Curated Ski Expert Sara Beeken tested the 2023 Blizzard Sheeva 9 at Powder Mountain in Utah this past spring. Check out how it performed, but don’t forget, every skier is different and what works for one may not work for all. If you have any questions on the Sheeva 9 or would like recommendations on what skis would be ideal for your needs, reach out to a Ski Expert here on Curated.

A quick note that we're not sponsored by any brands, so all of these reviews are completely unbiased.

Brand Claims

What does Blizzard claim about the ski?

So the Sheeva 9 is the narrowest of the Sheeva line. This is a really awesome, advanced, free-ride ski on the narrower end. It's going to be a little bit more easy to control than the 10 and the 11.

Overall Impressions

What is your overall impression of the ski?

Blizzard Sheeva 9 first impression was that this is a really fun ski. I skied a little bit longer than I usually do, which I think was a good choice. So, I really enjoyed it. I thought that it was a good, hard-charging ski for advanced women.

Carving

How are they to turn?

They’re pretty easy to turn. Good for longer radius turns. I could do a few short ones, but it definitely did better with longer turns.

What is the edge hold like?

It does have titanal underfoot. That's what helps it on the groomers. It's going to give you a really good stiff edge hold and hold up well at speed.

How is it at speed?

Because of the titanal, it's going to be better at higher speeds than some other skis.

Any chatter in the ski?

They really struggled only when I started making some really big GS turns. There was some chatter because they're a little bit softer than I would want for that.

Freeride

What would the ski be in powder?

We didn't really ski any powder today, but I have a feeling that these would do all right in some soft snow. It’s not going to float quite as much as the Sheeva 10 and 11 in powder, but it is going to do better on the groomers, and it's going to be easier to make quick turns on. They're a little bit narrower than the other Sheevas. So, I think on a deep powder day, you might not want something this narrow, but they were really good for what we just did.

What terrain is the ski ideal for?

It’s really versatile. The best terrain for these skis, in my experience, was the trees, the groomers, and even the little bit of bumps we got into. The ski has some tail rocker in it, which is why it did so well in the trees and the bumps. They were really easy to turn pretty quickly, even though they're a little bit longer for me. I think they're a really good introduction to trees and maybe off-piste skiing.

What type of terrain to avoid?

If you're regularly skiing a few inches of powder, I'd probably go with the Sheeva 10 or the 11.

Recommendations

Who would you recommend this ski to?

So for an advanced woman looking for a free-ride ski that's a little bit narrower and maybe better for bumps and quick tree turns, this is a really good option. They're definitely a little bit more aggressive than the Black Pearl line.

Who would you not recommend this ski to?

I would not recommend these to a beginner. Most intermediates would probably do better on the Black Pearl line than the Sheevas, but it's not totally out of the question. Skis work differently for different types of skiers. So if you'd like help finding the right pair of skis for your needs, reach out to Sara or another Ski Expert on Curated for free, personalized recommendations.