They say a product is a promise made, but a brand name is a promise kept. For quality brands to stay relevant for generations, it has to consistently deliver or overdeliver on the performance of its products to survive and thrive.

When you consider athletic apparel brands, such as Lululemon and Nike, or even other industry brands, such as Microsoft, the one thing they all have in common is that their products are so compelling, a consumer continues to buy from them year after year. Whether it's yoga pants, running shoes or Windows, the brand name behind the product is a signal of quality, innovation and satisfied customers.

In our search for the best set of skis, we considered many factors. From speed to responsiveness, performance tends to correlate strongly with brands like the ones that adorn our 10-best list. For this criterion, the higher the score, the better we, and the community of buyers have judged the manufacturer to be. Whether it's great products, innovative features, stylish designs or great value, each brand on our list has something to offer you.

Although the edges of a ski may seem insignificant, they can affect your performance by a landslide. The radius of the sidecut will determine your ability to turn and pivot: the smaller the sidecut radius, the tighter their turns will be. Similarly, a larger sidecut radius will make larger turns; however, don't assume that the radius size signifies the actual radius of your turns - it's more like the maximum radius the turn could be.

Recently, new technology has been used in skis where the radius of their sidecut changes along the length of the ski. This provides skiers with one turn radius when leaning their weight forward, and another when leaning back.

Another factor is the sharpness of the edges. Those that are smoother and sharper provide more edge control, as they cut more easily into the snow. Ideally, a good pair of skis comes with sharp edges, but these will likely wear out and become dull with time. You can check their sharpness by simply dragging a fingernail across the edges. If the edge can scrape a bit off of your fingernail, that's a good sign. However, if they're too dull, don't assume your skis are ruined and immediately rush to the store. You can sharpen the edges yourself. We explain this in more detail in the FAQ below.

For this criterion, a higher score means the ski likely is sharper with a smaller sidecut, allowing for increased speed.

As a general rule, stiffer skis are more responsive. This renders them easier to control at high speeds as well as provides better edge hold in hard-packed snow; however, they are also much less forgiving and are prone to mistakes, since they will respond to very small inputs that may be accidental. This is especially likely for beginner skiers who are not yet familiar with skiing. It's also harder to release an edge hold with stiff skis, which makes it harder to recover from a mistake.

If you're a beginner or are planning to ski on inconsistent terrain, it is much better to opt for a softer, more flexible ski. These are less responsive and are also suitable for tricks. Overall, it's crucial to consider stiffness about your skill level so that you can pick a pair of skis that can serve you best.

For this criterion, a ski that scores higher is stiffer and more responsive; however, it is also less suitable for beginners.

Picking the right ski size is no easy task. There are no formulas or magic tricks that will tell you the exact measurements perfect for you, as different factors such as terrain, snow type, and personal preferences all play a part in your decision. However, height and weight are used as a reference and can give you an idea of what to look for. Generally, you want to find a ski that, when upright, comes up somewhere between your chin and the top of your head.

A shorter ski is ideal for beginners. These are easier to turn and to maneuver but provide less stability. In terms of turning, these will allow you to make short, quick turns but won't go very fast, thus rendering them ideal for skiing at a shorter length. As well, if you weigh less than average for your height or prefer a camber profile, a shorter ski might be for you.

On the other hand, skis that are longer are excellent for speed. They won't allow you to turn as quickly but will give you great stability that is perfect for all mountain skiing. They tend to be harder to maneuver and control for beginner and intermediate skiers but could be suitable for more advanced skiers. Also, if you're physically heavier for your given height and prefer rocker, it may be better to opt for the longer skis.

The higher the score on this criterion, the longer the ski is, resulting in increased performance, speed and maneuvering; however, higher scores on this criterion also mean less suitability for new skiers.

Value can be loosely defined as the sum of what you get from a product divided by the amount of money you have to pay to acquire it. In the context of skis, you might consider the factors in our criteria section as part of the sum of what you get. Features like speed, responsiveness, style, durability, and ease-of-use all calculate into the joy you get from your new set of skis. The question is: is what I am about to pay worth what I am about to acquire? That's exactly what this criterion was designed to evaluate.

It's important to remember that value is not the same as cost. A set of skis that cost half the price of the other may, on its face, seem like a better deal; however, if those skis don't perform, or get damaged after a few uses, your cost-per-use is higher than the pricier skis that bring you performance and bliss year after year.

In this criterion, a higher score means that we've judged the skis in question to deliver a higher level of performance, ease-of-use, durability or some other benefit, for a lower long-term cost than a competing product on this list. But don't forget: while we can rank each of these skis in a general way, you are a unique buyer, with different skill levels or preferences than someone else. Our ultimate advice to you to make the best choice: think long and hard about what you're looking for in a ski. Don't buy the most expensive if you don't need to, but don't cheap out and regret your choice, either.