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2024-2025 Volkl M7 Mantra Review

Lucky Number 7.

To be the 7th generation of something is some special business. The Mantra fully deserves this legacy, considering its best-selling status and name recognition around the world. For this iteration of the Mantra, Volkl went to the R&D department and told them to double down on the features that set the Mantra apart in this crowded all-mountain ski scene. While the changes aren’t “overhaul” status, this is certainly a different ski on snow. Dive into our Volkl M7 Mantra Review for all the nitty gritty details, and how these bad boys perform on snow.

2025 mantra series tip shape
The new Volkl Mantra M7 in the classic red and black, with a shot of the new tip shape and carbon design.

Volkl M7 Mantra Review: Field Notes

The all-new Mantra builds upon the foundation of the last few generations of Mantra, with some specific updates. Volkl adjusted the carbon weave in the tips to consolidate the material and make them even more precise and damp. They also adjusted the titanal frame’s flex, to give it a slightly more round flex than something super consistently rigid from tip to tail. Fear not, this ski is still stiff.

volkl m7 mantra rocker profile
The rocker/camber profile of the M7 Mantra.

Most notably, Volkl changed the sidecut design on this ski. Known for their 3D Radius, they’ve decided to one-up themselves with 4 Drive Radius. They’ve changed the sidecut in the front end of the ski to have two radii, in addition to the radius underfoot and in the tail. It’s most noticeable looking at the tip of the ski—the width is quite a bit wider compared to older generations, where the older ski is fairly straight through. That tighter sidecut gives you more adaptability to different turn shapes, something we loved quite a lot about the M6.

I have a long history with Volkl. A 2015 Volkl Kenja was my first ski ever, and boy did it kick my butt as a beginner. I avoided the metal Volkl skis for some time as a result. But when I got on a more modern Kendo at one of my first ski tests, I fell in love. I actively sought out Volkl at demo days to get on their skis, and after getting my very own Volkl Secret 102 last fall, that became my daily driver for 23/24. I’ll ski it anywhere, except for deep powder days.

I ski most skis in the mid-170s comfortably, but I ride the Mantra in the 170cm length. I find with the limited rocker and stiff construction, the skis runs pretty true to size. Advanced skiers should shoot for their height, and more cautious or newer riders can go shorter.

Groomers

Yeah, this ski rips groomers. No need to overcomplicate this point. It just flat out, rips. Despite being in the all-mountain category, this ski carves a groomer like it is a heck of a lot narrower. Yes, it’s stiff and stable, but what sets the Mantra apart on groomed terrain is how it feels when you hit higher edge angles. It feels like you can stand on top of it, there’s so much torsional rigidity in the midfoot of the ski. It encourages you to try for a harder carve. Although Volkl tweaked the metal frame, they managed to not lose any power or support for aggressive skiing. The updates keep the flex smooth and round throughout the ski, not like a rigid plank.

We’ll hammer this throughout the review, but it is the most notable design change, and we noticed it across all terrain types. The redesigned tip shape and 4 Radius sidecut design make a difference in a couple of ways on trail. First, it feels more precise. The wider tip design feels like it locks hard onto the snow, and the tip stays completely planted once you lay that turnover. You pick where the ski goes, and it stays there. There’s zero chatter in this new model. On the other hand, that turn flexibility is still there. You can take a million short radius turns, then seamlessly open things up for long radius turns.

carving on volkl m7 mantra review
Matt McDonald shows us how to carve on the M7 Mantra. | Photo: Casey Day

There’s also more energy in this new M7. The older version had some life, but it took a heck of a lot of input to find it. In this model, I think the rebound coming out of a carve is there when you’re railing, but also when you’re at some slower speeds. When we hit some crowded slopes at Vail and I dialed things back to navigate the crowd responsibly, the Mantra was still engaging and fun.

Bumps and Trees

A good rule of thumb is the stiffer and less rockered the ski, the more difficult it will be to ski in tight terrain. The Mantra certainly follows this pattern, as it wants a more directional skier to drive the tips even through tight bumps. But the Mantra (and really the whole Mantra/Kendo series) has always been deceptively maneuverable in this terrain. Because of the low-slung camber and rocker (it has very little splay), it feels somewhat “swivel-y”. It’s not “slashy” in the sense you can easily pivot the ski sideways with a centered stance, but if you have pressure on the shovels, you can swing the ski around more easily than you might expect.

It’s a pretty unique feel compared to the other metal laminate, directional skis in this category like the Nordica Enforcer 94 or the Blizzard Anomaly 94, which use higher camber profiles for energy, and a little more tail rocker and splay to release tails in tight terrain. Those skis feel like they want you to find more traditional turns, no matter the terrain. The updates to those skis this year help massively in being more maneuverable and skiable, but they still have that traditional, fall-line, directional feel.

skiing bumps on the m7 mantra
Finding turns in steep bumps at Crested Butte in the spring. | Photo: Matt McDonald

To me, the M7 has a lot of the same character as the M6 in this terrain, just more refined and precise. The tweaked metal construction prevents the ski from feeling planky or clunky. Volkl did a tremendous job keeping the stability and the dampness of the ski, while giving you an almost unperceptable amount of flex that just keeps the ski feeling lively and smooth. Not like a rigid plank beneath you that you have to haul around.

That said, this ski asks for strong technique when it comes to moving through this tight terrain. You can pick your way through tricky bumps or tight trees, but the ski comes alive if you keep pressure on the shovels. If you don’t, you might feel a little like the ski is skiing you.

Mixed Snow and Powder

One more time around the block, but the redesigned tip shape enhances performance in these snow conditions, too. A part of their sidecut black magic, with a wider tip that feels more precise, the M7 is more capable of slicing through chopped snow. The previous model is pretty darn straight, which doesn’t lend itself to the most “floaty” in deep snow compared to some other models. Skis like the Dynastar M Pro 94 and the Rossignol Sender Soul 102 have much more float in soft snow in the ~100mm underfoot category. If this is your one-ski quiver, and finding good float in deep powder is a priority, some of those other models will do you right.

Compared to the Enforcer or Sender Soul, the Mantra doesn’t feel quite as “damp”, or “plush”. It doesn’t feel as shock-absorbing mixed snow compared to those skis. The ride isn’t as quiet. That said, it’s still very much predictable, and I think cuts through mixed snow well. And on the flip side, I find the Mantra to be more energetic than those models, so it just depends on what’s important to you. I also find this version, with the adjusted metal flex, to do better than older versions in this kind of terrain.

While it may not be supremely damp in soft chop, it is damp on firm, scraped-off snow. Try the Mantra 102 for better suspension in mixed snow—there’s not a more damp option for mixed chop (in my humble opinion). The extra surface area does a lot to improve the ride when conditions are softer.

mantra selection
A shot of the full Mantra collection—if you like the sound of the Mantra but need it for bigger terrain, check out the Mantra 108 (which replaces the Katana 108).

Downside?

A ski’s strength can almost reliably be the downside. The Mantra thrives with a solid, directional, “front of the boot” pressed forward stance. In that sense, it’s not the most forgiving in tight terrain or for the blossoming skier. I’d suggest something like the new Dynastar M Pro 94, or the K2 Mindbender 99 Ti as something that has some metal in it for power and stability but is much more forgiving for progressing in bumps. It’s not unwieldy for someone with solid technique, but this wouldn’t be my recommendation for someone graduating to green terrain.

As noted above in the mixed snow section, I think the Mantra doesn’t quite charge or feel as planted when moving through some mixed snow chop conditions as some other skis in this class, but it certainly feels predictable. So, there’s no real love lost there, for me.

Volkl M7 Mantra Review: Bottom Line

The Mantra does all the things that you want this ski to do. Feel planted, feel predictable, all with superior control in a variety of snow conditions. But why the Mantra brought such a smile to my face was how it felt distinctly unique. The precision combined with the energy, the unexpected maneuverability combined with locked-in carves, there’s not another ski like the Mantra. It sounds like just another metal all-mountain ski. But to me, it’s not. This 7th generation Mantra largely feels like a Mantra, but just, better. It’s dialed, precise, and holds its own in a crowded category.

Considering the performance on firm snow, I think the Mantra is best suited for advanced skiers who like a ski in this width for versatility, but prioritize edge hold on firm snow and carving. And, for skiers who like a metal ski, but want to try something with a little different flavor.

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