About this Review: This review is my honest opinion of the skis, which I purchased with my own money in September of 2022.

My take

The Blizzard Bonafide 97s are geared towards advanced to expert skiers who use the entire mountain as a playground, specifically those who venture off-piste and on more technical terrain requiring a ski as strong as the skier.

About the skis I own

• Model: 2022 Blizzard Bonafide 97 Skis
• Size: 171cm

About me

• Height: 5’11”
• Weight: 240 lbs
• Experience: 25+ years of skiing

Test conditions

• When I bought these: September 2022
• Days tested: 20 days
• Mount position: Manufacturer-recommended/traditional mounting
• Boots: 2019 K2 BFC 100
• Boot Size: 28.5
• Bindings: Marker Squire 11 (100 brake width)
• Where I’ve used it: Washington, Colorado
• Terrain: Off-piste, groomers, moguls, steeps, fresh powder

How they perform

What I was looking for

I needed to find a new all-mountain ski that would allow me to go off-piste but still hold up to some speed without chatter. My main objective was to find a high-performance ski that was not soft and could stand up to my aggressive style.

Why I chose this gear

I liked that the Bonafide is not a soft ski and had some weight to it without being too heavy. I also wanted a ski that was not too narrow underfoot, and at 97mm, these hit my sweet spot for an all-mountain ski. I also read reviews that they were fun and playful despite their weight. Lastly, I own other Blizzard skis and love how they perform. So I feel connected to the brand and the quality of their products.

What I love about them

• Speed: I have a great pair of wide powder skis (Rossignol S7s) for touring and those deep powder days that, when put on any hardpack, would chatter, especially at high speeds. My objective was to find a ski that would not do that, and the Bonafides are designed to be able to handle a bit of speed without the loose noodle of a wider ski. So while these are not carving skis, they do carve.
• Edge hold: The edge hold on the Bonafides is decent, especially in a short-radius turn. The tip shape allows for an easy ability to roll from edge to edge and engage the length of the ski. It’s very fun on all types of terrain.
• Turns: Turn initiation is fun and easy at all speeds. I am very happy I decided upon a ski with a bit of weight to help facilitate short-radius turns mixed with long-radius turns.
• Groomers: I really enjoy how these perform on groomed runs. Part of the reason I wanted a new all-mountain ski was to have something capable of performing consistently on the way to the chair to get to the next powder stash.
• Powder: I did enjoy a great day at Mt. Bachelor with free refills all day on my Bonafides. They performed nicely in a lighter powder and also in some heavier chopped-up variable snow.
• Trees: I was able to ski them in nicely gladed trees with about five inches of fresh snow, and loved how easy and playful they were to turn.
• Moguls: These skis offer great stability in variable sizes and shapes of moguls. They were flexible enough to pop in and out of each turn.
• Park: I feel the Bonafides would do okay in the park; however, they are not a park-specific style ski. Their stiffness and weight would not make them ideal for that situation.
• Backcountry: These would be a decent ski for the backcountry and would perform great in variable conditions.
• Durability: So far, the ski has been very durable. I've found no issues with the topsheet or noticeable damage to any part of the skis, even after skiing very challenging terrain.
• Weight: I find the weight to be just right for me. I am not a small person and require a ski that can keep up with my ability to power the skis. This being said, I found them to be lighter than I expected.
• Switch riding: I did not ride these switch, but I do feel that they would perform nicely with the shape of the tip and tail.
• Stability: I do not feel chatter in these skis, which is something I love about them. I rode these at variable speeds and did not feel them chatter—slow, medium, or fast.

Issues I’ve encountered

• Powder: The only issue I have is that they do require a bit more fresh snow than I saw this season, but I have other skis for those types of conditions. I would not consider these carving-style skis; these skis are made for those days when I have fresh snow and am hitting off-piste on each run. If I am skiing on hard-packed snow and carving, I prefer to ski my Blizzard Quattros and reserve my Bonafides for those dreamy powder days. When I did encounter less-than-perfect conditions, the Blizzard Bonafide was still a fun ski, I just would not ride them on icy days since the edge hold would be difficult based on their width.

Favorite moment with this gear

I had an excellent day at Mt. Bachelor, Oregon, in early April. It was a day that had the lifts on wind hold. There was only one lift operating, and no one around, so I spent hours on my Bonafides. With free refills all day and empty runs with powder up to my knees, it was amazing. Every run was effortless, with creamy, soft, ice-cream turns. On that day, I think I fell in love with them. I think I can still hear myself giggling.

Value for the money vs. other options

I am not one to cheat on equipment; I shop for quality items that fit my needs knowing that I am investing long-term into a sport I love. I have no regrets about spending my money on my Bonafides—they’re worth every penny, and I cannot wait for the snow to fall next year to ski on them more.I don’t feel another option currently on the market would fit my needs better, no matter the price. If I were to compare these with another ski, I would look at the Head Kore 93, as this was another ski I had thought about purchasing, with similar attributes to the Bonafide. My Bonafides are the 2022 model, but my understanding of the new 2023 Bonafide is that they are unchanged structurally with a refresh on the graphics to include a bit more of that classic Blizzard orange coloring. If a ski works, why change it?

Final verdict

My final verdict is that these skis rock. Every time I have skied on them, they have brought me to new levels of fun. I highly recommend them to anyone looking for a ski that will elevate their skiing in all mountain areas—especially West Coast skiers who often find themselves in fresh powder or even in cascade concrete.