Looking like the tip rocker is a little shorter. Picture impression or it is really not as far back towards the toe as it used to be?
I’ll let you know for sure once we get them side by side, but it didn’t seem to me that the rocker lines had been decreased / had changed.
What I came away with above all is that the flex patterns of the Spur, Bodacious, Cochise and Bonafide were beautiful / beautifully consistent and strong.
And I’ll have to confirm later, but it seemed to me that the shovels of the 15/16 Cochise were, perhaps, slightly stiffer than the 14/15s. Pretty excited to ski all of these.
Thanx for the pics***
Is the Brahma staying the same for next year (besides a slight graphic change)?
Sure thing. And yes, the Brahma stays the same.
The Bones’ tip taper is nailed. I’m not so sure of the Bodacious’, I love buttering the tips but those look a bit crust penetrateey for my taste.
I still ride my original Bodacious on the deep days and I fine that old taper slices nicely through the crud while planing up appropriately.
So long as their flipcore performance remains, I’ll be a Blizz man for most of my quiver.
Do you think the new tips will allow the Cochise and Bodacious to continue to blow through crud and chop the way the old version did?
Answer: Don’t know.
Good news: We’ll be able to answer this question very soon…
Blizzard has absolutely nailed their ski line. I wasn’t a believer until I got a bonafied 2 years ago. I have since moved on to a 193 Cochise and 187 Brahma –> absolutely killers skis. I would love to try a bodacious one day.
I totally hear ya. I took a chance last year a got a Bonafide. I liked it so much that a month later a got a Brahma which I think is by far the best all mountain ski. It does everything well with style. If I was going to have one ski only, the Brahma would be it. The new Cochise looks insane and I’ll have to add it to my collection next year.
Have a great season***
The Bonafide was my first pair of Blizzards. I’ve skied the Cochise and Bodacious, but the Spur is my new one ski quiver. The 189 Spur is about 5 cm’s to long but it’s still one of the best skis I’ve ever been on. Moguls, crud, groomed, and powder.
So I just received my 2016 Cohise. Any advise on mount point?
Thanks,
John
How did you get the 2016 model so early?
The new 2016 Cochise, Bonafide, and Zero G skis are available at select Blizzard retailers right now. Backcountry.com has a decent selection if your local retailer didn’t bring any in.
And 108 Zero Gs, 185cm.
Geeze…..aside from reducing the flex, reducing the sidecut, reducing the length, reducing the weight, reducing the tip, and reducing the tail….it sounds like basically the same ski. All that’s left is to swap out the wood core for jello and replace the steel with sarane wrap and it should be complete. I suppose three seasons is all one should expect for a great product in this industry. Stock up while you still can before the paint job and marketing tag replace the performance once again.
well written comment by someone who has spent no time on the ski. The idea that evolved products are only worse is comical to me. The big bad marketing monster ruined something that was perfect and could not possibly be improved upon, ever…
Mounted the Cochise and Zero G 108 +1. The Cochise needed the tails detuned a bit.
Need a few more days on them. The Zero G does not ski like a light ski, but it is pretty light.
Let’s get some impressions of this thing… you can buy them at backcountry.com right now and I’m very intrigued.
Will Brown and I are breaking these out today at Taos – skiing the 14/15 Cochise and the 15/16…
Any initial impressions?!! I’m specifically interested on how the new tip shape and flex affect powder performance. Always loved my first gen cochise but ultimately moved on to another ski because they just weren’t that great in powder.
Impressivley long review! Great job as always, a little bit off topic, but is there a spur review going to happend?
Thanks in advance!
Hi, Gus – a Spur review is in the works. I’ve already written a bit about the Spur in my review of the Whitedot Redeemer, so you might want to check that out.
Thanks jonathan, I’ll check the review and keep an eye for the spur review
Just wondering if you’ll be testing the new zero gs? I’m looking for a light touring option at 95mm that can actually be skied. The bmt, new salomon mtn and the zero g all look promising but which is “best”?
Thanks for all your reviews, I’ve bought two pairs of skis going mainly on your words and have been thoroughly happy with both.
Nice, Matthew. Glad we could help you out.
I’m not certain we’ll get on the BMTs, but we intend to get on the Salomons & Zero Gs.
Since the metal katana is no more, I’m considering the cochise.
Your reviews say it’s not great in powder.
I liked the katana in powder.would the cochise be worse than the katana in untracked, sierra snow?
Which is only two runs for us
Hey, Rod – we’ve only reviewed the 191 metal Katana, and I’ve never skied it in deep pow. I did find the 184 V-Werks Katana to be quite good in pow, but that’s not surprising given the construction, weight, and flex pattern of that ski.
But I don’t think Will or I are ready to vouch for the new 185 Cochise as a true pow ski – but as you’ve said, you may not actually need a true pow ski….
Other thing: you really ought to read my review of the Liberty Variant 113. As I wrote, it’s the closest thing to a Katana that I have skied, and I can vouch for that ski in deeper snow. Seems to be precisely what you’re looking for?
I just mounted and skied the 185 Blizzard Cochise from 2013-2014 (blue and red) last weekend in Tahoe. Here is my take after 2 short days:
Spring conditions; mostly corn with some firm almost icy bumps and some slush. These skis rip! Very stable at speed in variable conditions. They carved well on the groomers, didn’t seem to mind bumps although I wasn’t skiing huge moguls with deep troughs. They were easy to ski and didn’t punish me too much for being lazy/hungover, especially given how stable they feel. I really enjoyed opening these up with speed as they are super damp and didn’t chatter at all, but for a ski with 108mm underfoot and a 28m turn radius they still felt snappy doing small turns. You can ski these on edge or let them drift (even in the same turn) which is a great feeling and super fun. These fit in my quiver as a firm snow ski. I also have the 190 bibby pro as my big gun so this is my 2 ski quiver and I think I nailed it. I’m 5’9 150LBS.
I also just mounted a pair of the 2014 (185) with Salomon Sth2 WTR16, and had them out last weekend in a variety of conditions, and had an absolute blast! I found your review to be pretty much what I found as well, and I am very pleased with these. At 175cm and 82kilos, these are the perfect size.
Belafonte comparison? Currently skiing some 187s for the 3rd and final season that I bought from your reviews (they can sure take a beating) and was planning to replace with some new 186s but not having skied them I’m iffy about the softer tips being 195 w/o gear and usually ski with at least a 25 lbs pack for work. Skied a few laps on the new cochise the other day and really liked them (preferred mount at +1 to loosen up ski a touch) but still prefer my belafontes. Curious what you think of the 2? Thanks for the insight
Would love to hear your thoughts on the new faction ten at some point in the future as well, looks like it could be a solid charger as well
I’m closer to your weight than Will is, and the old 187 Belafonte is still my favorite of these 3 particular skis (15/16 Cochise & current Belafonte). And this is a vague thing to say, but I think the 186 Belafonte feels a bit more like the 187 Belafonte than the new Cochise does. But if you already got along pretty well with the 15/16 Cochise, I think playing with the tune of this ski can go along way to adjusting its character, and in that sense, if you won’t be able to demo the current Belafonte, you could argue that it would be safer to go with what you’ve skied and play with that tune.
Love my 13/14, 187 Bonafides, great Western ski. They are my everyday ski and I love skiing them. I’ve had the top sheets on 2 pairs have peeled off. Has anybody else had that experience with Blizzard skis? I’ve been skiing over 40 years and never seen a ski come apart like that. Love the ski but build quality seems to be lacking.
Hi Mike from 3/28/2015 if you are out there and receive this message….you mentioned top sheets ripping off…was that on the Belafonte’s ? I just got a pair of 15/16’s in the 186cm….have not skied them yet ….I think the top sheets may have changed from the old Belafonte to the new one ? What did you do to fix the problem ?….I have a 14/15 Bibby which has a shiny top sheet that chips down to the inner parts of the ski….more of a cosmetic issue and my fault for hitting my skis together…I am glad that they did a half cap up front and behind the mount area to minimize the chipping on this years 16/17 model Bibby that I bought also.
What did you do when the sheets came off ? Good heavens I would be charged up.
Guy
demo’d a pair of 14/15 bonafides today (along with several others) and absolutely loved them. I’m 5’8 155 lb. and a strong skier, mainly snowbird/alta and deer valley, like big open bowls with more medium speed turns ( more turns vs. straight lining). How would these compare with the cochise? The shop didn’t have any chochise to demo, and I liked the bonafides so much I almost bought them, but wanted to read up on them vs. the cochise a little. Any advice? Powder performance? Is the cochise soft enough in the shovel to float well in the pow?
Hi, Andy – the Cochise isn’t merely a slightly wider Bonafide. We’ve written a ton about the Cochise, and I assume you’ve checked out those reviews. The Bonafide is a very good all-mountain ski. The Cochise is not a great *POW* ski, it is a very good crud / variable conditions ski. I’ll be posting my review of the 15/16 Bonafide in the next couple of weeks, but it sounds to me like you’ve found your ski.
“In the past, we haven’t been too thrilled with the Cochise in deeper powder (10” +), and I can’t say that I think the new Cochise should be too different in that way. Despite the tweaks to the new design, the ski still has a pretty conservative rocker profile, without much splay in the shovel, and is pretty heavy for its size and width. But I can’t say for sure until I get the new skis in deeper snow.”
It looks like the new Cochise has noticeably more splay in the tips? It does look like it would be noticeably better in fresh snow.
I’m pretty confident that the splay is quite comparable between the 15/16 and the 14/15 Cochise. I’ll double check them soon (hopefully tomorrow).
Curious if Jonathan has any updates to the following comment from above; “And (2) Will the new Cochise feel a little looser and a little less reactive once it’s been detuned? (Jonathan’s currently skiing around Taos with a gummy stone in his pocket, so we should have an answer soon.”?
Hey, Matthew – we’re working round the clock to finish this Buyer’s Guide (spoiler alert: we’re very, very pleased with how it’s turning out). I promise to publish my 2nd Look of the Cochise in the next 10 days, and it’ll address this question. Hope that’s okay? (If you need an answer sooner, send me an email – I want to stick to our promise to get replies back to members asap.)
Looking forward to the 2nd look – thanks! Just an FYI, looks like you have a few members (myself included) who have identical user names as other members (e.g. see different “Matthew” that posed comment/question earlier in this thread).
What’s up y’all,
Many thanks for the great review and insights. Wanted to get your feedback in the mix while I contemplate purchasing the 193 Cochise’s.
I’m a 6’8″, 230lbs hard charger looking to upgrade from my 2010 k2 Coomback 188’s. I ski primarily in Tahoe and CO, but also have trips planned to Montana this winter. Looking for a playful ski that doesn’t sacrifice on-piste performance. The Cochise sounds like almost exactly what I’m looking for, but some of the comments about it’s dampness give me pause.
Currently debating between the Cochise or the last generation of Super 7’s, admittedly pretty different skis straddling the line between one-ski quiver/driver and playful surfer. Previously demo’ed the Super 7’s in 10+ of fresh in Steamboat a couple years ago, loved ’em, but would really like a ski I can rip on groomers and in variable conditions while still catching some at least slightly surfy vibes on powder days.
I’m leaning towards the Cochise, but wanted to get some opinions and “devil’s advocacy” before making a decision. Any and all feedback is greatly appreciated!
I should also mention, I’m also considering the Line Supernatural 108’s and Moment Bibby Pros, so any pros/cons/comparisons of them against the Cochise’s and Super 7’s would be much appreciated!
Hi guys. Thanks for the very comprehensive review. I am currently skiing a pair of 2008 Mantra’s which I bought as demos model in 2010. I’ve absolutely loved every min on them the past 4 years but now have the itch to try something newer, and perhaps better. I ski fairly aggressively and would consider myself an upper level advanced skier. I spend most of my time in off piste in the bumps, the steeps, under the lifts, thru the trees (I don’t mind working the ski) and and basically anyplace that can get my heart to skip a beat.
What do you think, coming from the older Mantra would the Cochise significantly increase the size of my smile enough to justify the price tag ?
Hi David,
It’s a little tough to say if you’d find the Cochise a good upgrade from your ’08 Mantras with the info you’ve given; are there any things in particular that you don’t love about the skis? Anything you wish they did better? That’ll help us make some recommendations about newer skis that you might really enjoy (there are a lot of potential options, but one could be the new Mantra).
Best,
Will B
Any chance you guys are going to review the new 192s? Interested to know if your opinion is similar to the old 193.
Hey jaliebs,
We’d certainly like to – we’ll do our best to get on the ski and compare lengths, as we did with a previous iteration.
Thanks,
Will B
Your reviews have been an amazing resource for me in recent weeks, and helped narrow my touring ski search; after demo-ing the MTN LAB 115, Zero-G 108, and Link 105 touring in mixed Whistler/Duffey conditions I fell in love with the Blizzard as it just skied everything better than the rest, and I found it matched up very well to what you had written about it.
Now that my much beloved Rocker 115 are getting a bit tired after three seasons, I’m looking for a new charging ski. I know the Cochise is a bit slimmer so won’t float quite as well (I may get a new dedicated fatty for that) but I’m wondering if it would ski similar to the 115 overall for someone that dearly loved the 115, and was happy pushing it in all terrain in all conditions. I tested the 122s before buying the 115 off paper-spec as I’d found the former’s tails were way too soft for hard charging and landings so the flatter stiffer tail sounded perfect, and turned out it was.
I’m thinking the Cochise will feel familiar from my Zero-G, just in a heavier, more stable, front-side guise, but ski similar to my 115. Anything I should be wary of? I know the mount-point is definitely further back compared to the 115: is that something I should be able to adjust to, or should I + them a little? Other suggestions you have I should check out? I have other skis I’d use for groomer days, bump skiing and funpow. I’m mostly interested in variable days, chop, stashes, and some-but-not-heaps pow: a new do everything ski that the 115 has so admirably fulfilled. Thanks so much.
Hey guys,
Thanks for yet another awesomely in-depth review.
I just got a pair of 192s and have not mounted them yet. Have you guys messed around with going forward of the recommended line at all?
I am 6’3″ and around 190 lbs. and am currently looking to upgrade from my 188 Dynastar Legend 105s. These skis have been great and quite stable but I’m looking for something that might be a little easier to ski, and quicker turning in tight areas. The Blizzzard Cochise seem to fit the bill, but I’m unsure of what the best size might be, 185 or 193? I hate getting tips or tails caught up in bumps, because of ski length, but want to make sure the 185 has enough stability at high speed. Any suggestions or feedback?
Love your reviews! It is refreshing to find people writing honest, detailed, content on skiing. I honestly can’t find something similar anywhere. I’m considering the Blizzard Cochise 108 vs. Line Supernatual 108 vs. Salomon QST 106. I live in the Midwest, but ski out west every year on steeps, backcountry, and moguls, then taking groomers back to the condo. I’m 135 lbs, 5’9″. Do you have suggestions on the best one-quiver ski and a size? Thanks!
I have a set of Brahma’s, Bonafides, Cochise and Bodacious, and hands down the best of the bunch is the Bonafide. Its ability to ski fast groomers and deal with reasonable pow, and manage crud is second to none. And that hooked up feeling digging in deep on a high speed turn. You just feel that flip core grab and pull you in. So awesome! The other ski that is exceptional is the Bodacious, and if you get just two pairs to play with, then these are them. Bodacious for the pow days, Bonafides for all others. I think the Cochise get lost in the middle and don’t do what the Bonafides of Bodacious do so exceptionally well, and to me being 108’s they still don’t really outperform the Bonafides. As for the Brahma’s, if you spent all day on groomers and icy conditions, maybe, but they are as stable at speed or slow as the bonafide. And they don’t get that hooked up feel in the turns where you know the ski is putting in work for you. Good ski, but its a groomer only resort ski.
Now I am selling to Cochise setup and the Brahma setup, and getting a set of Rustler 10’s, and a set of Wailer 106’s for my Kingpins. Really excited to try the Rustlers as that gap between Bonafide and Bodacious!
Great review, thanks! how do they compare to the Black Crows Corvus?
I’m a strong skier, over here we have lots of days with heavy, tracked out or refrozen snow, and im looking for something burly for the steeps and shitty snow… thinking of setting them up with a shift to replace my worn out backland 109’s, what do you think?
I’m in the same basket. Love my ZG108 so thinking of going with the same shape, but with more of a resort / short tour focus. I’d be going the 178cm, and still trying to get an accurate weight on it…but say it’s 4.2kg for the pair, that’s a hefty ski to drag uphill.
Corvus is a bit lighter…But I guess it gives up some performance in crud and chop…Hopefully I can get a demo soon to decide either way!
Looking like the tip rocker is a little shorter. Picture impression or it is really not as far back towards the toe as it used to be?
I’ll let you know for sure once we get them side by side, but it didn’t seem to me that the rocker lines had been decreased / had changed.
What I came away with above all is that the flex patterns of the Spur, Bodacious, Cochise and Bonafide were beautiful / beautifully consistent and strong.
And I’ll have to confirm later, but it seemed to me that the shovels of the 15/16 Cochise were, perhaps, slightly stiffer than the 14/15s. Pretty excited to ski all of these.
Thanx for the pics***
Is the Brahma staying the same for next year (besides a slight graphic change)?
Sure thing. And yes, the Brahma stays the same.
The Bones’ tip taper is nailed. I’m not so sure of the Bodacious’, I love buttering the tips but those look a bit crust penetrateey for my taste.
I still ride my original Bodacious on the deep days and I fine that old taper slices nicely through the crud while planing up appropriately.
So long as their flipcore performance remains, I’ll be a Blizz man for most of my quiver.
Do you think the new tips will allow the Cochise and Bodacious to continue to blow through crud and chop the way the old version did?
Answer: Don’t know.
Good news: We’ll be able to answer this question very soon…
Blizzard has absolutely nailed their ski line. I wasn’t a believer until I got a bonafied 2 years ago. I have since moved on to a 193 Cochise and 187 Brahma –> absolutely killers skis. I would love to try a bodacious one day.
I totally hear ya. I took a chance last year a got a Bonafide. I liked it so much that a month later a got a Brahma which I think is by far the best all mountain ski. It does everything well with style. If I was going to have one ski only, the Brahma would be it. The new Cochise looks insane and I’ll have to add it to my collection next year.
Have a great season***
The Bonafide was my first pair of Blizzards. I’ve skied the Cochise and Bodacious, but the Spur is my new one ski quiver. The 189 Spur is about 5 cm’s to long but it’s still one of the best skis I’ve ever been on. Moguls, crud, groomed, and powder.
So I just received my 2016 Cohise. Any advise on mount point?
Thanks,
John
How did you get the 2016 model so early?
The new 2016 Cochise, Bonafide, and Zero G skis are available at select Blizzard retailers right now. Backcountry.com has a decent selection if your local retailer didn’t bring any in.
And 108 Zero Gs, 185cm.
Geeze…..aside from reducing the flex, reducing the sidecut, reducing the length, reducing the weight, reducing the tip, and reducing the tail….it sounds like basically the same ski. All that’s left is to swap out the wood core for jello and replace the steel with sarane wrap and it should be complete. I suppose three seasons is all one should expect for a great product in this industry. Stock up while you still can before the paint job and marketing tag replace the performance once again.
well written comment by someone who has spent no time on the ski. The idea that evolved products are only worse is comical to me. The big bad marketing monster ruined something that was perfect and could not possibly be improved upon, ever…
Mounted the Cochise and Zero G 108 +1. The Cochise needed the tails detuned a bit.
Need a few more days on them. The Zero G does not ski like a light ski, but it is pretty light.
Let’s get some impressions of this thing… you can buy them at backcountry.com right now and I’m very intrigued.
Will Brown and I are breaking these out today at Taos – skiing the 14/15 Cochise and the 15/16…
Any initial impressions?!! I’m specifically interested on how the new tip shape and flex affect powder performance. Always loved my first gen cochise but ultimately moved on to another ski because they just weren’t that great in powder.
Impressivley long review! Great job as always, a little bit off topic, but is there a spur review going to happend?
Thanks in advance!
Hi, Gus – a Spur review is in the works. I’ve already written a bit about the Spur in my review of the Whitedot Redeemer, so you might want to check that out.
Thanks jonathan, I’ll check the review and keep an eye for the spur review
Just wondering if you’ll be testing the new zero gs? I’m looking for a light touring option at 95mm that can actually be skied. The bmt, new salomon mtn and the zero g all look promising but which is “best”?
Thanks for all your reviews, I’ve bought two pairs of skis going mainly on your words and have been thoroughly happy with both.
Nice, Matthew. Glad we could help you out.
I’m not certain we’ll get on the BMTs, but we intend to get on the Salomons & Zero Gs.
Since the metal katana is no more, I’m considering the cochise.
Your reviews say it’s not great in powder.
I liked the katana in powder.would the cochise be worse than the katana in untracked, sierra snow?
Which is only two runs for us
Hey, Rod – we’ve only reviewed the 191 metal Katana, and I’ve never skied it in deep pow. I did find the 184 V-Werks Katana to be quite good in pow, but that’s not surprising given the construction, weight, and flex pattern of that ski.
But I don’t think Will or I are ready to vouch for the new 185 Cochise as a true pow ski – but as you’ve said, you may not actually need a true pow ski….
Other thing: you really ought to read my review of the Liberty Variant 113. As I wrote, it’s the closest thing to a Katana that I have skied, and I can vouch for that ski in deeper snow. Seems to be precisely what you’re looking for?
I just mounted and skied the 185 Blizzard Cochise from 2013-2014 (blue and red) last weekend in Tahoe. Here is my take after 2 short days:
Spring conditions; mostly corn with some firm almost icy bumps and some slush. These skis rip! Very stable at speed in variable conditions. They carved well on the groomers, didn’t seem to mind bumps although I wasn’t skiing huge moguls with deep troughs. They were easy to ski and didn’t punish me too much for being lazy/hungover, especially given how stable they feel. I really enjoyed opening these up with speed as they are super damp and didn’t chatter at all, but for a ski with 108mm underfoot and a 28m turn radius they still felt snappy doing small turns. You can ski these on edge or let them drift (even in the same turn) which is a great feeling and super fun. These fit in my quiver as a firm snow ski. I also have the 190 bibby pro as my big gun so this is my 2 ski quiver and I think I nailed it. I’m 5’9 150LBS.
I also just mounted a pair of the 2014 (185) with Salomon Sth2 WTR16, and had them out last weekend in a variety of conditions, and had an absolute blast! I found your review to be pretty much what I found as well, and I am very pleased with these. At 175cm and 82kilos, these are the perfect size.
Belafonte comparison? Currently skiing some 187s for the 3rd and final season that I bought from your reviews (they can sure take a beating) and was planning to replace with some new 186s but not having skied them I’m iffy about the softer tips being 195 w/o gear and usually ski with at least a 25 lbs pack for work. Skied a few laps on the new cochise the other day and really liked them (preferred mount at +1 to loosen up ski a touch) but still prefer my belafontes. Curious what you think of the 2? Thanks for the insight
Would love to hear your thoughts on the new faction ten at some point in the future as well, looks like it could be a solid charger as well
I’m closer to your weight than Will is, and the old 187 Belafonte is still my favorite of these 3 particular skis (15/16 Cochise & current Belafonte). And this is a vague thing to say, but I think the 186 Belafonte feels a bit more like the 187 Belafonte than the new Cochise does. But if you already got along pretty well with the 15/16 Cochise, I think playing with the tune of this ski can go along way to adjusting its character, and in that sense, if you won’t be able to demo the current Belafonte, you could argue that it would be safer to go with what you’ve skied and play with that tune.
Love my 13/14, 187 Bonafides, great Western ski. They are my everyday ski and I love skiing them. I’ve had the top sheets on 2 pairs have peeled off. Has anybody else had that experience with Blizzard skis? I’ve been skiing over 40 years and never seen a ski come apart like that. Love the ski but build quality seems to be lacking.
Hi Mike from 3/28/2015 if you are out there and receive this message….you mentioned top sheets ripping off…was that on the Belafonte’s ? I just got a pair of 15/16’s in the 186cm….have not skied them yet ….I think the top sheets may have changed from the old Belafonte to the new one ? What did you do to fix the problem ?….I have a 14/15 Bibby which has a shiny top sheet that chips down to the inner parts of the ski….more of a cosmetic issue and my fault for hitting my skis together…I am glad that they did a half cap up front and behind the mount area to minimize the chipping on this years 16/17 model Bibby that I bought also.
What did you do when the sheets came off ? Good heavens I would be charged up.
Guy
demo’d a pair of 14/15 bonafides today (along with several others) and absolutely loved them. I’m 5’8 155 lb. and a strong skier, mainly snowbird/alta and deer valley, like big open bowls with more medium speed turns ( more turns vs. straight lining). How would these compare with the cochise? The shop didn’t have any chochise to demo, and I liked the bonafides so much I almost bought them, but wanted to read up on them vs. the cochise a little. Any advice? Powder performance? Is the cochise soft enough in the shovel to float well in the pow?
Hi, Andy – the Cochise isn’t merely a slightly wider Bonafide. We’ve written a ton about the Cochise, and I assume you’ve checked out those reviews. The Bonafide is a very good all-mountain ski. The Cochise is not a great *POW* ski, it is a very good crud / variable conditions ski. I’ll be posting my review of the 15/16 Bonafide in the next couple of weeks, but it sounds to me like you’ve found your ski.
“In the past, we haven’t been too thrilled with the Cochise in deeper powder (10” +), and I can’t say that I think the new Cochise should be too different in that way. Despite the tweaks to the new design, the ski still has a pretty conservative rocker profile, without much splay in the shovel, and is pretty heavy for its size and width. But I can’t say for sure until I get the new skis in deeper snow.”
It looks like the new Cochise has noticeably more splay in the tips? It does look like it would be noticeably better in fresh snow.
I’m pretty confident that the splay is quite comparable between the 15/16 and the 14/15 Cochise. I’ll double check them soon (hopefully tomorrow).
Curious if Jonathan has any updates to the following comment from above; “And (2) Will the new Cochise feel a little looser and a little less reactive once it’s been detuned? (Jonathan’s currently skiing around Taos with a gummy stone in his pocket, so we should have an answer soon.”?
Hey, Matthew – we’re working round the clock to finish this Buyer’s Guide (spoiler alert: we’re very, very pleased with how it’s turning out). I promise to publish my 2nd Look of the Cochise in the next 10 days, and it’ll address this question. Hope that’s okay? (If you need an answer sooner, send me an email – I want to stick to our promise to get replies back to members asap.)
Looking forward to the 2nd look – thanks! Just an FYI, looks like you have a few members (myself included) who have identical user names as other members (e.g. see different “Matthew” that posed comment/question earlier in this thread).
What’s up y’all,
Many thanks for the great review and insights. Wanted to get your feedback in the mix while I contemplate purchasing the 193 Cochise’s.
I’m a 6’8″, 230lbs hard charger looking to upgrade from my 2010 k2 Coomback 188’s. I ski primarily in Tahoe and CO, but also have trips planned to Montana this winter. Looking for a playful ski that doesn’t sacrifice on-piste performance. The Cochise sounds like almost exactly what I’m looking for, but some of the comments about it’s dampness give me pause.
Currently debating between the Cochise or the last generation of Super 7’s, admittedly pretty different skis straddling the line between one-ski quiver/driver and playful surfer. Previously demo’ed the Super 7’s in 10+ of fresh in Steamboat a couple years ago, loved ’em, but would really like a ski I can rip on groomers and in variable conditions while still catching some at least slightly surfy vibes on powder days.
I’m leaning towards the Cochise, but wanted to get some opinions and “devil’s advocacy” before making a decision. Any and all feedback is greatly appreciated!
I should also mention, I’m also considering the Line Supernatural 108’s and Moment Bibby Pros, so any pros/cons/comparisons of them against the Cochise’s and Super 7’s would be much appreciated!
Hi guys. Thanks for the very comprehensive review. I am currently skiing a pair of 2008 Mantra’s which I bought as demos model in 2010. I’ve absolutely loved every min on them the past 4 years but now have the itch to try something newer, and perhaps better. I ski fairly aggressively and would consider myself an upper level advanced skier. I spend most of my time in off piste in the bumps, the steeps, under the lifts, thru the trees (I don’t mind working the ski) and and basically anyplace that can get my heart to skip a beat.
What do you think, coming from the older Mantra would the Cochise significantly increase the size of my smile enough to justify the price tag ?
Hi David,
It’s a little tough to say if you’d find the Cochise a good upgrade from your ’08 Mantras with the info you’ve given; are there any things in particular that you don’t love about the skis? Anything you wish they did better? That’ll help us make some recommendations about newer skis that you might really enjoy (there are a lot of potential options, but one could be the new Mantra).
Best,
Will B
Any chance you guys are going to review the new 192s? Interested to know if your opinion is similar to the old 193.
Hey jaliebs,
We’d certainly like to – we’ll do our best to get on the ski and compare lengths, as we did with a previous iteration.
Thanks,
Will B
Your reviews have been an amazing resource for me in recent weeks, and helped narrow my touring ski search; after demo-ing the MTN LAB 115, Zero-G 108, and Link 105 touring in mixed Whistler/Duffey conditions I fell in love with the Blizzard as it just skied everything better than the rest, and I found it matched up very well to what you had written about it.
Now that my much beloved Rocker 115 are getting a bit tired after three seasons, I’m looking for a new charging ski. I know the Cochise is a bit slimmer so won’t float quite as well (I may get a new dedicated fatty for that) but I’m wondering if it would ski similar to the 115 overall for someone that dearly loved the 115, and was happy pushing it in all terrain in all conditions. I tested the 122s before buying the 115 off paper-spec as I’d found the former’s tails were way too soft for hard charging and landings so the flatter stiffer tail sounded perfect, and turned out it was.
I’m thinking the Cochise will feel familiar from my Zero-G, just in a heavier, more stable, front-side guise, but ski similar to my 115. Anything I should be wary of? I know the mount-point is definitely further back compared to the 115: is that something I should be able to adjust to, or should I + them a little? Other suggestions you have I should check out? I have other skis I’d use for groomer days, bump skiing and funpow. I’m mostly interested in variable days, chop, stashes, and some-but-not-heaps pow: a new do everything ski that the 115 has so admirably fulfilled. Thanks so much.
Hey guys,
Thanks for yet another awesomely in-depth review.
I just got a pair of 192s and have not mounted them yet. Have you guys messed around with going forward of the recommended line at all?
I am 6’3″ and around 190 lbs. and am currently looking to upgrade from my 188 Dynastar Legend 105s. These skis have been great and quite stable but I’m looking for something that might be a little easier to ski, and quicker turning in tight areas. The Blizzzard Cochise seem to fit the bill, but I’m unsure of what the best size might be, 185 or 193? I hate getting tips or tails caught up in bumps, because of ski length, but want to make sure the 185 has enough stability at high speed. Any suggestions or feedback?
Love your reviews! It is refreshing to find people writing honest, detailed, content on skiing. I honestly can’t find something similar anywhere. I’m considering the Blizzard Cochise 108 vs. Line Supernatual 108 vs. Salomon QST 106. I live in the Midwest, but ski out west every year on steeps, backcountry, and moguls, then taking groomers back to the condo. I’m 135 lbs, 5’9″. Do you have suggestions on the best one-quiver ski and a size? Thanks!
I have a set of Brahma’s, Bonafides, Cochise and Bodacious, and hands down the best of the bunch is the Bonafide. Its ability to ski fast groomers and deal with reasonable pow, and manage crud is second to none. And that hooked up feeling digging in deep on a high speed turn. You just feel that flip core grab and pull you in. So awesome! The other ski that is exceptional is the Bodacious, and if you get just two pairs to play with, then these are them. Bodacious for the pow days, Bonafides for all others. I think the Cochise get lost in the middle and don’t do what the Bonafides of Bodacious do so exceptionally well, and to me being 108’s they still don’t really outperform the Bonafides. As for the Brahma’s, if you spent all day on groomers and icy conditions, maybe, but they are as stable at speed or slow as the bonafide. And they don’t get that hooked up feel in the turns where you know the ski is putting in work for you. Good ski, but its a groomer only resort ski.
Now I am selling to Cochise setup and the Brahma setup, and getting a set of Rustler 10’s, and a set of Wailer 106’s for my Kingpins. Really excited to try the Rustlers as that gap between Bonafide and Bodacious!
Great review, thanks! how do they compare to the Black Crows Corvus?
I’m a strong skier, over here we have lots of days with heavy, tracked out or refrozen snow, and im looking for something burly for the steeps and shitty snow… thinking of setting them up with a shift to replace my worn out backland 109’s, what do you think?
I’m in the same basket. Love my ZG108 so thinking of going with the same shape, but with more of a resort / short tour focus. I’d be going the 178cm, and still trying to get an accurate weight on it…but say it’s 4.2kg for the pair, that’s a hefty ski to drag uphill.
Corvus is a bit lighter…But I guess it gives up some performance in crud and chop…Hopefully I can get a demo soon to decide either way!