Expert Comparison: Völkl Blaze 86 W Skis · Women's · 2023 vs Blizzard Black Pearl 88 Skis · Women's · 2024
VS
Side by side comparison | Out of stock | Final sale |
|---|---|---|
Price | $329.99 40% off | $244.99 50% off |
User rating | -- | 5(10) |
The Curated Take | -- | Best for intermediate to advanced women skiers who prefer groomed runs. |
Ski type | All Mountain, Freeride | All Mountain |
Skill level | Intermediate, Advanced | Intermediate, Advanced |
Rocker profile | Rocker/Camber/Rocker | Rocker/Camber/Rocker |
In the world of women's skis, two models stand out: the Völkl Blaze 86 W Skis and the Blizzard Black Pearl 88 Skis. Both are designed for intermediate to advanced skiers, offering versatility, agility, and a fun skiing experience. The Völkl Blaze 86 W Skis are praised for their lightweight design, suspension tips and tails, and full tip-to-tail wood core, making them perfect for backcountry skiing. On the other hand, the Blizzard Black Pearl 88 Skis are known for their stability, easy turn initiation, and excellent performance on groomers. Both skis are great all-mountain cruisers, but the Völkl Blaze 86 W Skis are slightly wider and more agile, while the Blizzard Black Pearl 88 Skis are more groomer-oriented. The final verdict? It depends on your skiing style and preferences. If you're into backcountry skiing and love a lively, lightweight ski, go for the Völkl Blaze 86 W Skis. If you prefer groomers and want a ski that's easy to turn and stable at high speeds, the Blizzard Black Pearl 88 Skis are for you.
The Völkl Blaze 86 W Skis are designed for women who crave versatility and agility on the slopes. These skis are perfect for handling demanding terrain, speed, and long curves. They feature a lightweight design and suspension tips and tails, offering composure, increased flotation, and protection off-piste. The full tip-to-tail wood core provides ease in ascents and a pleasurable descent.
These skis are a versatile all-mountain cruiser, offering forgiving turn initiation in various snow conditions. They provide good float in deeper snow and allow for agile and quick edge-to-edge transitions on firm snow. The Blaze 86 W Skis are lively and lightweight with good pop, making for a fun skiing experience.
The Blaze 86 W Skis are a bit wider than the Blizzard Black Pearl 88 Skis, making them a great all-mountain cruiser even if you never put climbing skins on. The tip rocker aligns with a more traditional all-mountain sidecut profile, allowing for forgiving turn initiation in less than ideal snow, while still letting you carve like a traditional carving ski when you get to the corduroy.
No titanal makes the new Volkl Blaze 86 a more lively ski with lower weight and more pop. Three side cuts let the ski perform short turns while being able to maintain a long high speed carve. Slightly flaired out tips and tails give the ski plenty of float in off piste conditions and be able to handle some powder. It's lightweight tip to tail wood core also makes it an appealing backcountry option at around 1300 grams per ski.
No titanal makes the new Volkl Blaze 86 a more lively ski with lower weight and more pop. Three side cuts let the ski perform short turns while being able to maintain a long high speed carve. Slightly flaired out tips and tails give the ski plenty of float in off piste conditions and be able to handle some powder. It's lightweight tip to tail wood core also makes it an appealing backcountry option at around 1300 grams per ski.
Völkl Blaze 86 W Skis · Women's · 2023
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The Blizzard Black Pearl 88 Skis are a popular choice for women skiers who want a versatile ski that excels on groomers. With a 88mm waist width, they provide stability and strength, making them suitable for a range of turn radii. These skis are not ideal for expert skiers who want a more responsive and powerful ski, or for those who prefer off-piste skiing.
The Black Pearl 88 Skis are rocker-camber-rocker, and they are more directional than their bigger sister, the Sheevas. These skis excel on groomers and in light powder. They are incredibly smooth thanks to the Flipcore technology, which is proprietary to Blizzard.
One of the cool features of these skis is called Trueblend technology, which means in the varying lengths of the ski, the stiffness is adjusted. So, a smaller female ski will be softer than what you would find in the 170 version of the ski.
They held up really, really well at high speeds. They were also able to get through narrow trees and, at slower speeds, do some tighter turns—which is why the ski is really cool for any level of skier. You can go as fast or as slow as you want on this while remaining in control.
They held up really, really well at high speeds. They were also able to get through narrow trees and, at slower speeds, do some tighter turns—which is why the ski is really cool for any level of skier. You can go as fast or as slow as you want on this while remaining in control.
Blizzard Black Pearl 88 Skis · Women's · 2024
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Similarities
Both the Völkl Blaze 86 W Skis and the Blizzard Black Pearl 88 Skis are designed for women skiers who are at an intermediate to advanced level. They both offer versatility and agility, making them great all-mountain cruisers. Both skis are praised for their performance on groomers and their ability to handle a variety of snow conditions. They both feature a rocker-camber-rocker shape, which allows for forgiving turn initiation and excellent carving properties. Both skis are also lightweight and responsive, making them a joy to ski on.
Differences and Who They're Good For
While both skis are versatile and agile, they cater to slightly different preferences and skiing styles. The Völkl Blaze 86 W Skis are slightly wider and more agile, making them a great choice for backcountry skiing and those who love a lively, lightweight ski. They are perfect for women who want a versatile and agile ski that can handle demanding terrain, speed, and long curves.
On the other hand, the Blizzard Black Pearl 88 Skis are more groomer-oriented and are known for their stability and easy turn initiation. They are a great match for an intermediate to advanced woman who enjoys skiing on groomers and wants a versatile all-mountain ski for East to West skiing.
Analysis on Who’s the Winner
When it comes to versatility, both skis perform well, but the Völkl Blaze 86 W Skis take the lead with their wider design and agility, making them perfect for backcountry skiing.
In terms of performance on groomers, the Blizzard Black Pearl 88 Skis excel with their stability and easy turn initiation.
For lightweight and responsiveness, both skis are on par, offering a lively and fun skiing experience.
Finally, for durability and long-lasting use, both skis are highly praised, but the Völkl Blaze 86 W Skis are noted for their full tip-to-tail wood core, which adds to their durability.
Conclusions
In conclusion, both the Völkl Blaze 86 W Skis and the Blizzard Black Pearl 88 Skis are excellent choices for women skiers who are at an intermediate to advanced level. They both offer versatility, agility, and a fun skiing experience. However, the Völkl Blaze 86 W Skis are slightly wider and more agile, making them a great choice for backcountry skiing and those who love a lively, lightweight ski. On the other hand, the Blizzard Black Pearl 88 Skis are more groomer-oriented and are known for their stability and easy turn initiation. Ultimately, the choice between the two will depend on your personal skiing style and preferences.
