We’ll say this for Blizzard and their “All-Mountain” women’s flagship, the Viva X8: they aren’t being patronizing. Built to essentially the same specs as the men’s Power X8, their only sin is to assume that American women want a robust Frontside carver when the current vogue is for a lighter flavor with an all-terrain aptitude.

But this shouldn’t diminish what the Viva X8 brings to the table: a supple carver that rolls edge to edge with the goal of smoothing out any ruffles in the way of its pilot’s path.  Neither overtly powerful nor slavishly forgiving, the Viva X8 is serene on edge even when coaxed off-trail. As befits a ski with all-mountain ambitions, the Viva X8 is unperturbed by dips into the sidecountry, where its elite construction keeps it on course in the crud.