BlizzardBabe
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I did not expect to love this ski the way I do. It is an 85 width and I'm skiing the 159. So far I've had it in eastern ice, soft snow, and crud/mixed conditions (including that windblown crust that forms over ungroomed man-made whales). We don't have legit bumps yet, but maybe this weekend . . .
The VB is very playful which is something I really love in a ski and haven't experienced since I skied a very early version of the Volkl Yumi years ago. At the 159 length the turn radius is 14, but super tight turns are very easy - easier than on my Volkl Blaze 86, which has a radius of 12. This ski has a lot of "traditional" camber and a fairly soft flex (the mantra "Flex It Baby" is emblazoned on the sidewall). Edge to edge is zippy and skidded turns are a no-brainer. I'm finding it a great ski for pivot slips and similar drills. It delivers great performance while also being forgiving - a pretty unusual combo. Simply put, the VB is just downright fun. It would be suitable for intermediates and advanced.
I understand that Black Crows has taken this playfulness and run wild with it in the 2025 Octo Birdie. I hope I can hop on a pair to demo sometime this season. I regret that I can't provide more technical info - I don't know why the construction makes the ski so fun. But it does.
Oh, and did I mention that the pretty blue topsheet w/the neon yellow sidewalls is super splashy? Confession: my Attack 14 bindings match the sidewalls - and, being who I am, I have a 10-year old Spyder jacket that also matches. I just haven't had the guts to wear it yet.
The VB is very playful which is something I really love in a ski and haven't experienced since I skied a very early version of the Volkl Yumi years ago. At the 159 length the turn radius is 14, but super tight turns are very easy - easier than on my Volkl Blaze 86, which has a radius of 12. This ski has a lot of "traditional" camber and a fairly soft flex (the mantra "Flex It Baby" is emblazoned on the sidewall). Edge to edge is zippy and skidded turns are a no-brainer. I'm finding it a great ski for pivot slips and similar drills. It delivers great performance while also being forgiving - a pretty unusual combo. Simply put, the VB is just downright fun. It would be suitable for intermediates and advanced.
I understand that Black Crows has taken this playfulness and run wild with it in the 2025 Octo Birdie. I hope I can hop on a pair to demo sometime this season. I regret that I can't provide more technical info - I don't know why the construction makes the ski so fun. But it does.
Oh, and did I mention that the pretty blue topsheet w/the neon yellow sidewalls is super splashy? Confession: my Attack 14 bindings match the sidewalls - and, being who I am, I have a 10-year old Spyder jacket that also matches. I just haven't had the guts to wear it yet.
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