Blizzard’s Black Pearl line of skis have been some of the most popular models in the world, let alone in the women-specific category. They’ve undergone various changes over the years, the latest of which Blizzard recently announced. For the 2024-2025 season, the skis get all new constructions, shapes, and rocker profiles.
We’re working to start testing the new skis ASAP, but in the meantime, below we’ve listed some of the key info about the skis, as well as the full press release from Blizzard.
Some of the most notable highlights include new molds, with the 88 mm waist carrying over, but now being flanked by the Black Pearl 84 and Black Pearl 94. Blizzard also mentions that they feature new rocker profiles, and while the specifics are limited, the product shots make it look like the new Black Pearls might feature a bit more tip and/or tail rocker than the previous versions (which had pretty shallow rocker lines).
Arguably the biggest change, at least on paper, is found in the core of the skis. The 24/25 Black Pearl skis feature a different take on the “Fluxform” tech first found in Blizzard’s Sheeva skis. In the 24/25 Black Pearls, this consists of a full sheet of titanal metal that’s broken into three segments — one over each edge, and one down the middle. Blizzard says this approach “ensures the ski remains remarkably stable and damp from tip to tail, while the segmentation allows for a slight shearing within the ski structure, reducing torsional rigidity so skiers can come in and out of turns with ease.”
FWIW, Blizzard’s stated weights for the 24/25 Black Pearl skis are about 100-150 grams lighter per ski than their respective stated weights for the 23/24 skis.
In accordance with all these changes, Blizzard says they also tweaked the “Trueblend” wood core of the skis, utilizing stringers of poplar and beech throughout the ski to maximize stiffness and stability where needed, while making the skis softer and more maneuverable at the ends.
Here are the basic stated specs for the 2024-2025 Blizzard Black Pearl skis:
2024-2025 Blizzard Black Pearl 84
Stated Dimensions: 124.5-84-107.5 mm
Available Lengths: 146, 152, 158, 164, 170, 176 cm
Stated Weight per Ski (164 cm): 1590 grams
2024-2025 Blizzard Black Pearl 88
Stated Dimensions: 127.5-88-109.5 mm mm
Available Lengths: 146, 152, 158, 164, 170, 176 cm
Stated Weight per Ski (164 cm): 1610 grams
2024-2025 Blizzard Black Pearl 94
Stated Dimensions: 132.5-94-114.5 mm
Available Lengths: 152, 158, 164, 170, 176 cm
Stated Weight per Ski (164 cm): 1750 grams
Here’s the full press release from Blizzard:
Blizzard Unveils New Black Pearl Collection, Reinforcing The Ski’s Legacy as ‘The Boss’ – Just Like The Skier They Serve.
WEST LEBANON, NH (JAN 2, 2024) – Blizzard is proud to introduce a brand-new collection of their iconic women’s all-mountain skis, the Black Pearl. One of the best-selling skis of all time, the Black Pearl has become known as a reliable, balanced ski that has transformed the way women approach the mountain. While the construction and tech have been revamped with this collection, the spirit remains the same – still the Black Pearl. Still The Boss.
Featuring new molds, rocker profiles, and use of metal, Blizzard’s engineering goal for this evolution was to maintain the stability and power the Black Pearl has been praised for, but improve maneuverability, facilitating smoother transitions in and out of turns. To achieve this, they tested multiple iterations of technology layups with their international Women 2 Women group – a diverse assembly of women skiers ranging from weekend enthusiasts to professional instructors and former NCAA racers, ensuring the skis would cater to a wide spectrum of abilities without compromising on the quality that has made the Black Pearl legendary.
“With a ski like the Black Pearl, making changes can feel risky,” said Leslie Baker-Brown, Blizzard Tecnica Women 2 Women Project Leader. “But part of Blizzard’s DNA is to continually strive for improvement, always reserving the right to make our products better, which is what we’ve done. We put this new collection through the wringer, testing with dozens of women at eight resorts from California to Europe. The conditions were all very different, as were the types of skiers, but it’s that variety that allowed us to achieve the results we were going for. Based off the feedback on the final protos, I feel confident this new collection is the best yet.”
THE TECH
Women’s Specific Designs is a core philosophy for Blizzard, and new Black Pearls make no exception, with every element of design being completely unique to the unisex collection of All-Mountain skis. While the tried and true 88 waist width remains, new models include a 94 and 84, answering the needs of skiers from coast to coast who ski anything from firm groomers to chalky steeps to chopped up bumps.
Drawing on the success of Fluxform Technology in the Sheeva freeride collection, Blizzard has tailored an all-new Fluxform to meet the specific needs of all-mountain skiing. This innovative approach introduces a full sheet of Titanal, segmented into three parts within two distinct layers. This design ensures the ski remains remarkably stable and damp from tip to tail, while the segmentation allows for a slight shearing within the ski structure, reducing torsional rigidity so skiers can come in and out of turns with ease. The result is a ski that maintains the same Black Pearl spirit of approachability and intuitiveness but adds an additional level of confidence and control.
A new metal layup and rocker profile brought the need to refine the Trueblend woodcore at the heart of the ski. Stringers of dense Beech wood are concentrated underfoot to provide plenty of power and stability where you need it, yet taper towards the tip and tail among softer Poplar wood. The result is a woodcore that is specifically designed to be strongest underfoot and get progressively softer towards the ends of the ski to perfectly match the rocker profile and Fluxform metal layup for a smooth, balanced flex.
Because the layout of the stringers is specific to each size, the cores cannot simply be cut to length, but rather are designed specifically for every size of every model. Every ski has its own specific core, fine-tuned to optimize the performance of that one ski for that one skier.
Inspired by the community it serves, the Black Pearl has always been more than just a ski – it’s a symbol of the boss in every woman, and this latest version is a tribute to that enduring spirit.
The new Black Pearls will be available in Fall 2024.
Fantastic news. Can’t wait to get hold of a pair.
Sounds like the new Sheeva with less rocker in tips and tails.
I demo’d a pair of Black Pearl 88’s recently and freaked over how easy they were to carve with! Had a total blast on blue cruisers but wished they were a little more nimble in the moguls/trees. (Not bad AT ALL but I’ve enjoyed a little more flex/bounce on others I’ve demo’d-they didn’t carve as well as the BPs though! Anybody know if the 2025 changes will improve it in that area? Overall I love this ski and am trying to decide if I should buy some!
I have BP 2015 88 152. I am due for new. Now the question. Do I get 84 or 88?