If you prefer back bowls to congested runs--no matter what the snow conditions--Rossignol's Phantom SC87 is your quiver-of-one companion. While some wide backcountry rides float well in untracked, these same skis chatter and flutter on hardpack at speed. The Phantom SC87 incorporates precision carving performance with freeride characteristics for better stability all over the mountain. It features a lively wood core for excellent feedback and superb power transmission from your boots to your ski edges. Up front you'll find Rossignol's distinct Shark Nose tip with an aluminum insert added for better torsional rigidity. This additional reinforcement helps keep the nose steady at high speeds, even when you're blasting through the broken crud that others left in the backcountry weeks ago. To dampen vibration throughout the length of the ski, the Phantom SC87 has two layers of titanium inside the modern sandwich construction, so you enjoy the stability without a lot of excess weight--and weight is always a key factor if you have to hike up part of the mountain to reach the back bowls. If you're looking for one ski to take you all the places you went when you could afford three skis to match all snow conditions, Rossignol's Phantom SC87 is the right call in these challenging economic times.