Stockli Montero AX Review: The All-Mountain Carver That Replaced the Laser AX

Introduction

Stockli has reshuffled its lineup, retiring the Laser AX and the Laser AR in favor of the Montero AX and the Montero AR. For skiers who spent years on the Laser AX, the name change landed with more anxiety than the engineering warranted. The Montero AX is not a different ski in spirit. It is the same roughly 80mm all-mountain carver, refined at the edges rather than reinvented, and it carries forward the qualities that made the outgoing model so popular on firm terrain.

That continuity is the headline. The Montero AX keeps a light wood core, two sheets of metal, and a shape that sits between a frontside carver and a true all-mountain ski. It is also expensive, in the region of $1,300, so the real question is not whether it is good but whether its particular blend of smoothness and versatility matches how you actually ski.

What Changed From the Laser AX

Measured against the Laser AX, the shape change is small. The Montero AX is 2mm wider at the tip and waist, and 1mm wider at the tail, roughly one edge thickness of extra width across the ski. Stacked back to back, that width is about the only shape difference that stands out. Any further change in shape is negligible, and on snow the two skis feel closely related rather than distinctly different.

Rocker is minimal: a very low-splay tip that barely registers until the ski is decambered, at which point it adds a modest amount of rise. Early taper is present and noticeably more pronounced than on race-oriented models such as the Laser GS and the Laser SX, which helps the tip stay composed in variable snow instead of hooking up and reacting sharply.

Construction is similarly close to the outgoing ski, with a few small changes. The core is a light wood build using fuma and balsa, sandwiched between two sheets of metal. The notable update is Flex Torsion Control in place of Turtle Grip.

Flex Torsion Control uses a shorter slit in the top sheet of metal. That shorter cut lets the ski’s torsional stiffness articulate, which puts more of the edge on the snow and produces a smoother feel with easier initiation and release. Turtle Grip, by contrast, extends further into the ski and locks together as the ski flexes, which can make the shovel feel a little stiffer at the start of a turn. The two concepts are closely related, and the practical difference between them is modest rather than dramatic.

Who the Montero AX Is For

The appeal of this ski is its range. It bends from intermediate to expert, and it does not demand speed to come alive. Where some carvers need to be driven hard before they give anything back, the Montero AX rewards at a relaxed pace, which makes it unusually easy to live with for a ski of this quality and price.

It suits a rider whose day mixes firm groomers with moguls and trees, including tree runs without fresh snow. That combination is exactly what turned the Laser AX into a fixture on firm northern terrain, and the Montero AX carries it forward.

Carving and Grooming Performance

On groomers the Montero AX rails GS-style carved turns. The tail is stiffer than the waist and forebody might suggest, and the finish of a turn is genuinely rewarding: the ski loads and releases with energy rather than washing out. That stiffer tail also means the ski does not flatter a backseat stance. Push through the shovel and forebody and it stays supportive; get behind it and it will let you know about it.

Stability holds up once the snow is cut up. In chunked and variable conditions the ski stays smooth and does not deflect, and it never makes you wary of speed. A good part of that comes from the tip shape and the taper, which let the tip articulate over bumpier terrain instead of reacting to every change in the surface.

That mix of carving precision and composure is the core of the ski’s character. It is a fun-loving ski for something with two sheets of metal, and it stays playful without giving up grip on edge.

Versatility and Soft Snow Behavior

The Montero AX handles softer snow without complaint, though it is not the tool most skiers would reach for first when the snow is deep and fresh. A wider all-mountain ski such as a Stormrider 88 is the more natural choice in genuinely soft conditions. In cut-up, chunky and spring-like snow, the Montero AX stays stable and predictable, which is where its versatility really shows.

Moguls are well within its comfort zone. It is not punishing in a bump line, and that separates it from race-derived 80mm skis. A model such as the Nordica Dobermann Spitfire 80 RB also uses two sheets of metal at a similar waist width and feels closer to a race ski, but it is noticeably more demanding once you take it into moguls. The Montero AX trades some of that sharpness for a friendlier, more versatile ride.

Things to Consider Before Buying

The Montero AX is not a race ski, and it does not pretend to be. In a race course it lacks the knife-like precision of a dedicated race model, with less grip and pull out of the forebody. In a recreational race league, where a race ski would normally put a strong skier near the top 10, this ski landed in the mid-to-high teens. That is less a flaw than a description of what it is: an all-mountain carver that gives up race-course bite in exchange for versatility and playfulness.

The stiffer tail is worth factoring in as well. It gives the ski its energetic finish on groomers, but it is not forgiving of a stance that sits back on the ski. Riders still building technique will get more out of it as their fore-aft balance improves.

Price is the other consideration. At around $1,300, the Montero AX sits at the top of the market, and the difference in feel between it and a mass-market ski is real but difficult to put into words. Buyers should be comfortable paying for a subtle quality of ride rather than a headline specification.

Weigh those points against how much of your season happens on firm groomers. The more of your skiing is spent on hardpack, the easier the case for this ski becomes.

Sizes and Binding Options

Sizes discussed for the line include 173, 178 and 183. The 178 is the supportive middle option for a broad range of skiers, while the 183 suits larger or more powerful skiers who want more ski underfoot.

The Montero AX is available as a system with Strive bindings or flat. The system option is worth noting because color-matched Strive bindings are offered for both the AX and the AR, and the pairing looks sharp on the ski. Riders who want to accentuate the flex underfoot may prefer to mount a more free-flexing binding instead.

Buying Advice

Decide based on the snow you actually ski. If your season is mostly firm groomers with occasional moguls, trees and soft afternoons, the Montero AX covers that range with a smoothness and energy that few roughly 80mm skis match. If race-course precision is the priority, dedicated race skis in the same lineup are the better answer and this ski will feel like a compromise. If most of your days are deep and soft, a wider all-mountain ski will serve you better.

Budget matters here too. At around $1,300, this is a purchase to make deliberately rather than impulsively. Buyers who value a refined, versatile ride and who spend most of their time on hardpack will get the most from it. Skiers who want one ski for everything and are willing to accept a little less race-course sharpness will find it a strong single-quiver option.

The most confident buyers here are the ones whose terrain and snow conditions already line up with what the ski was designed to do, rather than the ones chasing the highest possible price tag.

Conclusion

The Montero AX is a careful evolution rather than a reinvention. It keeps the shape and construction character of the Laser AX, adds a small amount of width, and swaps in a metal-sheet cutout that smooths out edge engagement. The result is a light, versatile carver that is happy at moderate speeds, composed in cut-up snow, and capable in moguls and trees, while giving up the precision a race ski would provide in a course.

For skiers whose days revolve around firm groomers with some off-piste mixed in, that trade-off is easy to accept. For anyone who needs race-course sharpness or deep-snow float, another ski in the range will fit better. Buy the Montero AX for the terrain you ride most, and it will feel like money well spent.