You’ve moved past the rental line and are ready to buy your first pair of skis—but with so many options out there, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. Good news: there’s no such thing as a bad ski anymore. But there is such a thing as the wrong ski for your ability level.
If you’re still working on technique and building confidence, skip the stiff, high-performance models that top the list of expert reviews. The best skis for intermediate skiers are designed to be forgiving, stable, and easy to turn—helping you progress faster and have more fun on the mountain. They’re also priced more affordably and often come with bindings included, lowering the barrier to entry for this expensive sport.
To help you find the best ski to build your skills and confidence on the slopes, we teamed up with the experts at SKI—who test more than 150 models each season—to round up the best intermediate skis of 2026.
The post The 5 Best Skis for Intermediates and Bargain Hunters appeared first on Outside Online.
