At 185cm, the women's-specific Nordica La Niña is extremely versatile considering its size, and enough fun to make Julia Van Raalte finally use the F-word: "Favorite."
The Line Pandora once again impresses us as a women's-specific, true all-mountain ski that offers a remarkable combination of float, stability, and versatility.
From Niseko, Japan, to Juneau, Alaska, the Blizzard Bodacious proved to be a relatively forgiving ski that is awfully comfortable doing 70+ miles per hour.
At 115 underfoot, the women's-specific 2012-2013 Black Diamond Element shines in powder, but it also rips groomers and (with a slightly forward mount position) handles crud.
Julia Van Raalte put the 12/13 Blizzard Dakota to the test in Niseko, Japan. Now, Emily Cleveland weighs in from Jackson Hole on this ski that is "burly and nimble, unlike any ski I have tried before."
Here's another look at the Rossignol Scimitar, with direct comparisons to the Rossignol S3 and Rossignol Experience 98. The Upshot? We're more convinced than ever that the Scimitar is one of the best values in the entire ski industry.
Question: What ski is among the absolute best in its class, yet far too few skiers know about it?
Answer: The Praxis Protest. It's a big ski that deserves to have a much, MUCH bigger following.
The Night Train was built to "dominate deep days," "surf big mountain lines," and throw "huge booter spins," and it does all of that really well. But how versatile is this ski in terms of all-mountain performance? Sam Shaheen weighs in.
The 183cm Volkl Shiro offers a nice blend of versatility and powder performance, but demonstrated some finicky behavior that would likely be reduced by sizing up.
The new GunSmoke is a freestyle-oriented addition to Blizzard's "Free Mountain" lineup, and a very solid addition at that. BLISTER reviewer Andrew Gregovich is sold.