Blizzard Black Pearl 88 Women's Skis 2023

The Black Pearl has won our women's Overall Ski of the Year on multiple occassions and is considered to be the best-selling ski in the world, the model every brand aspires to. It's an all condition ski that is truly happy anywhere on the mountain, from smooth pistes to tricky off-piste runs, care-free cruising to fast, technical turns. The Flipcore WSD construction is the key, producing perfect handling and balance, boosting confidence and encouraging skiers to keep pushing themselves.Terrain Type & Ability LevelTerrain Type everywhere on the mountain, including lots of time on firm snow and pistes where its solid construction of wood core and carbon fibre, shines. In all the mixed conditions and tricky snow, the balance and impeccable handling make it the standout ski in the category. At 88mm underfoot isn't the choice for someone who dreams of maximum float on bottomless powder, but it is the right choice for proper all mountain skiers, who recognise that too much width can be a hinderance away from deep snow. It also makes a surprisingly good choice for skiers who stay mainly on piste and will happily trade all-out piste perfomance for maxium stability and comfort whatever the snow.Skier TypeThis is one of the areas that makes the Black Pearl 88 such a special ski over all the previous seasons. It feels so good to a vast range of skiers from intermediates who want more confidence, to stronger advanced skiers who are already skiing the whole mountain comfortably. This universal appeal is the sign of a great ski.OverviewShape88mm in the waist works for a variety of terrain. It makes the most of the construction so that it rips on hard snow and packed pistes, yet it has enough width and the tip and tail rocker to provide excellent stability in softer and mixed conditions. The turn radius of 15m (165cm) it's ideal for all terrain use, long enough to feel balanced without losing the ability to carve tighter turns when required.RockerBlizzard's Rocker/Camber/Rocker uses specifically designed rocker in the tip and tail with camber underfoot. The camber increases the carving character on groomed trails while the rocker at the extremities maintains floatation and ease of turning off the slopes.CoreLite Core is a wood core that is naturally strong but lightweight for maximum performance without added weight. A carbon layer adds stability keeping the overall weight less than similar models using metal sheets. The new TrueBlend W.S.D. design keeps it feeling powerful underfoot as well as smooth and controllable at the tip and tail.ConstructionSandwich Compound Sidewall uses the tried and tested traditional method for the best performance. This means layers to build the impressive core, with sidewalls to produce the grip and precision that a ski like this requires. The top sheet has a rounded finish to protect the surface of the ski from scratches.Key FeaturesTrueBlend W.S.D.TrueBlend W.S.D. (Women's Specific Design) uses an exclusive blend of woods to provide 3 areas of density, meaning Blizzard can control the flex precisely through the whole length of the ski. The result is the same natural and dynamic flex for all sizes. For the skier it means more relaxed handling, better balance and precise control. To achieve this complex wood core structure required new production and manufacturing techniques. Using different types of wood makes it possible to modify the characteristics of the ski right at the core. For example, a ski should be stiffer in the area under the binding and softer towards the ski tips. This is why Blizzard builds the wood core with very small pieces of wood that are glued lengthwise. In the area of the binding, layers of harder wood are incorporated and softer, lighter wood is used towards the tip and tail. This elaborate construction gives the core different areas of stiffness with precisely adjusted flex properties, which creates a more harmonious ride.Carbon Flipcore W.S.D.Built specifically for the women's models this method offers the perfect blend of light weight and high performance. A uni-directional carbon layer integrated into a light sandwich construction ensures lightness, stability, smooth flex and torsional rigidity for an all round versatile and confidence inspiring ride.eB tester’s comments: Ailsa (Fort William) This ski made me happy! It was at home anywhere on the mountain. I could blast down groomers and play in the deeper stuff. The perfect all mountain ski.Size (cm)Tip Width (mm)Waist Width (mm)Tail Width (mm)Radius (m)Weight (g)1531288811012.1591288811013.1651288811014.1711288811015.General InformationSkier Ability: Intermediate|Advanced|expertRocker: Tip/Tail RockerRadius: MediumBindings: Ski sold flatDIN: n/aConstruction: Full SidewallCore: Wood, Carbon, Titanal LaminateDemo: Yes