The Stance 90 from Salomon represents the narrower end of their family of all mountain chargers. "Crafted to charge, shaped to carve" is the tagline, and as the narrowest model, the Stance 90 ought to be the carviest of them all with an 18 metre turn radius.
The construction certainly gives confidence in the tagline; a poplar wood core, with a titanium frame and carbon flax should inject both power and responsiveness. The titanium is cut out in a narrow window, which reduces the severe stiffening effect that Ti can sometimes have and maintains the pop of the wood and carbon; as the rep described it "It's Salomonised!"
Given how well the Stance 96 has scored in our test, it's impossible not to compare the two models. The Stance 90 is probably more accessible in that it is a more traditional all mountain size/shape and therefore easier to get onto an edge so is suited to the majority of resort-focussed skiers.
But it has quite a different feel to its bigger sibling. It runs soft and smooth and forgiving in chopped-up off piste terrain, but then seems to really stiffen up on the hard pack and hold a very solid edge. And once you crank it over hard, it finds a lovely tight turn radius too.
The Stance 96 just edges it in terms of fun and all-round performance, but the Stance 90 is a super versatile ski that will have mass appeal - and rightly so.
Buy Salomon Stance 90 Skis: £540 at Snow & Rock
