Initial Review: Blizzard Bonafide Skis

Short Review: Blizzard Bonafides are the best skis I've ever ridden.

If you're getting the idea that this is going to be a positive review, you're dead on. Picked these up at Sun & Snow Sports at the end of the season last year. This really started after how much I love my Volkl RTM 84 rockered skis. I've tended to have one mid-fat (84mm or so) ski and then one larger ski (100mm+) for fresh snow. I was quite happy with my prior Line Prophet 100's. I was generally pretty happy with these skis, though they were clearly primarily a powder ski. Really didn't handle Midwest hardpack all that well, and chattered insanely at speed on the hockey rinks of Michigan, plus turn initation wasn't especially great. My new Bonafides are 2013/2014 models, but the only difference are updated graphics (I prefer mine over this year's).

After a lot of debate, I settled on the Blizzard Bonafides in the 187cm length. I had some concern these would be too long, but also read that most rockered skis tend to ski shorter than their length would suggest. Also, my Volkls are 171's and I really wanted something longer for more stability at speed and in crud. As it turns out, my concerns were unwarranted. Turn initiation is easy and powerful - these are easier to turn than my 181cm Line's. Thank you rocker!

My main impression of these skis after a day at Caberfae Peaks on Saturday is that they're FAST. It's super-easy and comfortable to get up to warp speed on these beasts. And it's not that they're an uber-stiff speed ski, they just seem to encourage you to go fast because they're so smooth and strong. They feel rock solid at speed and cutting through crud. I'm really eager to get them out on some big terrain out West. Not to mention some deep pow!!!

They'll also throw down short radius turns surprisingly well. I got on them pretty hard in some tighter stuff on Saturday and they rocked it out. Easy turn initiation and reasonably tight radius. They're not mogul skis, but I'm no longer a mogul skier.

In reading some online reviews I've most frequently heard them compared to the Volkl Mantra. Most reviews mentioned the Mantra's stiffer tail as better for finishing turns on hardpack. I really didn't find this to be an issue for the Bonafides. Even when I really got on the tails at the exit of a turn there was no sign of wash-out. Perhaps it's just my skiing style, but it really wasn't even noticeable.

In the 30+ years of skiing, these are hands-down the best all-around boards I've been on. I've owned some legends over the years, but nothing that compares to the Blizzard Bonafide. I hesitate to use the term "one ski quiver" but these might just qualify.

-Sean-  

Product Review: Volkl RTM 84 Ski

As mentioned previously, I scored a solid deal on a pair of Volkl RTM 84's. Thanks to some nice storm action in NW lower Michigan, I was able to get out for a day yesterday. I'd expected a mushy, slushy Michigan Spring day that wouldn't tell me much. To my surprise cooler temps, cloud cover, and 17"of new snow in a few days, I got to find out more about my the skills of my new boards.

Any outing on a new ski is always interesting. The first couple of runs are always chaos. I usually find it takes me a half day to settle down and figure them out. But these bad boys didn't take long.

But first a few words on why I needed new skis. OK, maybe not needed...

In recent years the trend toward rockered skis has been described as a revolution. Starting with Shane McConkey's Volant Spatula, rocker was quickly found to be more than just a trick to float powder boards. Today you're seeing rocker in nearly every ski from beginner to expert models. This has had me thinking maybe an all-around ski upgrade was in my future for my K2 Public Enemies.

On a recent trip to Colorado, my buddy Dan is skiing a pair of the Volkl RTM 80's and raving about their performance in nearly every condition. After the fact, I discover that another friend has been on a pair of the same skis for a little over a year now and feels the same about his.

What I'm looking for is an all-mountain ski that I can use most of the time in Michigan and take out West for an annual trip. It should do a reasonable job on Michigan hard-pack (be honest -- nothing short of a full-on race ski handles ice and I'm just to old for that shit). It should also handle crud, and be able to make the occasional venture into some powder - I've got my Line Prophet 100's for the truly deep. I won't ski bumps anymore, so that's not an issue. And I'm finding that what I truly enjoy is high-speed cruising with long, swooping GS-type turns. I want speed, smoothness, and easy turn initiation.

I got all that. And more. By mid-day, I'm rocketing down the steepest things I can find, linking effortless turns. Smooth, fluid, and completely in control. This is really something I was looking for in a ski -- the ability to ski fast without thinking about it. The Volkl RTM's deliver this and more. I opted for the wider 84 both because I was looking for a wider ski (personal preference) and because I thought this would give me some advantages in fresh snow. I was a bit concerned I might sacrifice some manueverability, but that doesn't seem to be the case. The titanium in the ski seems to really help it hold a solid, chatter-free edge, even on boilerplate.

While gathering my thoughts about these skis, I thougth I should really say something about the integrated Marker iPT WideRide 12 bindings. So, ummm, they're pretty. And, uh, they're integrated. Seriously, over the years I've owned a lot of the "hot" bindings of the day - Marker MRR "turntables", Look's, Salomon 747 Equipe's, Tyrolia 390RD's - and they're well all just fine. I've really never found much that made a binding either exceptional or poor for me. Are they easy to click into on the hill after a yard sale? Do they stay on when I want them to and release when I don't? Cool. I'm good. These Marker's do what they should, and look cool doing it. 'nuf said.

I'm looking forward to many more days ripping up the mountains of the West and the molehills of Michigan on these sweet boards. Highly recommended.

-Sean-