I'm trying to decide among the Mustagh Ata, Manaslu, and BD Aspect for occasional resort days, but primarily ski mountaineering. At 5'8" and 155, I'm looking at the 166-169 cm range. Any thoughts?

Of those three skis I would recommend the Manaslu. It is the widest of the bunch at 95mm undefoot, plus it has a little bit of tip rocker. That combination is really going to help you out breaking trail and skiing in fresh snow. All three of these skis are really light, and the heaviest of the three will still feel paper light. The advantage to the two Dynafit skis is they are predrilled so you can swap your dynafit bindings in and out. A huge advantage if you have multiple skis and when traveling to save on weight. The manaslu is one of the most versatile touring skis out there when it comes to skiing in various snow conditions. The manaslu is the way to go.

Thanks, Sandy. I ski primarily in New England, with forays to the Cascades and an upcoming expedition to the Alaska Range. I guess I'm looking for one ski to rule them all.

Hmmm...It depends alot on where you are skiing (snow conditions / depth) and how aggro you are. For light weight and a super-slick skin attachment I would go with either Dynafit. Also, at these weights, I would lean toward the Manaslu for the increased width. But, I live in UT where it comes in pretty deep and light! All three are good sticks. As for the size, if you really are primarily ski mtnrg with them, you are right on target. This short will get a little funky if you push them at the resort. Enjoy!