The Quattro W 8.0 Ca we recommended last season returns in the guise of the Alight 8.0 Ca, renamed to fit into an umbrella rebranding of Blizzard’s women’s Frontside collection, part of a company-wide initiative, Women to Women, intended to better differentiate its women’s line. The Alight 8.0 Ca remains a featherweight that punches in the middleweight division, holding a secure, unwavering arc on the hardest artificial snow.
If there’s one condition in particular the Cochise would most like to play in, it’s crud, in all its many manifestations. A snowfield that been riven by countless tracks still looks like fresh fodder to the Cochise. You can try to ski the Cochise slowly or push it around at low edge angles, but it isn’t likely to cooperate in these endeavors. This bad boy was built to gallop, not to trot. If you want a more compliant off-trail companion that isn’t geared so high, try the new Rustler 10 instead.
Our testers adore the Rustler 10, particularly for its Finesse properties. Here’s a sampler: “The mix of underfoot grip with ease at the extremities is unmatched. Another home run for Blizzard!” “Rustler 102 is playful, loose, poppy, yet still has that Blizzard feel underfoot. It’s going to be easier for more skiers to deal with.” “Centered and well balanced.” “Super fun in soft stuff, quite forgiving, yet good power on the groomed.”
Atomic knows a thing or two about high speed carving and have a few thoroughbreds in their race stable to prove it. The only problem with just adopting an Atomic race ski is acquiring the strength to bend it. Marcel Hirscher and Mikaela Shiffrin work out year round to be fit enough to be in absolute command of their equipment. This level of dedication isn’t normally found among amateurs who never intend to kick out of a starting gate.