I’ve never been one to give my gear nicknames, but the new Megawatts (MSRP: $800) from Black Diamond are such a revolutionary change from traditional ski design and functionality, I’m altering my stance. The left one is now called “Emancipation” and the right one “Proclamation,” because these liberating boards make a freeride statement.
With a 125mm footprint (120mm in the shorter version) tapering from a long-rocker 153mm-wide tip, they look like they might be more comfortable behind a boat than in the lift line. But the engineering formula combining a subtle sidecut (15 3/12 5/130) and the rocker-to-flat-camber platform translates to pure powder flotation with surprising nimbleness capable of slicing tight trees and even front- side carving. A solid wood core wrapped in Torsion Box construction provides enough lateral control to break out these floppy-looking powder planks in just a few inches of fresh snow, and the ultra-fat footprint ensures that you won’t be under-gunned when the snow report is measured in meters.
Get it: at .
