What's Blizzard up to?

[Brianskis]

It's funny how quick everyone reverts to graphics. People on this forum will debate tiny details of construction and shape of a ski, but in the end doesn't it really come down to whether or not a ski is black, white or mostly neither...

[undertow2]

Will the Spur be offered in a longer length for us tall boys...?

[wasatchback]

189cm only

[roca1]

Hi ,
will the spur change in some way, except for graphics?
anyone knows?

[Lindahl]

It's funny how quick everyone reverts to graphics. People on this forum will debate tiny details of construction and shape of a ski, but in the end doesn't it really come down to whether or not a ski is black, white or mostly neither...

When you've lugged around an extra 5lbs of snow per ski on the topsheet, or spent half the tour perpetually whacking snow off the topsheet with your pole, black graphics become kind of a big deal. It totally negates the 400 grams you just shaved off by using fancy ski construction.

[Smails]

So it's pretty well established ZeroG is going to be a backcountry line & the freeride line gets carbon tips and tails. I saw a pic a week ago of the new freeride line... the tips do resemble the square tip of the Spur. They keep all the same graphics as this year, with the exception of the Spur, which goes all black. More importantly, it looks like the Bodacious changes the sizing up from 186/196 to 185/193 for '15.

I can certainly understand why a 193 Bodacious offering makes sense, thus the reason for the change in lengths, but I wonder if the old 186 and the new 185 are really materially different in length or if the sizing change is in name/number only. Obviously it's a CM either way so...

[XavierD]

When you've lugged around an extra 5lbs of snow per ski on the topsheet, or spent half the tour perpetually whacking snow off the topsheet with your pole, black graphics become kind of a big deal. It totally negates the 400 grams you just shaved off by using fancy ski construction.

I've never had a problem and my top sheets are dark.

[Kied]

I can certainly understand why a 193 Bodacious offering makes sense, thus the reason for the change in lengths, but I wonder if the old 186 and the new 185 are really materially different in length or if the sizing change is in name/number only. Obviously it's a CM either way so...

Yep... 196's were some big boards and I always felt like they needed to shorten the gap between sizes. Mentally, 193 seems more manageable. I'd bet the 186 and 185 are the same size.

[Kied]

[Lindahl]

I've never had a problem and my top sheets are dark.

Different climates

[auvgeek]

^^I've had issue in the PNW with dark topsheets.

All this "I have/haven't had issues with XYZ" gets annoying. Dark topsheets can collect snow; whether it's an issue for a particular person in a particular climate is kinda the definition of YMMV.

[adrenalated]

Remember when nobody wanted white/light colored topsheets for fear of losing them in the snow?

[Brianskis]

Is there data to support the idea that black skis are more prone to snow buildup than other colors? Or that White skis are easier to lose in zee powda?

[adrenalated]

Marketing video on the Zero G showing all sizes and weights for each model. No full dimensional/turn radius/rocker profile detail yet though.

Intrigued by the 95mm version. Weight is good, hoping for a bit of camber, some tip rocker, and a turn radius above 24m.

Edit - just saw this video was already posted above...

[XavierD]

I'm just saying, I think there is more than just color that has an effect on the snow sticking to the top sheet. And at the same time, top sheet color, and whether snow sticks to it or not, will remain one of the least of my worries. I am going to find out how these things ski (and whether snow sticks to them) before I cast them out on top sheet color. 185 108, 178 95, and 178 85 sound great.

If it really matters to them people can go buy a BD convert carbon with white top sheets that are super light and just deal with a really really shitty ski on the way down. YMMV.

And just so people don't feel obligated to rewatch the video to get the weights:
ZeroG 108:
185: 1750gr (27m)
178: 1650gr
171: 1540gr

ZeroG 95:
185: 1330gr
178: 1250gr (21m)
171: 1150gr
164: 1070gr

ZeroG 85 / 85W
185: 1255gr
178: 1175gr
171: 1090gr, 19m (W graphic)
164: 1015gr (W graphic)
157: 945gr (W graphic)

[Lindahl]

Yes, but color has a pretty significant effect when the conditions are right. Usually when the ski heats up in the sun in the open and you go back into the shade. Like skin globbing. White and light colored skis heat up a lot less and can eliminate it entirely. You can feel a huge difference in the warmth of the topsheet. As witnessed by partners who do or don't have black skis. It can be extremely obnoxious. There's a reason why Lou Dawson makes a big stink about it in every review of a dark colored ski.

[gregL]

I've never had a problem and my top sheets are dark.

Lou Dawson forgets that there are plenty of us who never see the sun while touring in powder . . .

[Gone Skiing]

I carry a small plastic scraper in my jacket and when they get super snowy i scrape them and they're good for a little while. Stoked to get on 185 0G108 this spring. Really stoked.

[LeeLau]

I've been on the ZeroG 95s since early December. All-black prototypes. Sharon liked them so much we've been trading skis back and forth and she is probably going to pinch my pair so I'll need to beg, borrow another pair of ZeroGs. My blue RMU Apostles and my wife's white G3 Tonics used in the same conditions on the same day attract just as much snow to stick to topsheets as the black Blizzard skis.

This experience is consistent with my black topsheet G3 Zenoxides and other black skis I've tested or tried. There's no difference between those black topsheets and other colour topsheets. Oh yah when I get snow on the topsheets I whack them with the pole to dislodge the snow

[GeezerSteve]

Lou Dawson forgets that there are plenty of us who never see the sun while touring in powder . . .

QFT 45678

[Lindahl]

This experience is consistent with my black topsheet G3 Zenoxides and other black skis I've tested or tried. There's no difference between those black topsheets and other colour topsheets. Oh yah when I get snow on the topsheets I whack them with the pole to dislodge the snow

Umm, yeah, there is. There's even a difference between the non-black and black parts of the same topsheet. I've very clearly seen snow stack up on the black portions and not on the non-black portions on skis before (in the exact pattern of the black graphic). Its been pretty damn obvious. Given how much I think you tour, I'm quite puzzled by your position. But I give up. Clearly you guys must not be out in similar conditions. I'll stop cunting up this thread.

[LeeLau]

Umm, yeah, there is. There's even a difference between the non-black and black parts of the same topsheet. I've very clearly seen snow stack up on the black portions and not on the non-black portions on skis before (in the exact pattern of the black graphic). Its been pretty damn obvious. Given how much I think you tour, I'm quite puzzled by your position. But I give up. Clearly you guys must not be out in similar conditions. I'll stop cunting up this thread.

Oh my god ... how about "In my experience, there's no difference between those black topsheets and other colour topsheets".

[MagnificentUnicorn]

It's probably because Lindahl and Dawson are in CO.

[Lindahl]

Oh my god ... how about "In my experience, there's no difference between those black topsheets and other colour topsheets".

Reading comprehension failure? Hah, my bad.

[tpacent]

Anyone have any weight and radius on next year's bodacious 185? I am intrigued if the carbon and more tapered tips had a significant impact on these dimensions...