situations? POWDER Gear Editor Max Ritter says, “nah”.
Photograph: Max Ritter
Conclusion:
As a lot as I had hope for a stunning outcome from this ballot, it made sense. With fashionable ski design and supplies, skis within the 100-108mm waist width vary supply probably the most versatility throughout all situations.Lengthy gone are the times of each 100mm+ ski flopping round like a moist noodle. Ski corporations really completed what they got down to do when the entire this-ski-can-do-everything-no-really-it-can-ski-powder-as-well-as-bulletproof-ice advertising that started 20 years in the past.Powder skis are nonetheless higher in powder. Slalom skis are nonetheless higher at snowboarding a slalom observe. 90mm skis are nonetheless higher out East. 105mm skis are nonetheless higher out West. However, not less than based mostly on what almost 6,000 skiers advised us, 100-108mm is the candy spot for almost all of skiers, no matter the place they ski.Take that data and do with it as you see match. Simply do not choose me once I rip out my Salomon QST Blanks (112mm underfoot) on laborious pack as a result of I wish to faux I am Izzy for a day.Test POWDER tomorrow, Monday, November 10, 2025, for our subsequent Weekly Ballot. See ya there!
Associated: Editor’s Picks: The Greatest Backcountry Touring Skis of 2026
