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05-03-2011, 11:52 AM #1
2011-12 Blizzard Freemountian Line up Cochise, Bonafide, Bushwacker
27 years old
165lb
5'10
130-150 days a year
I ski alot of everything but mostly freeski trees when back east.
I can turn left and right in various shapes and sizes on most parts of any mountain.
173cm Blizzard Bushwacker
125/88/110 - R 19.0 m (180 cm)
flipcore rocker
.5 sheets of metal
resort tested at stowe
windblown/icey groomers
icey/hardpack/chaulky/powder bumps
crud piled groomers on a VERY hard base
6 to 12 inches of powder with some wind affect in the woods....if your Erik Yohe or any Blizzard guys disregard the woods section that did not happen
Keeping in mind this very well may be a size down from what I buy, this was REALLY fun ski, and I am not just saying that because its my name.
Groomers - the groomers of the day were very wind scoured, the ski did not care. Blizzard's biggest problem is that they may have obsoleted their own carving skis. Really it felt that good. Gs turns on snow that would normally scare me were damn easy. Edge grip and power with no effort. shorter turns felt round and could be dynamic.
Piled up cruddy Groomers - the ski seems to know whether to surf it or find the bottom and dig in. At mortal speeds it was really stable and could be carved or skidded easily. At the speeds i was taking the totally icey groomers at the 173cm did feel like I had to work to stay centered more than I would like to in the uneven crud. I think the 180cm would easily solve that problem
Bumps - skiing bumps was more fun than my current go to ski a stockli Rotor 84. What 'the one" does in the woods is kinda of what this ski does in the bumps. Its just kinda of disappears beneath you. Its poppy with out being over being. Has just enough edge and never to much. Was able to ski various zipperline as well skiing bumps terry barbour style ala skipping the top in mediums radius turns. Doubling the bumps was alot of fun on these as well as the tail was super easy to load and control.
Powder filled trees - like I said this really didnt happen. Feels alot like a mini "the one". this is not a bad thing, if your a good enough skier in open enough terrain you will never have a problem skiing normal powder on this ski. It mixes 'old school" dolphin style powder skiing with 'new school" surfiness. It was pretty easy to turn in the snow we had that day and even when the tip got submerged it would always come back up. video to come in a bit.
Gripes
the tail is not twinned enough to back up in woods or soft snow, let see a elan spire esque tail next year complete with skin notch.
blizzard has obsoleted alot of their own skis with this ski. My 8.7 are for sale. 300 bucks anyone?
IQ max slider system is gone
other comments
the ski feels very light, should be a good skinner
bottomline - this will be alot of people everyday ski in alot of places. I will own a pair the only question is what size and what binding?
180cm Blizzard Bushwacker
125/88/110 - R 22.0 m (180 cm)
flipcore rocker
.5 sheets of metal
resort
Stowe
spring time conditions
frozen groomers
sugar/death cookie groomers
corn
slush
coral reef
I could have honestly gone either way with this ski buying either the 180 or the 173.
The 180cm feel like in another league when it come to large/high speed turns, crud/slush busting, GS turning bump field and overall charging a otherwise skied out east coast mountain. The ski according to me and my roommate basically doesnt have a speed limit at stowe, I ll have them out at snowbird and other western places where I am sure I ll find some ultra high speed unstableness. Bump skiing is still fun but not as mindlessly easy as the 173cm. If I skied at MRG I would have for sure went with the 173cm.
My only potential gripe is that I mount them with a P14 binding which I normally love but simply doesnt have enough lift and I keep booting out. I am think of remounting with a Baron/duke to get a sweet spring touring ski as well getting some lift to stop booting out.
185cm Blizzard Cochise - 135-108-123 -28.5 sidecut
got to ski this ski on wednesday which was a day after a storm day with some new opening.
Powder - powder is easy to ski on nearly anything with enough girth and lenght and anything not to stiff. open powder at speed its was almost as stable as my 192cm Thugs but was much easier to turn. the tip rises out of the snow really easy and its kills speed whenever you need to. Its is not as good in tight spot as the Katana but its more than make up for it with its other attributes.
Crud/tracked powder - Once mineral basin got baked into chunky couple feet deep hard snow, this ski just ate though it with no issues, I d imagine the 193cm would do even better. never got to ski the 193 in really bad crud. ITs really easy to drive the tips and just power though this stuff
Groomer- edge grip in both carved and skidded turns was superb, could be alittle stiff for really short on flatter terrain but more pitch make it bendable to any size. Did hurt my knees on hard pack snow, but not as much as my Katana or other wider skis. The simpliest solution to that problem is just to not ski hard pack.
Trees/bumps - the skis is alot more nimble than you would think and a couple times it felt as if the ski saved me from certain falls.
bottomline - a a great (softer snow)everyday ski for people who 'charge" it will work east or west as long A. you can drive it. B. the snow is just slightly soft.
193cm Blizzard Cochise - same dims as the 185 30 meter sidecut
skied during a storm 8-12 inches of new. on Baldy and silver fox and the run outs
while the 185 appeals to alot of people, this would be my ski to go to at snowbird nearly everyday with just alittle bit of fresh snow. take the above reviews and basically the skis was just easier balance on at higher speeds. I never found a speed limit on this thing, and no amount of chop, or variable snow could upset it. It was slightly more difficult to ski on low angle slopes, but on steeps open and tight quarters it was a joy and actually pretty easy to ski. It was hard to 'ski" bumps but destroying them was quite easy.
It was the "honeybadger" of skis, simply put this ski didnt give a crap what was in front of it.
2011-12 Blizzard Bonafide
187cm
135-98-118
sidecut 21.5
resort
Snowbird on a storm day. hardpack groomers,chopped snow on hardpack, chopped snow on soft pack, and up to 8-12 inches of powder.
A got to ski a full morning on this ski, it was very surprising I went into the demo thinking the 185cm Cochise was going to MY ski next year. The problem with the blizzards is they have probably 4-5 different skis that would appeal to most people. It is hard to choose.
Coming off the 185cm to the 187cm Bonafide the first thing I notice was it was slightly unstable and catchy. The bonafide is basically the Cochise shape minus 10mm at the waist. The sidecut is much deeper. With-in a couple runs the Catchiness became pleasant quickness and tighter turns while still having the abilty to go mach schnell in open areas. It might actually be more stable on edge at speed than the 185 Cochise, it is not however more stable in variable chop when you need to cut speed down in a hurry.
The Bonafide is still a downright charger and was eating up what snowbird was giving is that day. It was a big enough platform to launch some large airs and come away clean, it floated enough to make weird off trail conditions easy, it carved the hardpack as well my own 180cm Bushwacker but with a MUCH MUCH higher speed limit while still being pretty forgiving. the biggest thing for me is on hardpack it did not hurt my legs like the 108mm Cochise's did everyone is different but some wider skis REALLY torque me a framed knees on hardpack, the bonafide did not.
There were no real bump runs to test this thing out on but it was quick in the trees, not as forgiving as the flatter cambered 185 Cochise but still had the ability to smivot when needed. It was quick enough be a ski I could use on the east coast.
I have a real dilemma now, its what to get for next season. Currently Blizzard does not have a truely ideal east coast tree skis for large amount of powder, but I hated my east coast quiver at the bird. they are making some wonderful allmountain skis that charge though. Right now I am leaning towards getting a 187cm Bonafide for general skiing on any coast and will hope to pick up a 193 Cochise before I am back out west for the spring. At the bird my 183cm Katana, 180cm Bushwacker, and 177 "the one" were are underwhelming due to short length. it was frustrating watching lesser skier pull away from and stomp airs due to the right size skis.
I also want to pick up a true didcated powder board and Ill be honest for stowe the Bodacious is NOT it.
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05-09-2011, 07:44 PM #2Registered User
- Join Date
- Jan 2009
- Location
- western Colorado
- Posts
- 21
How about a side view?
I have been reading about this unique Flipcore technology, and lots of positive reviews on the performance of the Bodacious, Cochise, Bonafide, Bushwacker and lots of hype from the manufacturer...but have not seen anyone post up a sideview of any of the skis that would show the uniqueness of the rocker profile. Is it just a subtle thing that has to be skied to be understood? Sounds a lot like ELP of the newer Gotamas...
Can someone connected with Blizzard, or that has skis with Flipcore provide a picture of the side profile, or direct us to a website that has a sideview?
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05-09-2011, 08:43 PM #3
Flipcore wont look any different. The core was cambered and was flipped so the rocker was part of the natural curve of the ski, and the middle was pressed into camber.
Again the rise is low and long like a ELP skis but it has camber underfoot. It looks similar but does not ski the same. IMO the bushwacker is the ski you can feel the most, the other skis with metal feel more conventional.
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05-10-2011, 07:58 AM #4Squaw Cares
- Join Date
- Sep 2008
- Location
- NorCal
- Posts
- 531
The Cochise sounds like a great ski for Tahoe; pow to sloppy seconds.
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05-13-2011, 07:03 PM #5
Curious if the Bush and Bone tend to ski short.
I'm intrigued/interested in the 180 in both (Bush for everyday ski, Bone for B/C set-up).
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05-13-2011, 09:56 PM #6
Dookey, I have only tried the 180 Bushwacker (BWPA's in fact); found it skied shorter than my 173 Atlas's on packed or in tight terrain, but about its length in deeper crud or pow. Remarkably stable and grippy for such a light ride, although Blizzard lively, lots of snowfeel. I'm 165 lbs, would buy the 180 for how I ski. If I did more bumps, or wanted it more for 50/50, I'd guess the 173 would be perfect.
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05-14-2011, 10:24 AM #7
quite honestly I would ssave yourself some money and just buy the 180 Bone mounted with Dukes and use it for everything. the bushwacker is light and more nimble but does not offer a significant more edge grip than the Bone.
Basically here is how I would break down.
Bushwacker vs Bonafide
Bush
Pros -
lighter skis will skin better
better in the bumps
better in skied out trees
quicker
better at slower speeds
Bonafide
Pros
better crud buster
better in powder
better at speed on chaulky hardpack steeps
more stable
If I was out west I wouldnt even think about buying the 180cm bushwacker for how I ski, although mounted with dynafit you have a really sweet corn and light powder touring ski.
My go to ski next year that I will be teaching on and doing most of my freeskiing with be a 187cm bonafide mounted +1 with Dukes. It is also going to be a great travel ski considering I am considering actually flying for a ski trip next year.
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05-16-2011, 06:11 AM #8
Got a weight for the Bone? A little too heavy for a touring ski?
Life is not lift served.
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05-21-2011, 06:19 PM #9
From Epic:
173 Bushwacker 7lbs .5oz per pair or 3189 grams
180 Bonafide 9lbs or 4108 grams
187 Bonafide 9lbs 8 oz or 4309grams
All of the Freemountain skis have the same core. It is a very lightweight core similar to what Dynafit uses with stringers of different woods and hybrid materials.
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05-22-2011, 09:10 PM #10
So 180 Bones are 2kg per foot plus binding. Bit much for long days.
Thanks L2SLife is not lift served.
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09-30-2011, 09:48 PM #11Registered User
- Join Date
- Sep 2011
- Posts
- 3
Blizzard Cochise Mid-boot Mounting Point
Hi guys. I just received my ordered 177cm Cochise skis. I am planning on having a spare set of Marker Baron ATs mounted on them. There does not seem to be a mid-boot mounting point marked on the skis. How did you guys locate your bindings fore/aft, of whatever type? Thanks.
Cheers
RedSled123
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