Black Diamond Helio Carbon 88 Skis

Meet the 2026 Helio Carbon 88, Black Diamond’s latest answer to fast-and-light mountaineering missions. If you’re someone who’s stomping up switchbacks before first light, eyeing steep couloirs, traversing glaciers, or just refusing to be held back by weight on the ascent, this ski gets you there—and still lets you have fun on the way down.

This version has been overhauled: BD has tweaked the pre-preg carbon fiber layup to deliver better dampness, more torsional stiffness, edge control, and consistency versus the previous generation. The paulownia wood core stays, so you still get excellent uphill efficiency, but the updated laminates paired with full-perimeter 5 mm beveled ABS sidewalls give you more grip, less chatter, and more confidence when conditions get icy or chattery. The early-rise tip helps with float and breaking soft snow, while the ABS tail protector plus integrated skin-clip notch increases durability and makes your skin rig more secure. Graphics are fresh, but the real tweaks are inside.

On snow, the Helio Carbon 88 rides like a laser-focused specialist: snappy in hardpack, precise on steep couloirs, solid when frozen, and responsive when you need to pivot. It’s not built for bottomless powder or full-blown float, but it surprises in softer snow if you're moving. You’ll feel light on the climb, but have enough stiffness underfoot that speed, control, and stability on the descent aren’t afterthoughts.

This is a ski for advanced backcountry skiers who chase vertical, embrace technical terrain, and demand a quiver-tool that won’t slow them down uphill. If you mostly ride deep powder or want maximum float, something wider will suit better. But if your goal is long tours, steep ice, alpine faces, or objective days where grams counts but so does ski performance, this is a killer pick.