Tester: Juliette Willimann
The first time I tried the prototype of the Blackops Rallybird Ti was in Chile in the summer of 2019. My first thoughts were, “Oh YEAH! This ski is just incredible. A perfect freeride ski!” After a few runs, I realized that the tail was a bit too stiff, it wouldn’t slide when I wanted it to and I need to always have a lot of energy to make the ski turn on harder snow or steep terrain. Although it made me nervous to say so, I explained during the debriefing what I was feeling. They agreed to make changes to the ski.
In October I skied again with the team on the new version of the Rallybird Ti. Half way through my first run, I stopped and said to the test boss, A.J., “BRAVO, J’adore ce ski!!” The balance, ease of turn initiation and release is amazing. I can drive the skis where I want, charge through the turn or slide. The ski is not pushed around by bumps and crud and it’s playful. The titanium makes the ski strong enough for all situations, but because it is not a full sheet, it does not overpower my turn. I can ski steeps, powder, crust, jumps and groomed pistes all with the same control.
I’m very proud to be part of the development of this ski. You’ll see me skiing on it every day!
Tester: Brenna Kelleher
Whether you are new to off-piste terrain or a high-level ripper, the Black Pearl 97 does not disappoint. Test day began with ideal conditions: six inches of fresh snow on high-speed groomers. The next few runs I explored a bit more, finding crud-covered bumps and lots of chopped-up powder and again they performed brilliantly. The new TrueBlend woodcore offers the perfect combo of the right weight and performance. The Pearl 97 made it easy, yet felt like it had power and quickness underfoot as well. It performed from bell to bell as conditions changed throughout the day.
I would recommend the Black Pearl 97 to any intermediate/advanced skier looking to explore more terrain off the groomers. The ski performs at a low edge angle for intermediate skiers looking to explore new terrain, while more advanced skiers can ramp up the edge angle to execute precise carves in whatever terrain is in play. The new Pearl 97 is made with a slightly modified sidecut and baseline in every size, so each length is a perfect match for its pilot. Blizzard added a 177cm to the line up which is a welcome addition for stronger and/or more skilled women.
If you’re looking to purchase a great all-round, off-piste, bell-to-bell ski, be sure to put the Black Pearl 97 on your list. You can’t go wrong adding it to your quiver.
Tester: Cara Williams
I have been a part of Blizzard’s Women2Women movement for nearly six years now and the technology that Blizzard has created from our feedback keeps getting better. Enter TrueBlend Woodcore, a game-changing core at the heart of the new Black Pearl 88. During vigorous (yet fun) on-snow testing, the W2W group engaged in myriad conversations that led to the creation of the women-specific Black Pearl collection. The new Black Pearl 88 delivers stability at high speeds and in all types of conditions. Period. The 2020 skis are actually slightly heavier (+150g) than the previous model, but I discovered after only 3 or 4 high speed turns, is that once you click in, the function and performance outweigh the literal weight of a ski – it’s more important to be the right weight than light weight. The new Black Pearl 88 is less nervous, especially on harder and steeper snow, which is partly due to a women-specific Titanal platform in its midsection that runs edge to edge underfoot. The subtle rocker at tip and tail has less contact with the snow, for added float and liveliness. In all conditions the Black Pearl 88 conveyed a smooth and confident feeling that will benefit skiers ranging from novice to expert. Blizzard added a 177cm length and changed to 6cm size breaks that give the buyer more options. Every length is calibrated to create an optimal, round flex that travels well in all conditions.
By the look of it, the Atomic Bent Chetler 120 will ski like a flat-bottomed boat. Both bow and stern are rockered front-to-back and side-to-side, forming convex contact points that can serve as a prow when going forwards or a pivot point to rotate into rearward. Given how greasy this platform looks, it’s a surprise when it behaves… normally. Of course the Horizon Tech shovel, as the multi-axis rocker is called, wants to drift a bit before connecting to a turn, but when tilted on edge it knows what to do. After a few turns you become less conscious of its width and more aware of what a smooth, balanced ride it delivers.
Any ski of the Bent Chetler 120’s substantial dimensions will deliver the goods in pristine powder; the real test comes when the fresh stuff runs out. This is when all that surface area and relatively straight sidecut lets the skier use the Chetlers like giant putty knives. It doesn’t matter if the snow is clumpy or broken into choppy fragments, once you’ve poured over it on your Chetlers it will be smooth again. If all that drifting sounds lame, you can always resort to charging the fall line where you’ll find the Bent Chetler 120’s rise to the occasion.
