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Volkl built the Blaze series to be a more playful and more approachable lineup than its very popular all-mountain set of skis, i.e. the Mantra and Kendo. While those skis sport a Tailored Titanal Frame that makes them quite burly on groomers and firm snow, the Blaze has a simple wood core and only a Titanal binding reinforcement plate underfoot. As such, the Blaze has a much softer and more forgiving flex and a more playful attitude. Volkl also markets the Blaze as a hybrid capable ski, meaning it is light enough to do double duty as a touring option too. On groomed runs, the Blaze certainly did not have the Mantra's magnetic edge grip, but they held firmly at most speeds. I did, however, feel some chatter in the tip at higher speeds. I did like how the Blaze performed off-piste, though, where its softer flex offered a more dynamic ride. Whereas the Mantras and Kendos felt punishing and unforgiving in moguls and more variable snow, the Blaze was poppier and more lively, as well as much more friendly to my knees. The Blaze is a nice option for skiers looking to get into touring but don't want to buy two pairs of skis; they are sturdy enough for resort skiing, but still light enough to go uphill.
- The Volkl Blaze is best suited as a hybrid ski for a skier looking for a ski capable of both resort skiing and touring.
- The Blaze is a much softer and more playful ski than its Volkl all-mountain siblings, such as the Mantra.
- The Blaze is relatively light for an all-mountain ski, making it more nimble and lighter on the legs.
- The Blaze is not as confident on firm snow as other stiffer, heavier all-mountain skis.
- The Blaze can carve up to medium speeds, but at higher speeds the tip is prone to chatter.
The Völkl Blaze 94 Skis are the perfect choice for freeriders who want to ride free without any restrictions but with full control of a sporty all-mountain design. The Blaze series adds yet another dimension to the idea for intuitive freeriders who appreciate a playful ride coupled with agile and sporty maneuverability. With its lightweight design, this ski offers outstanding performance in almost any condition.
Key Features:
- Titanal binding platform: A 0.3 mm thick Titanal binding platform provides direct power transfer and a fast pressure build-up from one edge to another, resulting in faster and more direct reactions in narrow and rough terrain.
- Suspension tip: The elasticated, rubbery material on the tip and tail acts like a bumper in wind-blown or tracked conditions, improving resistance to disruption and providing fantastic flotation.
- Hybrid multilayer wood core: The three different radii together with the tip-to-tail hybrid multilayer wood core adapt to any riding style how ever ambitious.
- Lightweight design: Weighing only 1,546 g (@ 179 cm), these skis are also used as freeride touring skis.
This product has been awarded:
- The Volkl Blaze is best suited as a hybrid ski for a skier looking for a ski capable of both resort skiing and touring.
- The Blaze is a much softer and more playful ski than its Volkl all-mountain siblings, such as the Mantra.
- The Blaze is relatively light for an all-mountain ski, making it more nimble and lighter on the legs.
- The Blaze is not as confident on firm snow as other stiffer, heavier all-mountain skis.
- The Blaze can carve up to medium speeds, but at higher speeds the tip is prone to chatter.
Why did you choose this product?
I wanted to test the Blaze because it is part of what has become the fastest growing lineup of skis in the market: the hybrid ski. More and more brands are building skis designed to work both in the resort and in the backcountry, and I am very curious to see how they all stack up against each other. Its very easy to simply claim that a ski can work in the backcountry, when in truth, many skis are much too heavy to do any serious touring on. So I was eager to see whether the Blaze 94 could live up to Volkl's claim of it being capable of both types of skiing.What was your favorite moment with this gear?
My favorite moment with the Volkl Blaze 94 was when I got into some packed powder that was leftover from the last storm. I had most recently been testing the M6 Mantra, which is an incredibly powerful ski, but when I took it off-piste into more bumpy terrain, it proved to be very harsh on my buddy and not very easy to turn. But the Blaze was a completely different story; the ski had a very poppy feel and allowed me to bounce effortlessly off of moguls and into my next turn. The light construction of the skis made them much easier on my body. Volkl has had a reputation for a very long time of producing very stiff, very demanding skis, so it was quite a treat to find out that they can still make playful skis as well.What do you love about this product?
More skiers these days are looking for a hybrid ski; a ski they can slap a Salomon Shift on and ski it in the resort, but also take it for the occasional lap in the backcountry. And I think that's awesome. What's tricky is finding the right ski to do so. Most downhill skis are far too heavy for sustained hiking uphill, and most touring skis are too light to ski the firmer resort snow. But the Blaze does a great job of finding that balance, and that demands respect. The Blaze is quite light, which makes it easy on the uphill, but it can still carve confidently on a groomer at the resort. In comparison, I can barely hold an edge on a groomer on my touring skis. So its very impressive that Volkl, in their first crack at a hybrid ski, did it so well.People love curated experts















