SKI CANADA TEST 2022
BLIZZARD PHOENIX R14 PRO * WOMEN * ON-PISTE * EDITORS’ CHOICE
BEST FOR: A skier who spends most of her time (but not all) on-piste.
Few skis can please intermediate and experts alike, but the Phoenix emerged, not from the ashes but the fog and fresh snow, to show it’s possible. The women’s equivalent of the Thunderbird retains the carbon plate, double Titanal layers and the progressive flex; it’s stiff underfoot and gradually softens toward the tip. With less beech it’s a little softer, and the binding mount point is shifted forwards. This translates into a more forgiving and playful ski with little loss in performance. “Easy to ski,” said Sarah Hauser. “Fun to rip down the groomers.” When Deanna Papineau wandered off packed runs, she found the strong edge hold transitioned smoothly to predictable bump and soft-snow skiing. “I was confident on it from the first turn,” she said. This ski would be a good choice as an all-mountain ski for strong Eastern skiers and a groomer-day addition to any Western quiver.
LENGTHS: 155, 160, 165, 170, 175
DIMENSIONS: 121/70/102 @ 165
RADIUS: 14 @ 165
OTHER MODELS: R13 TI, R13 CA
SUGGESTED RETAIL: $900
