Review: Völkl Secret 96

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Völkl has long been known for making stiff, hard-charging skis that allow ex-racers to play around while still holding that edge. Their skis also make those who never raced feel like they did. Wide and surprisingly floaty enough to hang in fresh snow while still narrow enough to drop a hip nice and low on groomers, the newly updated Secret 96 is a ski you can trust to get you down any way you choose to go and in most conditions.

In a nutshell:

• Lengths Skied: 163, 170 cm

• Stated Weight: 1835 g (163cm)

• Stated Dimensions: 139 / 96 / 121

• Stated Sidecut: (R1) 23 m, (R2) 37 m, (R3) 13.7 m, (R4) 18 m

Size, Shape, and Construction

The 2025 Völkl Secret 96 features their new 4-Radius Drive technology not found in any of Völkl’s other skis (except its brother, the M7 Mantra). However, the exact numbers change from size to size of the ski. The radius in the front is 10 cm of the ski and ranges between 21-25 meters to engage the skier’s edge instantaneously, allowing more precision. The second radii engages between the shovel and binding of the ski ranging, between 33-40 meters to provide high-speed stability. An approximately 15-meter radius under the ski’s binding allows for even more agility and the ability to confidently make tight, pivoty turns when the edges are released. The ski’s moderately wide fourth radius engages from just behind the binding through the tail of the ski and provides the skier support as they transition from one turn to the next.

The Secret 96 boasts a very wide tip width of 139mm and tail width of 121mm, giving it a lot more capability in fresh snow than one might think for a 96 mm underfoot ski while still retaining its ability to carve as well as one would expect any Völkl ski to.

Lastly, the Secret 96 comes in a pretty wide range of sizes, especially for a women’s specific ski, ranging from a very short 149 cm to 177 cm. That variety of sizes is a pretty sweet perk for skiers who often find themselves between sizes or settling for a little longer or a little shorter than they’d like in a ski.

Where does the Völkl Secret 96 shine?

The Secret 96 shines pretty much exactly where you think it will. Put these babies on edge, let ‘em rip, and you’ll feel like you’re Mikaela Shiffrin. Hit some more variable snow going top speed? No worries, the Secret 96s will hang on tight for you and dampen any of those weird chunks and crud you might find between storms. Want to venture off-piste and ski some moguls like your knees are made of rubber? Take the Secret 96’s. Able to maneuver quickly with that short middle-of-the-ski turn radius and really hang on that edge, these skis will do just as well off-piste as on.

“I could go over bumps basically without feeling them. If you go fast and you are aggressive with the ski, you can get some really nice carves,” said one tester of the confidence these skis inspire. For what comes across as just another stiff Völkl carving ski, the Secret 96 is a much more all-mountain-friendly option for those who really know how to drive it.

Where does the Völkl Secret 102 make some compromises?

With as much stiffness and stability as the Secret 96 offers, there’s often compromise in a ski’s playfulness. In most conditions, the Secret 96 is essentially made to do one thing—hang on at high speeds for aggressive skiers. This is a great thing for a ski to do, and for those looking to carve groomers and ski really aggressively, it’s a fantastic ski. But for skiers looking to pop off features, engage any part of the ski that’s not an edge, or spend time in the park, the Secret 96 is likely going to feel a bit monotonous.

“It felt like I was just riding 2x4s. Really, really stiff and no shape to the ski, so you really have to be aggressive with it if you want to have control,” said one tester. As we said, it’s a compromise. There are certainly things that make the Secret 96 a super fun ride, but it all depends on what style of skiing you’re looking to do.

What would a perfect day on the Völkl Secret 96s look like?

You’re at the mountain early to drop your kids off for ski school and can finally go rip groomers at your own pace: fast. You head up the lift and queue ABBA’s “Gimme, Gimme, Gimme” and crank the volume. Once you drop into some AM-groomed cord and put your Secret 96s on edge, you forget completely about the two ACL surgeries you had while racing D1 and are flying down the mountain without a second thought. By the time the hill is crowded enough that you don’t want to be on groomers anymore, you’re ready to go for a couple of runs on some chalky moguls and get the heart rate up before you do remember you’ve had two ACL surgeries. As you cruise to the base of the mountain, you’re thankful that the Secret 96s still let you ski as fast as you want while maintaining an edge.