The Ski Podcast

We review the Best Skis for the new 2027 winter season, covering the best piste skis, best all mountain skis and freeride skis. Host Iain Martin was joined by The Ski Podcast’s equipment expert Al Morgan and Frazer Shand from Profeet Ski Boot Lab.
Les 2 Alpes sponsors The Ski Podcast, which means this winter we will be finding out more about the resort’s long seven-month ski season, the great activities on offer there in summer, and some of the people who live and work there and make Les 2 Alpes such a fantastic destination.
This special equipment episode has been made possible by the Profeet Ski Boot Lab.
Go to www.theskipodcast.com or our YouTube channel to see graphics of all of these skis. 
SHOW NOTES

Iain and Al will be at the London Snow Show in October (2:15)
Listen to Iain’s interview with Tim Wall (4:00)
Best Skis of 2027 means the best skis of winter 2026/27 (4:30)
What are the different types of skis (6:00)
What is a ‘rocker? (8:15)
Listen to Iain’s Zag Skis special episode (10:45)
What is meant by ‘side cut’? (12:00)
How long should your skis be? (15:15)
Is sustainability still important in ski production? (19:45)
Listen to Iain’s interview with Jono from Ronin Skis (21:45)
When and where did testing take place? (24:00)
SIGB is the Snowsport Industries of Great Britain (24:30)
Testing women’s skis (29:15)
How much do bindings cost? (31:45)
The Best Piste Skis – reviews (33:30)
Profeet will be stocking the Atomic Volant 7000 this winter (38:00)
The Best All Mountain Skis – reviews (42:00)
Zag Mata (44:00)
The Best Freeride Skis – reviews (54:45)
Listen to Iain’s interview with Bode Miller (49:45)
Free tickets to the London Snow Show (1:03:30)
Snowblades – good or bad? (1:05:00)
REVIEWS: THE BEST PISTE SKIS OF WINTER 2027

Salomon S/Max No 12 (35:00)
£690 including bindings
Lengths: 150, 155, 160, 165, 170cm
Radius: 14.0m @ 160cm
Dimensions: 120-72-105mm
“A smooth ski, and a lot of fun and will be great choice for intermediates as well as advanced-level skiers.”
Rossignol Hero MT TI C.A.M. (37:00)
£700 including the NX bindings
Lengths: 154, 162, 170, 178, 184cm
Radius: 14.0m @ 170cm
Dimensions: 128-73-111mm
“I was gobsmacked as to how good it is. Great in shorts and longs, with a sublimely smooth and damped ride. Easy to initiate turns, yet you can go full guns blazing.”
REVIEWS: THE BEST ALL MOUNTAIN SKIS OF WINTER 2027

Faction Dancer 89 Ti (45:15)
£629 without bindings
Lengths: 153, 159, 166, 173, 179, 185cm
Radius: 18.0m @ 179cm
Dimensions: 126-89-115mm
“For an advanced skier, this is phenomenal. It provides confident purchase through the edge, with plenty of stability when skiing hard and the terrain is skied out.”
Armada AntiMatter 92 W (47:00)
£600 without bindings
Lengths: 156, 164, 172cm
Radius: 16.5m @ 164cm
Dimensions: 130-92-116mm
“A ski that can comfortably handle pretty much any conditions thrown at it.”
K2 Mindbender 88 (50:150)
£595 without bindings
Lengths: 164, 170, 176, 182cm
Radius: 17.0m @ 182cmm
Dimensions: 129-88-113mm
“Ridiculously smooth and doesn’t chatter or try to lay flat. Truly fabulous, although the graphic won’t be to everyone’s taste.”
REVIEWS: THE BEST FREERIDE SKIS OF WINTER 2027

Dynastar M-Pro 98 W (55:15)
£625 without bindings
Lengths: 154, 162, 170, 178cm
Radius: 16.0m @ 170cm
Dimensions: 133-99-123mm
“Just one of those skis that felt addictive to ski and constantly made you want another run. Who wouldn’t want that ski?”
Blizzard Canvas 100 (58:00)
£560 without bindings
Lengths: 162, 168, 174, 180, 186cm
Radius: 17.5m @ 180cm
Dimensions: 132-100-120mm   

“I love this ski. Despite the lack of metal, it is damp, provides a smooth flex and ride, and has enough power for giving it some beans. It’s also easy to use at lower speeds and surprisingly nimble in tighter terrain.”
FEEDBACK (1:04:00)

You can leave a comment on Spotify, Instagram or Facebook – or you can drop me an email to theskipodcast@gmail.com. We’re also on WhatsApp.
Louise Cotter: “Episode 325 was a story of pure determination and fabulous listen!”

Yousef: “Top ski podcast that gives you a smell of the mountains. I’ve been enjoying listening to it this summer and looking forward to the winter.”

Max Martin: "Great snow sports news. Just the best ski and snow sports podcast going. Always listen to these and learn something new. Interviews and reports from all over the world."

anon: “I've listened to every podcast now and enjoyed them all. Looking forward to the driving to the Alps which you mentioned, as it will be my first time driving there with an EV.”

There are 327 episodes of The Ski Podcast to catch up with. Just go to theskipodcast.com and search around the tags and categories: you’re bound to find something of interest.
If you enjoyed this episode and would like to help the podcast, there are three things you can do:

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Save yourself some money on your ski hire by using the code ‘SKIPODCAST27’ when you book at com. You’ll get a guaranteed additional discount, or simply take this link for your discount to be automatically applied.

Today we discuss the BBC’s cancellation of ‘Ski Sunday’, find out SnowWorld’s network of European indoor snow centres and discover more about one of the important institutions of UK skiing: the Ski Club of Great Britain.
Host Iain Martin was joined in the studio by Katy Ellis, General Manager at the Ski Club of Great Britain and Wim Hubrechtson, CEO of SnowWorld, and down the line by Chemmy Alcott and Freddy, Zak and Luca Carrick-Smith.
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 Les 2 Alpes sponsors The Ski Podcast, which means this winter we will be finding out more about the resort’s long seven-month ski season, the great activities on offer there in summer, and some of the people who live and work there and make Les 2 Alpes such a fantastic destination.
———
SHOW NOTES

Les 2 Alpes is going to be title sponsor of The Ski Podcast this winter (0:30)
Iain and Katy were at the industry event ‘Ski Launch’ (1:30)
The BBC announced  that they are not renewing ‘Ski Sunday’ (6:15)
Chemmy Alcott spoke with Iain about how she found out and her plans are now (7:45)
The Ski Podcast sponsors Zak, Freddy and Luca Carrick Smith (13:30)
They recently scored a unique family clean sweep at the NZ National Champs (13:45)
Zak Carrick Smith will be at the London Snow Show this year (15:45)
Secure your free tickets for the London Snow Show here (16:00)
Use this link ‘SSLSATPOD100OFF‘ for free Saturday entry to the London Snow Show
Use this link ‘SSLSUNPOD100OFF‘ for free Sunday entry to the London Snow Show
Iain founded Natives in 1999 (18:30)
Katy’s first job after ski seasons was with the Ski Club (19:30)
She then moved on to Ski Solutions (21:00)
Katy became ‘Head of Holidays’ at the Ski Club in 2022 (22:00)
This year in 2026, she became General Manager (23:00)
The Ski Club’s Freshtracks programme covers over 60 resorts (23:30)
Ski Club reps (25:00)
In Episode 212, Lou Cameron Hall shared her experience of doing the reps course (28:30)
SnowWorld operates in 11 sites across 5 countries (33:00)
There are 2.2m Dutch and Belgian skiers (36:00)
Laadgraaf is 650m long (39:30)
The Snow Centre merged with SnowWorld (39:00)       
The SnowWorld slopes are very popular with race teams in summer (40:30)
SnowWorld’s sustainability goals (42:15)
EV slope groomers (45:00)
Feedback
You can leave a comment on Spotify, Instagram or Facebook – or you can drop me an email to theskipodcast@gmail.com. We’re also on WhatsApp.
Olek Pitsul “Episode 324 was great! As an apprentice at Snow Camp, it was fantastic to hear about our work and impact highlighted here. Thanks for a brilliant feature, Iain!”

Louise Cotter liked Episode 323: “Very insightful. For anyone even slightly interested in skiing, I highly recommend The Ski Podcast. It is highly addictive and super informative.”

isaben enjoyed Episode 314 about Zag Skis: “I love ZAG - I have a pair of Slap 92's and Harfangs and can't get enough of either of them!”

Ben Wharfe:” I’ve been a long-time listener to The Ski Podcast and often listen to episodes with my son James, he is 15 and just starting year 11 to complete his GCSEs.” 

There are now 326 episodes of The Ski Podcast to catch up with: just go to theskipodcast.com, have a search around the tags and categories and you’re bound to find something of interest.

In today’s special episode we meet Andrzej Bargiel, the first person to ski Everest without oxygen.
In September 2025, Andrzej went viral, after Red Bull released footage of him summitting and then skiing down Everest – the world’s highest peak – without any extra oxygen. 
To put his achievement into context, around 7500 people have summited Everest, but fewer than 200 have managed to do it without supplementary oxygen – and absolutely none of them have skied back down as well. 
We discuss Andrzej’s journey from a tough childhood in Poland, via first skimo racing, and then high mountain adventures, to how he became the only person to ski K2 from the summit and then the only person to summit and ski Everest without supplementary oxygen. 
Andrzej spoke in his natives language of Polish, so in this conversation, you’ll hear his words translated by an actor.
SHOW NOTES

Watch the full 30-minute version of Andrzej’s historic descent (0:30)
If you are really pushed for time, you could watch the one minute version  
Andrzej is the ninth of 11 children (2:45)
Swapping table tennis bats for skis (2:45)
Getting into ski touring (4:15)
The ‘Hic Sunt Leones’ (‘Here are lions’) project (6:00)
Learning to function with little oxygen (7:30)
Attitudes to risk (8:30)
Previous attempts on Everest in 2019 and 2021
Why September? (11:00)
Reaching the summit (14:00)
Negotiating the Khumbu icefall (16:45)
Equipment for Everest (18:30)
Everest, K2 and Nanga Parbat - which was the hardest to climb and the hardest to ski? (19:45)
FEEDBACK
You can leave a comment on Spotify, Instagram or Facebook – or you can drop me an email to theskipodcast@gmail.com. We’re also on WhatsApp, where I release exclusive material ahead of each episode there. Look in the Show Notes for those links.
Matt Hayes: “Thank you for the content over the summer, some truly inspiring interviews. Also, for the free ticket for the snow show. We got so much out of it last year and booked our hotel as soon as the dates came out, so the free ticket certainly helps.”
Colin Tierney: “Episode 323 was very interesting: disabled skiers impress me so much.”

Jake Roskoe: “I really enjoyed Episode 235, when you spoke with Nancy Shiel from Big Sky Resort in Montana”
There are now 325 episodes of The Ski Podcast to catch up with. Just go to theskipodcast.com, have a search around the tags and categories and you’re bound to find something of interest to listen to.
If you enjoyed this episode of The Ski Podcast (which took around 10 hours to produce!), you are welcome to buy me a coffee too at buymeacoffee.com/theskipodcast

We learn how a new retreat in Chamonix is creating opportunities for inner city young people, find out what’s going on at this year’s Northern Snow Show and we have the latest snow news from Australia and New Zealand. 
Host Iain Martin was joined in the studio by Laura Marriot-Clarke, founder of the Chamonix company, Girl Powder Mountain Retreats and Morv Bett, Head of Snowsports and Futures at Snow Camp, and down the line by Matt Robinson, Head of Events at Snow Centre Manchester, Rachael Oakes-Ash from snowsbest.com and Guy Beatson in Whakapapa, NZ. 
SHOW NOTES

Find out more about the AJ Bell Three Valley Rally (3:30)
Rachael Oakes-Ash from snowsbest.com is the ski expert on Australia & New Zealand (3:45)
Guy Beatson is based at Whakapapa in New Zealand (6:00)
Episode 312 is a special interview with Rachael (7:30)
Iain spoke with Matt Robinson about the Northern Snow Show (7:45)
Book a Premium Ticket for the show (10:00)
The London Snow Show takes place at Olympia on 17 and 18 October (12:45)
Take this link for your FREE Saturday tickets to the London Snow Show
Take this link for your FREE Sunday tickets to the London Snow Show
Snow Camp featured on the podcast most recently in Episode 249 (14:00)
Iain fundraised for Snow Camp in 2025, visiting all five of the UK’s indoor snow centres in a single day (14:15)
Amirra Blackwood discussed her journey in Episode 249, working for Ellis Brigham and SCGB (18:00)
Girl Powder Mountain Retreats are based in Chamonix (20:00)
The Snow Camp ‘Impact Retreat’ in Chamonix (24:45)
Dates and Costs of the ‘Impact Retreat’ and how to book (30:00)
Snowcamp was included in the list of Top SME Apprenticeship Employers in the country (31:30)
Snowheads is a great online snowsports community (33:00)
Feedback
You can let us know your feedback by leaving a comment on Spotify, Instagram or Facebook – or send an email to theskipodcast@gmail.com. We’re also on WhatsApp, where we release exclusive material ahead of each episode there. 
Layne: “Just listened to Episode 322 - interesting as always”

russ e: “Really enjoyed the interview with Stu Brass. I went on a few of trips with the chaps from the Snowboarding forum from which SCUK was born.”
 
ster: “I must take exception with Rob in Episode 318 who stated that the ‘main resort’ in the Aosta valley is Courmayeur” 
There are now 324 episodes of The Ski Podcast to catch up with. Just go to theskipodcast.com, have a search around the tags and categories and you’re bound to find something of interest.

We find out about the increasing options available for disabled skiers and snowboarders, plus we look at the results of a new survey full of revelations, including the increasing role of AI in choosing holidays and some controversial views on fondue!
We also have a special update from New Zealand from Team Carrick Smith and news on summer in La Plagne. 
Iain was joined in the studio by Virginia Anderson, CEO at Disability Snowsport UK and Simon McIntyre, Managing Director at Iglu Ski.

SHOW NOTES

Simon was last on the show in Episode 217 (1:00)
Iain skied the last day of the season in Chamonix in May (3:00)
The Ski Podcast sponsors Zak, Freddy and Luca Carrick Smith (3:30)
They are currently based in Roundhill in New Zealand
The summer ski areas in both Zermatt and Saas Fee have closed (5:50)
The ice tunnel that leads from the Aiguille du Midi out to the arete closed last week 
Iain reported from Les Arcs in summer in Episode 254 (7:00)
Jen runs the website ‘That’s La Plagne’ (7:15)
Barriers to skiing for disabled people (12:30)
The new DSUK Hub at The Snow Centre Manchester (14:00)
Recruiting and training adaptive instructors (15:00)
Listen to Iain’s interview with paraplegic snow groomer Antoine Motillon in Episode 15 (18:30)
What does a genuinely accessible ski resort look like? (20:00)
What can resorts do to make a difference (21:30)
Standout resorts doing a good job (22:45)
In Episode 303, Alice Sainsbury from ‘un/para/ld’ on improving outdoor clothing for disabled people (25:00)
Iglu helps raise funds for DSUK (27:00)
Read the Iglu Ski Survey (30:30)
5% go long-haul (so USA, Canada, Japan) with most in Europe (31:30)
There’s been a big jump in people using AI to research ski holidays (32:30)
20% of people book ‘at the last minute’ (35:00)
7% see their carbon footprint as being the most important factor in choosing how they travel (36:00)
Find out more about train travel at skiflightfree.orgois (37:00)
Apres-ski - clubbing at altitude v a hot tub and a sunny terrace (38:30)
Toffee vodka v. Aperol spritz v. vin chaud v. beer v. wine (39:30)
Tartiflette beats fondue (41:00)
Feedback
You can let us know what you’ve enjoyed this week or ideas for future features by leaving a comment on Spotify, Instagram or Facebook – or you  can drop me an email to theskipodcast@gmail.com. We’re also on WhatsApp.
Ed Hopkins: “Such a good idea” [Soberski in Episode 322]
 
Colin Tierney: “Maybe it’s due to the age I started skiing but I never drink on a skiing holiday. I’d rather be safe on my skis as I would be with driving, so no alcohol the night before.”

Louise Cotter: "The knowledge I am gaining for listening to your podcast is phenomenal. I absolutely love Benjamin Coombes concept of soberski - this holiday sounds incredible. Well done on sharing his journey.”

If you do enjoy the podcast, you are welcome to buy me a coffee too at buymeacoffee.com/theskipodcast

There are now 323 episodes of The Ski Podcast to catch up with. Just go to theskipodcast.com, have a search around the tags and categories and you’re bound to find something of interest.