2014/15 RAMP Beaver Skis: MSRP is $949 but they can be found at RAMPsports.com for $619

Available in 159cm, 169cm, and 179cm 

The Good: These skis hold an edge on groomers better than many other all-mountain skis

The Awesome: The Beavers truly shine in choppy conditions as their stiffness underfoot really busts through crud

The Questionable: Um, have you seen their name?!

When you’re called the Beaver, you’ve got to be an excellent ski to overcome your namesake, right?

We hit up the post-blizzard conditions at Keystone Resort for a weekend of inbounds testing on the RAMP Sports 2014/15 Beavers. Modeled after the award-winning Groundhogs, the Beavers are simply a women’s specific version that are identical to their male counterpart with the addition of a sassier top sheet.

Unfortunately, the most recent storm had passed the mountain four days prior, so our testing conditions were limited to groomers, softpack, supportable crust in the trees, and some decent chop. Straight off the lift, I was in awe of how well the Beavers held an edge. We scored first tracks down the backside of the mountain, and I immediately noticed the solid grip as we carved through the corduroy. I tend to hesitate with new skis until I get a feel for them, but the Beavers encouraged me with their confident edging. RAMP claims that these skis have “no speed limit”, and we wholeheartedly agree. I found myself enjoying the solid carving while pushing my speed.

The Beavers are definitely an aggressive ski for hard charging women; these planks will likely dominate the beginner skier who is just getting a feel for life on the snow. However, they felt relatively forgiving when I slid into a backseat stance: the softer tips gave me a bit play to keep crushing downhill. We also noticed that the longer tails made quick turns a bit more work when compared to the ease of the larger, GS-style turns. I tested the skis out on a series of bumps and it took some serious effort to whip the entire ski around the mounded snow.

I would still love to test these skis in some serious powder, big-mountain conditions, but alas, we had to get the Beavers back to their home in Park City. Overall, these skis would be great for an intermediate-advanced skier who is looking for an all-mountain option for her one-ski quiver. If you are searching for a pair of skis to do it all, the RAMP Beavers are definitely worth looking at!