Volkl Attiva 4* - Although relatively inexperienced with five weeks' skiing under my belt, I have been graded by my instructor as higher intermediate to advanced in technique level. I'm also writing as a very small and light lady, for whom a female-specific ski is appropriate. I bought a 147cm size as I am short, and decided to buy because rental shops have almost no choice for a skier of my size and level. I chose Volkl because my husband has the 5* skis, and because talking to various ski shops, the Attiva 4* emerged as the clear choice of their advisers.

These were the first pair of long skis that I have bought, and the first thing that struck me was the stunning looks that buck the trend - no little girlie pictures, hearts and airbrushed pictures, but a lovely white ski with gold stripes and gold/red stars, and colour-keyed white bindings. I skied on them at the Snowdome and for a week in fairly slushy spring snow conditions. My preferred skiing is fast on-piste (I'm not really one for off piste or tricks).

Their performance is excellent. They are not a beginner ski; that is, you must be in control of them, or they will catch an edge and may flip you. But they do reward your efforts - the harder you push them, the better they seem to work. They really come into their element when you are either doing really hard carved turns (hand-down style) but I've also found that they are absolutely excellent for steered fast slalom-style turns with rapid changes from edge to edge. Fortunately, this is what I love doing! It is truly gratifying to leave parallel score marks in the snow! Unlike rental skis I've used, I haven't reached the limit where you push harder and they start to twist or skid, or lose the edge. They are fast, and with an 11m turn radius on the 147's, feel like you are really pulling some G on the turns. They also schuss pretty well for a carving ski, without the twitching associated with some skis.

I haven't tried them off piste, but the on-piste moguls we encountered (red and black runs included) meant I needed to use them for moguls too - and they were fine. You need good/subtle edge control for this - they don't skid as easily as a beginner ski, but that isn't what they were designed for, but if you want to do this, they will skid and you can get down pretty difficult bumpy slopes on them.

I don't really have any dislikes at all - they are exactly what they say on the tin. They are a female-specific on-piste ski suiting a lighter and shorter skier, and designed for upper intermediate/advanced technique. I can't say what a heavier, taller or stronger skier would make of them - for somebody like me lacking the weight and strength to bend a stiffer unisex ski, they are absolutely ideal. I doubt I will out-ski them for a long time to come. I can't praise them enough for what I do. I suspect if you like all-mountain, tricks or powder, they won't be your thing.