Volkl M7 Mantra W Review

This generation of the M7 Mantra W is a bit more forgiving than its predecessors, yet it remains firmly in the “serious charger” category. It's happiest beneath strong, confident skiers who can push it hard. The notable technology is Volkl's 4-Radius Drive, which incorporates four different sidecuts into the ski for improved adaptability across various turn shapes. In practice, the ski still feels like it favors a medium to longer arc, but the added versatility is welcome and marks an improvement over older iterations.

Stability at Speed

The M7 Mantra W thrives at high velocity, regardless of snow surface. Whether carving across firm groomers, slicing across wind-scoured hardpack, or charging through post-storm chop, it remains calm and composed. Our testers were impressed by how steady it feels underfoot, noting that this ski avoids the tip flap common in many all-mountain designs. It grips confidently on firm snow, earning just as much praise for security on icy slopes as it does for charging at top speed.

Still, this isn't a model that forgives lazy skiing; if you back off, it feels quite demanding. It's a ski built to tip on edge and move fast, and when pushed, the M7 Mantra W delivers that “locked-in” sensation that inspires complete confidence. However, if you're an intermediate skier who's not yet confident making big, fast, purely edged turns, this ski is likely more than you're ready to handle.

Even the pro skiers on our test team appreciated that the M7 Mantra W manages to be more forgiving than recent versions, yet still provides the classic stability fans of this ski have long loved. One tester commented that she was hearing the mantra, “I've got you,” as she confidently carved down the mountain.

Carving Ability

The M7 Mantra W carves medium-to-large radius turns with tenacious edge grip. Her first run on it, our lead tester joked, “It feels like you need a two-factor authentication to get it to let go of the turn!” The M7 Mantra W rewards solid body movements and dynamic skiing – when skied well, it feels brawny.

For skiers who enjoy laying their skis over on edge, the M7 Mantra W offers serious edge hold and rewarding feedback. Thanks to a refined flex profile, turn initiation is smoother than in prior models. However, it still demands deliberate movements to carve well. Dynamic medium and large-radius turns are its strong suit, where it feels solid and powerful; shorter-radius turns still require considerable effort.

The payoff for this effort is a carve that feels energetic and stable, provided you have the skill and strength to flex the ski. The M7 Mantra W isn't the easiest for casual cruising, but for advanced and expert skiers who love feeling a ski come alive under pressure, it's deeply satisfying.

Turn Radius

By averaging the turn radii built into Volkl's 4-Radius Drive design, they claim a relatively short turn radius of 15.2 meters. Our testers collectively disagree, saying it consistently felt closer to 18 meters. Perhaps much heavier skiers could make it flex that tightly. But it's much more natural to carve a larger radius turn, where the power of the M7 Mantra W is unleashed.

Women who are familiar with previous versions will find that the M7 Mantra W requires less force to flex, giving it a much more responsive feel when the pressure is released, which aids in turn initiation. Volkl has traded in their standard motto of “chew it up, spit it out,” and the mantra of this new model is much more Kumbaya.

Powder Performance

In deep snow, the M7 Mantra W is an interesting puzzle to unpack. To score this metric, our testers typically first ask the simple question, “Does it float?” and then build from there. But this ski led them to ask, "Why is it floating in some turns and not others?"

We discovered that if we stuck with a more traditional technique for powder skiing – a pivoted short turn with a narrower stance – then the M7 Mantra W didn't resurface regularly enough. However, when we made medium-to-large radius turns with higher edge angles, the M7 Mantra W consistently returned to the surface.

Waist Width

The 96 millimeter waist isn't enough to keep the M7 Mantra W afloat. In the oft-used short turn, your momentum won't build enough pressure to flex the ski for adequate rebound. If you feel comfortable making a larger turn to build momentum and pressure, adding in a retraction movement for extra force just before the transition, then you can get the ski to porpoise back to the surface.

This makes it better suited to wide-open terrain, like bowls, where you can let the ski run, rather than tight trees or steep couloirs where quick adjustments are essential. This style will reward confident skiers in big terrain, but for others looking for a forgiving, surfy ride, the M7 Mantra W will be more work than it is fun. We don't recommend it for novice powder skiers or for folks who want to ski deep snow in tight trees or couloirs.

Crud Performance

The M7 Mantra W crushes and bashes its way through chunder of any size or consistency. The torsional rigidity helps it slice through chunky snow, and the powerful yet smooth flex pattern blasts through all but the very worst frozen conditions.

However, you can't just jump on this ski and expect it to do all the work for you. The M7 Mantra W requires a confident driver to reap the benefits of its design. Try to make flat-ski skidded or short turns in crud, and you'll lose all the benefits of the stiff construction, likely resulting in a bumpy ride in the backseat. The M7 Mantra W rewards fast, aggressive skiing – you'll get out what you put in.

It's not the kind of ski you bounce from turn to turn with and simply skip across the chunder — it's weight and stiffness don't lend themselves to a playful approach. However, if you drive it hard, it will effortlessly smash through any crud with authority. Skiers willing to attack crud at speed will appreciate its no-nonsense stability.

Terrain Playfulness

At over 8 pounds per pair, the M7 Mantra W isn't built for agility in the air or quick pivots. It lacks the lively pop of more playful skis we tested, and its heft makes it harder to get airborne or flick around. That said, its improved flex pattern has added a touch more rebound and responsiveness over previous versions, giving it just enough energy to feel engaging when carving hard.

Instead of playful tricks or buttery moves, the fun here comes from sheer speed and control — the thrill of powering down steep runs and charging through broken-up snow is exciting for strong skiers. For expert frontside carves, that kind of precision and reliability can feel just as rewarding as lighthearted playfulness.

There is also the heady fun of figuring out how to ski the M7 Mantra W in powder effectively. Just as a difficult Sudoku is much more entertaining for experienced players, this mystery will be more engaging for advanced to expert skiers.

Bumps

In moguls, the M7 Mantra W's preference for longer, edgier turns is a definite drawback. It can weave through medium-sized, softer bumps if you carry speed and adopt a wider stance, but in tight zipper lines, its stiffness and proclivity for turning on edge make it difficult to maneuver.

The M7 Mantra W was much more tolerable in slushy spring bumps where forgiving snow softened its bite, but less so in firm, technical mogul lines. While not unusable in bumps, it's clear the ski wasn't designed with them in mind.

Should You Buy the Volkl M7 Mantra W?

If your skiing style leans more toward speed than finesse, the M7 Mantra W will be a powerful partner. It thrives on power, stability, and commitment; it's best suited for skiers who want to arc long, fast turns with rock-solid edge hold. It's less comfortable making quick, skidded turns in tight trees or zipper-line moguls, so you'll need to accept some trade-offs in maneuverability. But for advanced to expert skiers who love to charge hard, the M7 Mantra W delivers unwavering confidence and a commanding ride.

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