THE PEOPLE'S SKI TEST - BLIZZARD BONAFIDE 97

BLIZZARD BONAFIDE 97
Category: All Mountain
Lengths: 165, 171, 177, 183, 189
Dimensions: 136.5/97/118.5 @ 177
Radius: 17m @ 177
MSRP: $849
More info: www.blizzard-tecnica.com

“I liked that this ski knows what it is. Blizzard bills the Bonafide 97 as a do-all ski, but in reality it has pretty specific tastes, and is pretty blunt about it. At 97 millimetres underfoot, it has enough of a frame to absorb more vibration than a typical piste ski, and its dampness is its core trait. The ski insists on tracking, and thus prefers groomed and stiffer conditions more than other offerings with similar-sized waists, which are typically a bit more versatile. The benefit to that cost is that it plows through uneven terrain better than narrower, more dainty skis. The Bonafide has a noticeable swing weight that makes it want to be planted and driven, and it doesn’t waste any resources on trying to do much else. Hobby skiers need not apply, this ski requires a licensed pilot.” —Matt Coté

Reviewer’s Rating: On Piste: 8/10 • Off Piste: 4/10
Average Rating: On Piste: 7.5/10 • Off Piste: 5/10

REVIEWER BIO:

Matt Coté
Age: 39 / Height: 5’7” / Weight: 155 lbs / Occupation: Contributing Editor of Forecast Ski Magazine
Forecast’s most diligent (and only) second set of eyes, Matt Coté grew up shralping the maple forests of Quebec’s Eastern Townships. A freelance adventure journalist at large, he’s now settled in Revelstoke. With a background in competitive big mountain skiing, and a few years on the judges’ panel, Coté’s taste in skis has softened with age. He used to like a long, stiff, fat, fully rockered plank that smashes like a freight train. Now that he spends most of his time ski touring, he prefers a 180-centimetre, medium-flex, cambered ski with about an 18-metre turn radius, and a 108- to 118-millimetre waist. His favourite type of skiing is steeps—Alps style.