2014-2015 Blister ‘Best Of’ Awards

Blister Gear Review's Best Of Awards 2014-2015

[Note: To see the 15/16 edition of the Blister ‘Best Of’ Awards, download our 15/16 Winter Buyer’s Guide.]

If you’re familiar with how we operate at Blister, you’ll probably understand why awards like these make us nervous.

“Best” can be a very arbitrary term. Some piece of gear might be great, but it typically isn’t the best at everything, and it may not be the best option for you.

That’s exactly why our regular reviews aren’t short. The devil is in the details, and the sum of those details is what determines whether a product will be terrible for you, okay for you, or perfect for you. Without specific, accurate details, reviews are pretty useless.

Still, we do like to acknowledge great work. And the Blister ‘Best Of’ Awards point to those products that have really stood out.

We’ll also then direct you to our full reviews, where you can do further research to decide if these selections are the best fit for you, or whether you should spend more time in our Ski Review Index, or our One-Ski Quiver, Two-Ski Quiver, or Three-Ski Quiver Selections, etc.

 

Four Rules:

1) We are not assigning 1st, 2nd, or 3rd place rankings within a particular category.

If a product is listed here, it means that we believe it ranks among the very top of its class.

2) We’ve only considered products that we’ve spent real time with.

This should, of course, be obvious, but the review world is a funny place. Some review outlets give awards to stuff that they’ve hardly tested (or haven’t at all). We don’t. If you want to brush up on how we do things, check out the Blister Manifesto.

3) Selections must be of current products.

However, products that have undergone minor tweaks and are currently available are fair game.

4) No company has paid to get their product on this list.

Blister is different. We don’t accept any money from any of the manufacturers we review. We don’t allow them to buy advertising on our site. We’ve created a truly level playing field so that you can be certain that our selections are based on merit, not marketing budgets.

Ok, enough rules and caveats. On to the Blister ‘Best Of’ Awards:

 

Best Goggles

 Anon M2

Anon M2, Blister Gear Review
Anon M2

There are a number of good goggles on the market, but there is nothing this good. In fact, the Anon M2 goggle might be the best product in the entire snow sports industry.

 

Anon WM1

Julia Van Raalte Reviews the Anon WM1 goggle, Blister Gear Review
Anon WM1

 

The WM1 has the same interchangeable lens technology as the Anon M1 and M2, but has a smaller frame designed for narrower, female faces. The WM1 is the simplest and fastest google for women when it comes to changing lenses, and has great optics and a stylish, clean look.

 

Best Ski Jackets

• Arc’teryx Caden

Will Brown reviews the Arc'teryx Caden Jacket, Blister Gear Review.
Arc’teryx Caden Jacket

The Caden is an excellent, fully-featured hard shell that can guarantee you’ll stay dry in sustained rain or snowfall.

 

• Fly Low Lab Coat 2.0

Jonathan Ellsworth reviews the FlyLow Lab Coat 2.0 for Blister Gear Review
FlyLow Lab Coat 2.0

The FlyLow Lab Coat 2.0 has our favorite freeride fit, is also fully featured, and while it wouldn’t be our first choice for sustained, severe weather (see the Caden above) it breathes better than the Caden, while still offering very good weather protection.

 

• Westcomb Apoc

Blister Gear Review's Best Of Awards 2014-2015
Westcomb Apoc

While both the Arc’teryx Caden and the Lab Coat 2.0 can be used for resort riding and backcountry touring, the Westcomb Apoc gets our award for Best “50/50” jacket, and Best Touring Jacket. It doesn’t have all of the pockets of the Caden or Lab Coat 2.0, but it is also quite a bit lighter and more packable than them. If you spend equal or more time touring than skiing between the ropes, this is our top pick. (Full review coming soon.)

 

Best Midlayers

• Patagonia Nano Air

Will Brown reviews the Patagonia Nano Air Hoody, Blister Gear Review.
Patagonia Nano Air Hoody

Super breathable, super comfortable, and super versatile for a broad range of activities.

 

• The North Face Radium

The North Face Radium, Blister Gear Review
The North Face Radium

The Radium isn’t a standard fleece jacket; it’s made from Polartec Thermal Pro High Loft, a very low density, relatively thick fleece fabric with a great warmth-to-weight ratio. It doesn’t block wind well as an outer layer, but the Radium is our benchmark for warm, highly breathable midlayers.

 

• Women’s Arc’teryx Cerium LT

Arc'teryx Cerium LT Hoody, Blister Gear Review
Arc’teryx Cerium LT Hoody

The Arc’teryx Cerium LT provides a whole lot of warmth in a relatively light package.

Next: Ski Boots

 

 

Best Alpine Ski Boots

• Tecnica R9.8 130

Tecnica R9.8, Blister Gear Review.
Tecnica R9.8 130

The R9.8 is precise, with a powerful and progressive flex that is dialed.

 

• Salomon X Pro 120

review of the Salomon X Pro 120, Blister Gear Review
Salomon X-Pro 120

The customizable, heat moldable shell of the Salomon X-Pro 120 allows for a very snug, comfortable fit. Our pair has held up very well over 100+ days, and it has an excellent combination of power and forgiveness.

 

• Lange RS 120 S.C.

Julia Van Raalte reviews the Lange RS 120 S.C., Blister Gear Review
Lange RS 120 S.C.

The Lange RS 120 S.C. is a very solid alpine boot with a shorter cuff that strong, aggressive skiers, and particularly former racers, will really like. The slightly wider last (97mm) also makes it a more comfortable option for those who want a high-performance boot to ski hard inbounds, but would rather not squeeze into a plug race boot.

 

• Dalbello KR 2 Kryzma I.D.

Lexi Dowdall reviews the Dalbello KR 2 Kryzma I.D., Blister Gear Review.
Dalbello KR 2 Kryzma I.D.

The Dalbello KR 2 Kryzma I.D. is a high-performance alpine boot that has exceptional lateral stability and responsiveness. It is a fantastic option for aggressive female skiers who may have smaller, narrow feet.

 

Best A/T Boots

• Tecnica Cochise 130 Pro

Paul Forward reviews the Tecnica Cochise 130 Pro, Blister Gear Review
Tecnica Cochise 130 Pro

The Cochise 130 Pro is our top choice for an alpine boot with a walk / hike mode.

 

• Black Diamond Shiva Mx

review of the Black Diamond Shiva Mx, Blister Gear Review
Black Diamond Shiva Mx

The Shiva Mx is a great “one boot quiver” option that places a bit more emphasis on downhill performance. If the Shiva Mx fits your foot well, then it is a solid, comfortable AT boot for those who spend some time touring, but also want to be able to ski aggressively inbounds.

 

Best Touring Boots

• La Sportiva Spectre

Paul Forward reviews the La Sportiva Spectre, Blister Gear Review
La Sportiva Spectre

The Spectre is light for ascents, still quite capable on the way down, and cheaper than the competition. There may not be a better deal in ski touring boots.

 

• Scarpa Maestrale RS

2014-2015 SCARPA Maestrale RS, Blister Gear Review
SCARPA Maestrale RS

Especially, if you are a fan of three-piece Cabrio-style boots, the Maestrale RS deserves a serious look. It’s nice and responsive laterally, has a beautifully progressive flex pattern, a very well executed walk mode, and, to top it off, comes in at a very attractive weight.

 

NEXT: Gloves, Socks, Ski Poles

 

Best Gloves

• POC Wrist Freeride

POC Wrist Freeride, Blister Gear Review
POC Wrist Freeride

The POC Wrist Freeride has proven to be a great every-single-day glove. We’ve gotten away with wearing it on days that should have been either too hot or too cold, but managed to stay pretty comfortable, just the same.

 

• Hestra Fall Line 3-Finger

Hestra Fall Line 3-Finger Glove, Blister Gear Review
Hestra Fall Line 3-Finger Glove

The Fall Line are some of our favorite 3-Finger gloves. They’re very warm while remaining comfortable in a wide range of temperatures, are very durable, and break in nicely, offering good dexterity.

 

• Black Diamond Guide Lobster Mitt

Black Diamond Guide Lobster Mitt, Blister Gear Review
Black Diamond Guide Lobster Mitt

Black Diamond’s Lobster Mitt is nice for especially cold days (with temps below ~ 15° F), or if you don’t want to worry about maintaining a pair of gloves made from 100% cowhide (like the Fall Line, above).

 

Best Ski Socks

• Darn Tough Over-the-Calf Ultra Light

Darn Tough Over-the-Calf Ultra Light, Blister Gear Review
Darn Tough Over-the-Calf Ultra Light

The Darn Tough Over-the-Calf Ultra Light has been one of our go-to socks over the last few years. They are thin, don’t have padding, and are extremely durable. Even though they are not the thinnest socks available, they are comfortable and truly built to last.

 

Smartwool PhD Ski Ultra Light

Smartwool PhD Ski Ultra Light, Blister Gear Review
Smartwool PhD Ski Ultra Light

Speaking of really thin socks, the Smartwool PhD Ski Ultra Light is still our go to, and an excellent choice for those who have a very tight shell fit.

 

Best Aluminum Ski Pole

• SCOTT Team Issue

Scott Team Issue ski poles, Blister Gear Review
Scott Team Issue

The SCOTT Team Issue is an icon, and it’s proven over the years to be the most durable aluminum pole that any of us at Blister have ever used. While lighter weight, carbon poles certainly have their place, for hard, everyday skiing, the Team Issue gets our highest recommendation.

 

Next: Skis

 

 

Best Men’s All-Mountain Skis – Firm Conditions

These skis are carvers that are also highly capable in firm, off-piste conditions.

 

Salomon X-Drive 8.8 FS, 184cm

Blister Gear Review's Best 3-Ski Quiver awards
Salomon X-Drive 8.8 FS

 

The X-Drive .8.8 FS is an extremely capable ski with a big sweet spot. Advanced and expert skiers will love it, and strong intermediates that are looking for stability, predictability, and power ought to demo it. For any terrain or any snow condition other than 10 or more inches of pow (e.g., ice, slush, soft chop, firm crud, refrozen death cookies, etc.) this ski is outstanding.

 

Rossignol Experience 100, 182cm

Blister Gear Review's Best 2-Ski Quiver awards
Rossignol Experience 100

 

If you like high edge angles and speed, value precision in steep, technical terrain, but also want a ski that will still plane and float on deeper days, you ought to check out the Experience 100.

 

Best Women’s All-Mountain Skis – Firm Conditions

These are carvers that are also highly capable in firm, off-piste conditions.

 

Blizzard Samba, 173cm

Blister Gear Review's Best 2-Ski Quiver awards
Blizzard Samba

 

The Blizzard Samba is a fairly damp, directional ski that does a great job at cutting through any sort of firm conditions. It feels solid, stable at speed, and is a great carver.

 

Volkl Aura, 170cm

Blister Gear Review's Best Of Awards 2014-2015
Volkl Aura

 

The Volkl Aura feels a littler more nimble than the Samba, but still has impressive hardpack performance and can be skied hard and fast through firmer conditions.

 

 

Best Playful All-Mountain Skis

For those who like the looser, more forgiving feel of a tail rockered ski, or who want a light and playful ski to trick around the mountain.

 

• Line Sir Francis Bacon, 184cm

Blister Gear Review's Best Of Awards 2014-2015
Line Sir Francis Bacon

 

Cliff notes version of Jason Hutchins’ reviews of the 184cm and 190cm Bacon: Of all the skis I’ve ridden, I’d call the Bacon the most versatile one-ski quiver option currently available for the playfully-minded, all-mountain skier.

 

• Blizzard Peacemaker, 186cm

Blister Gear Review's Best 2-Ski Quiver awards
Blizzard Peacemaker

 

Quite versatile in it’s own right, the Peacemaker is a bit stiffer than the Sir Francis Bacon, which makes it a bit better suited for skiing in firm, variable conditions.

 

• Salomon Rocker2 108, 190cm

Blister Gear Review's Best 2-Ski Quiver awards
Salomon Rocker2 108

 

While the Peacemaker leans more toward firm conditions than the SFB, the Rocker2 108 is more soft-snow oriented.

 

• Nordica Soul Rider, 185cm

Blister Gear Review's Best 3-Ski Quiver awards
Nordica Soul Rider

 

The Soul Rider is the most legit park ski of these four selections (its used by many of Nordica’s park team riders), but it is also a whole lot of fun around the rest of the mountain. It is forgiving and intuitive for intermediates, fun and energetic for advanced and expert skiers.

 

 

Best Versatile Pow Skis

These skis are fun in pow, but they don’t need pow to be fun.

 

• Moment Blister Pro

Blister Gear Review's 3-Ski Quiver awards
Moment Blister Pro

 

Our all-time favorite “playful charger” is back.

 

• Blizzard Bodacious, 186cm

Blister Gear Review's Best 3-Ski Quiver awards
Blizzard Bodacious

 

We are eager to put more time on this ski, but the Bodacious blew us away down in New Zealand. So much fun.

 

Kingswood SMB, 187cm

Two Ski Quiver, Blister Gear Review.
Kingswood SMB

 

The SMB is the fattest of our selections, but it also has the most traditional shape, which lets it continue to shine when those pow stashes vanish.

 

 

Best Women’s Versatile Pow Skis

 

• 2014-2015 Line Pandora, 172cm

Julia Van Raalte reviews the Line Pandora, Blister Gear Review
Line Pandora

 

The Pandora is a versatile, every day ski for softer snow conditions. For a 110mm underfoot ski, the Pandora still carves nicely on piste, but is an absolute blast in fresh snow, soft chop, and more playful, open terrain.

 

• Rossignol Savory 7, 178cm

Julia Van Raalte reviews the Rossignol Savory 7, Blister Gear Review
Rossignol Savory 7

 

The Rossignol Savory 7 is a light, fun ski that does best in consistent snow and softer variable snow. It is quick and easy to turn, but can still handle a little more aggressive skiing in more consistent conditions.

 

 

Best “50/50” Skis (Resort + Backcountry Touring)

 

 Volkl V-Werks Katana, 184cm

Blister Gear Review's Best 2-Ski Quiver awards
Volkl V Werks Katana

 

The V-Werks Katana offers the best combination of dampening + light weight of anything we’ve skied. So it can handle hard skiing in rough resort conditions, while not being a chore to drag uphill.

 

• Rossignol Soul 7, 188cm

Blister Gear Review's Best 3-Ski Quiver awards
Rossignol Soul 7

 

For those who approach the mountain with a more playful, lighter touch, the Rossignol Soul 7 is a great choice for going up and getting down.

 

• Rossignol Savory 7, 178cm

Julia Van Raalte reviews the Rossignol Savory 7, Blister Gear Review
Rossignol Savory 7

 

Paired with light tech bindings, the Rossignol Savory 7 would be a great backcountry ski: it’s surfy, playful, and fun. This ski performs best in soft and consistent snow, but can handle variable snow just fine at slightly slower speeds.

 

 

Best Skis for Beginners (which is not the same as saying, Best “Beginner’s Skis”)

We ski because it’s fun. And anyone new to the sport ought to get on skis that will allow them to really enjoy their first time on the mountain.

That’s why crappy rental skis with flat tails make us cringe. We go into a lot more detail about this in our Skiing 101 article on the topic, but for now, we’ll just say that the best skis for beginners are also skis that work exceptionally well for some advanced and expert skiers, too. They are easy to turn, relatively light weight, and have a huge sweet spot that makes them very forgiving.

 

• Rossignol Soul 7

Blister Gear Review's Best 3-Ski Quiver awards
Rossignol Soul 7

 

 Rossignol Savory 7

Julia Van Raalte reviews the Rossignol Savory 7, Blister Gear Review
Rossignol Savory 7

 

 

The fact is, Rossignol’s “7 Series” skis are dead easy, intuitive skis that are ideal for beginners, and are loved by a lot of advanced and expert skiers, too.

We haven’t yet skied the Rossi Sin 7 and Saffron 7, but the Rossignol S3 was our all time favorite “Ski for Beginners,” and none of the modifications of the S3 that now appear in the Sin and Saffron 7 have us seriously questioning that they will be less good than the S3. If we’re wrong, we’ll let you know, and we will be getting on the Sin 7 soon.

 

 DPS Wailer 99 & DPS Nina 99 Hybrid

Blister Gear Review's Best Of Awards 2014-2015
DPS Wailer 99 Hybrid

Another easy choice here. The Wailer 99 Hybrid and the Nina 99 Hybrid (the women’s version of the Wailer 99) are quick, work very well at slower and moderate speeds, have a large sweet spot, and a wider, stable platform. They are light and fun.

 

 DPS Wailer 112RP & DPS Yvette 112RP, Pure or Hybrid

Blister Gear Review's Best Of Awards 2014-2015
DPS Wailer 112RP Hybrid


Same reasons, wider package. We have friends who are expert skiers who use the 112RPs as their everyday skis, in all terrain and all conditions. And we wouldn’t hesitate to put a newer skier on these, especially if they were interested in getting into some softer, deeper snow.

 

Next: Pow, Crud, and Park Skis

 

Best Dedicated Powder Skis

 

DPS Spoon, 190cm

Blister Gear Review's Best Of Awards 2014-2015
DPS Spoon

 

If you’re looking to surf and drift deep powder, the Spoon wins.

 

DPS Lotus 138, 192cm

Blister Gear Review's Best Of Awards 2014-2015
DPS Lotus 138 Pure

 

If you’re looking to surf deep powder, but want something that is surprisingly composed when you encounter firm conditions or have to ski a groomer back to the lift, then the Lotus 138 wins.

 

Praxis Protest, 187cm

Two Ski Quiver, Blister gear Review.
Praxis Protest

 

The Praxis Protest is an outstanding pow ski that also excels in deep, chopped up snow. It’s still very much a pow ski, so we’re not recommending that you break it out when there is little fresh snow around (for that, see our “Versatile Powder Skis”). But the more variable your “pow” days tend to be, the more inclined we’d be to reach for the Protest. This ski hasn’t changed much, and there is absolutely no reason why it should.

 

 

Best Playful Pow Skis

 

Atomic Bent Chetler, 192cm

Blister Gear Review's Best Of Awards 2014-2015
Atomic Bent Chetler

 

Directional skiers who like to ski hard and fast and drive the shovels of their skis will like the Bent Chetler. And skiers looking to trick all over the mountain will like the Bent Chetler. It doesn’t really add up, and that’s exactly why it made our ‘Best Of’ list.

 

Line Magnum Opus, 188cm

Blister Gear Review's Best Of Awards 2014-2015
Line Magnum Opus

 

From Will Brown’s review: “If you’re looking for a powder ski to take out on deep days to search for natural features to spin, flip, and drag, I can’t think of a better ski for the job than the Line Magnum Opus.”

 

 

Best Crud Skis

 

4FRNT Devastator, 194cm

Blister Gear Review's 1-Ski Quiver awards
4FRNT Devastator

 

Reviewer Paul Forward, whose everyday ski in Alaska has been the 193cm Blizzard Cochise, still calls the Devastator the most stable ski he’s ever been on—more stable than the 193 Cochise, the 188 Rossignol RC112, and the 195cm LINE Mothership. Ok, then.

 

DPS Wailer 105 Hybrid T2, 185cm

Blister Gear Review's Best Of Awards 2014-2015
DPS Wailer 105

 

DPS places the Wailer 105 Hybrid T2 in their “All Mountain / Mixed Snow” lineup, and “Mixed Snow” is the perfect description for where the 105 Hybrid shines. It’s not our first choice for frozen coral reef (see below), but for skiing at very, very high speeds through a mix of some soft chop, smooth ice, and / or some nasty chunky frozen terribleness, this ski is very capable.

It’s not the easiest ski out there, and Thank God for that. There are plenty of easy skis on the market, and DPS is already making some very good ones that shine at moderate speeds in consistent conditions. Now they’re also building skis with big top ends that shine in mixed conditions. Kudos, DPS.

 

Blizzard Cochise, 185cm

Blister Gear Review's 3-Ski Quiver awards
Blizzard Cochise

 

We were very nervous to hear that Blizzard was tweaking the Cochise. This ski has been a favorite of ours, and we’re relieved to say that it is still a favorite of ours. This is the easiest of the three skis in this category, and it retains the title that we gave it a few seasons ago: Forgiving Charger. It is not a demanding ski, yet it smoothes out firm and refrozen off-piste conditions in a very impressive way.

 

 

Best Competition-Oriented Park Skis

• Fischer Nightstick, 181cm

Best Of Awards, Blister Gear Review.
Fischer Nightstick

 

The Nightstick is the most stable and predictable ski on big jumps that we’ve reviewed.

 

 

Best Jib-Oriented Park Skis

 

• Armada Al Dente, 178cm

Blister Gear Review's Best 2-Ski Quiver awards
Armada Al Dente

 

The Al Dente’s soft flex profile makes butters and presses effortless, and its width and tip rocker gives it a very surfy feel for park riding.

 

Next: Snowboards and Boots

 

Best Board for Firm Conditions  

 

• Burton Custom X, 164cm

Blister Gear Review's 1-Board Quiver awards
Burton Custom X

 

The Burton Custom X is a cambered, stiff board made for pointing it out of technical terrain, and it can be driven hard through chunder. The camber helps to eliminate any chatter on hardpack, and the board has great edge hold.

 

• Venture Zelix, 158cm

Blister Gear Review's 1-Board Quiver awards
Venture Zelix

 

The Venture Zelix is a solid, durable board that is stable at high speeds in firm, variable conditions. The Zelix is flat underfoot, which makes it quite versatile in a wide range of conditions, yet it still has good edge hold.

 

 

Best Board for Pow

• Gentemstick Zephyr, 160.5cm

Blister Gear Review's Best Of Awards 2014-2015
Gentemstick Zephyr

 

If you’ve been to Japan, you will know a Gentemstick by the turns it leaves on the mountain. These boards are designed specifically for the deepest pow days, and offer a super surfy feel. The Gentemstick Zephyr provides that loose feel in the tail for deep powder, great float in the nose, and flexibility to handle changes in the terrain.

 

 

Best Splitboard

 

• Lib Tech Travis Rice Split HP

Blister Gear Review's Best Of Awards 2014-2015
Lib Tech Travis Rice Split HP

 

The Lib Tech Travis Rice Split charges lines with the same power and speed of the un-split Travis Rice board, while still maintaining the freestyle qualities that make it so fun around the entire mountain. The board’s C2 BTX camber/rocker design helps the Travis Rice Split float in pow, yet it can still be ridden aggressively when the snow gets firmer. Karakoram clips make it quick to take apart and put together.

 

 

Best Boots

 

• Burton Ion

Blister Gear Review's Best Of Awards 2014-2015
Burton Ion

 

The Burton Ion has been a staple in Burton’s line up for about ten years, and while there have been some minor changes to it over the years, the latest Ion is one of the best boots available. The Ion is light, durable, and uses Burton’s Shrinkage Footprint Reduction Technology, which makes the boot’s footprint one size smaller to alleviate heel and toe drag.

 

28 comments on “2014-2015 Blister ‘Best Of’ Awards”

    • We haven’t reviewed the Nabu, Rob. But the stated weight of the Nabu (though Marmot doesn’t specify the size) is 592.5 grams. We weighed the size Large Apoc at ~425 grams. The Lab Coat 2.0 weighed 810 grams with its powder skirt attached. So I suspect the Apoc is still more packable and might have a thinner fabric than the Nabu, while the Lab Coat 2.0 is the more fully featured (and heavier) jacket.

  1. I’m surprised that you didn’t go with the Marmot Quarsar down over the Arcteryx. When I was searching for a down jacket, I couldn’t get over how bulky the Arcteryx was. I really enjoy the Marmot, it is so warm and so light.

  2. Wait…what?

    “There are a number of good goggles on the market, but there is nothing this good. In fact, the Anon M2 goggle might be the best product in the entire snow sports industry.”

    That is a very un-blister like comment…can you tell us more? I need new googles so that I can scratch the s**t out of the lenses on day 3.

      • Jonathan, if you ever get a chance to talk to the Anon people, tell them they need to put silicone grippers on the inside of their goggle straps. The M2 has excellent optics, fit, and by far the best lens changing system on the market… but the lack of silicone on in the inside of the strap drove me absolutely berserk last season. Every time I lifted the goggle to put it on my helmet for a few minutes it would slide up and flip back. This was made worse by the brim on my Smith Vantage helmet. This is one of those features you take for granted on Smith and Oakley goggles.

  3. Hi guys – loving your reviews and advice as always. Bit surprised not to see the Blizzard Gunsmoke in your ‘best of’ list with it sounding like a unanimous top one or two versatile powder skis in previous reviews?

    • Good question, Davyn. We spent a lot of time debating whether to include the Gunsmoke in this very stacked category. It’s a really good ski. What it came down to for us is that (and Will Brown wrote this in his review of it) the Gunsmoke feels like a fat all-mountain ski, not a full-on pow ski. The Bodacious and Blister Pro and SMB, however, are skis that we would be totally happy to take out on a very deep day. So the skis in this category have to be versatile (the Gunsmoke certainly is) but the tie breaker came down to “and also be something we’d be jonesing to ski on deep days.”

      Now, the big caveat: we haven’t skied the 193 Gunsmoke, and that ski would seemingly close the distance on the 186 Bodacious and 190 Blister Pro. Hopefully we can get on the 193s this season…

  4. Makes sense Jonathon, thanks for your reply. I got them basically as a west coast one ski quiver that could handle Alaska so hopefully I’ve done the right thing (haven’t been on them yet).

  5. This is why I love Blister and read it religiously. Just solid info for those of us who aren’t lucky enough to test gear for a living! Jonathan if you could expand a bit on why you picked the Soul 7 for beginners I would love to know, just because it’s so easy and fun? Most places list it as an advanced ski but you’re the 2nd person I’ve heard say its great for people learning and wanting to have fun all over the mountain.

    I’m not quite a beginner, more intermediate but back to skiing at the end of last season after 15yrs snowboarding. Was about to get some Moment PB&Js but the Soul sounds so easy and fun and I’m worried about getting something too stiff while I try to get better. I don’t ski super fast and look for soft stuff whenever possible but gotta have groomer days too. I want a one ski quiver to handle both east and west around 30-40 days this year. Any advice you could provide would be great.

    • Hi, Gabe – if you haven’t already, check out our GEAR 101 article, “Best Skis for Beginners.” In short, the Rossi Soul 7 fits nearly all of our criteria, though it is slightly wider than we’d recommend for an everyday, EC ski. The narrower Rossi Sin 7 (review to come), or the Atomic Theory (see Will Brown’s review) are two other skis that you might consider

  6. Not much to say other than “keep up the good work Blister guys and gals”. I’ve been visiting the site for a few years now; you’ve worked hard for the credibility you’ve earned and it’s well deserved.
    Re: the Anon comments above, the fact that you’re willing to pick up the phone to manufacturers and pass on comments on our behalf is a boon. It’s good to know that there’s another way to get users’ views across to the larger / international manufacturers, who can sometimes be a little hard to reach. I’m sure the manufacturers will appreciate the role you play in facilitating this sort of exchange.

  7. This site is so good I’ve neglected my children… Looking for two new skis – Pow and Crud. I’m the same age and size as Jonathan, though I’m sure he’s a better skier as I’m still stuck in Chicago. I think all the reviews have convinced me that for Pow to go with the Moment Blister Pro 190. The Bodacious is also intriguing, but its bad-ass that you guys got one of your favorite skis back into production – there must be something special here. For Crud I’m leaning Cochise 185 as it’s universally liked on this site. I’m also considering tracking down a 13/14 Katana. I already have the 09/10 Katana in 183, but as you have noted the year after mine the ski was tweaked, production moved back to Germany and they won’t be around much longer. Thoughts on the crud ski choice? And if you say Katana do I man up to the 191? Thanks for the advice.

    • Ha, that opening line is my new favorite comment on the site. Thanks, Dave.

      As for the crud ski, we’ve only skied the 191 regular Katana – though I have skied the 184 V-Werks Katana. I’d say that if you never found your 183 Katanas to be too little ski, then I’d see no reason to size up.

      So I’m afraid that we can’t answer the ‘185 Cochise vs 184 Katana’ question, but if we were going to go ski crud, I can say that I would be excited to do so on either ski.

      • Thanks for the timely response Jonathan – the kids have now been fed, bathed, and put to bed. I may pull the trigger on the 191 so that it’s reasonably different than my old 183s. If it’s a poor vis day with more tree skiing I can always take out the old ones. Did you ski the 191 mounted +2CM of factory line like Will mentioned in his review and if so was this your preference as well? Thanks again.

  8. Why no review on the Westcomb Revenant Jacket? It seems like the ultimate ski touring jacket with the combination of Event and NeoShell fabrics for great breathability and waterproofness.

  9. Hi,

    Did you test the Rossignol Sin 7 ??
    I’m a very agressive skier, and I like so much off piste ski, couloirs,… But in the Pyreenes we do not have a lot of powder :-( Do you think The Ross Sin 7 could be a good option for me ?? Or better go for Soul 7 ?? Other possibilities ??
    Thans in advance

    David

  10. any chance a new 2015-2016 list is coming up? or perhaps a more relevant 2016-2017?

    thanks!

    fwiw, i read all your reviews (more than once) and if i had children i would probably neglect them, too. xD

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