This is first and foremost a powder ski. In fact, it's like riding on a couple of surfboards. However, I also use them as my mixed-conditions backcountry ski (as long as there will be some powder in that mix). I think they're great at busting through crust and keeping you above water as well as staying stable while cruising over chunky windpack. Of course your not playing with them in these other conditions, just adequately getting through them to get back to powder. They're especially good at keeping you stable and on top of the snow if you're traveling with a loaded pack. In conditions other than powder, they do take a little muscle and aggressive positioning to handle well as they're a lot of ski, especially for me as I ski 190's and only weigh 170lbs.

Similar Products Used:

k2 world piste and the super stinx, which are thinner but comparable construction and design.

This is the first generation of the Work Stinx.
I've skied it for may years now and here's the skinny.
This is a powder ski. Period. I live in the Tetons and for powder, I look no further.
On piste, I can carve it on soft pack but it takes work and they don't really like it. Hard pack....go home.
Crud busting....hang on.
Again, I have no desire to look for another powder ski.