Tracking innovations in the ski industry one trusted gear review at a time. From skis to underwear, if it makes your skiing better or worse, we want to know. Exposing the over-hyped gear and directing the love to where it belongs is the intention of these real people gear reviews. This go we’re looking into the new Blizzard Cochise 106 skis.
THE GEAR REVIEWER
Celeste Pomerantz is a 25-year-old master’s student based in Squamish, BC. She grew up on the north shore ski racing at the local mountains such as Whistler and Cypress until at 17, she decided to burn her spandex and 70mm underfoot skis for couloirs, face shots and technical freeride skiing. If you ever run into her at the hill, you’ll probably hear about some couloir she hopes to tick off by the end of the season, in her eyes, the steeper the terrain the better. Despite now being a full-time master’s student with a part-time job at a local brewery, Celeste is often found “just getting a few laps in before class” in the backcountry or getting after it on the resort.
NAME: Celeste Pomerantz
YEARS SKIING: 20
HEIGHT: 175CM
WEIGHT: 63KG
SIZE: 185cm
BINDING + BOOT COMBO USED: Salomon S/Lab MTN Boot + Salomon Shift Bindings
CONDITIONS TESTED IN: Open powder, gladded trees, crud, groomers, rain crust
BLIZZARD COCHISE 106: IN SHORT
Blizzard’s new and improved Cochise 106 skis are unlike any freeride ski I’ve tried. Coming from a racer background, they remind me most of GS skis but with added stability, and playfulness to carve through any terrain. These speed generating, crud crushing, big mountain cliff dropping bad boys are not for the faint of heart.
The best thing about the Blizzard Cochise 106 Skis?
The most noticeable about the Cochise is their stiffness. They ski like a race GS ski and attack and cut through any rough conditions such as crud and uneven terrain. They are incredibly stable and confidence boosting while going off any drop knowing that they can handle landing on any snowpack with ease.
Best used for:
Big mountain backcountry lines with variable terrain, freshly groomed corduroy and open powder.
Downfalls:
Because of their weight and stiffness, they aren’t the most playful skis to toss around.
Don’t use in these circumstances:
Tight gladded trees with need of quick reaction times and the terrain park.
Favorite feature:
Power boosting speed demons.
Would you recommend this Ski + who to??
I absolutely recommend these skis to an aggressive advanced to expert skier looking to take their abilities to the next level.
FULL GEAR GURU THOUGHTS
Overall, the Blizzard Cochise 106 are phenomenal skis. As soon as I clicked into them for the first time, I knew that they would be aggressive. The metal and wood sheet core add stiffness which allows the skier to carve perfect turns in any terrain and any snowpack while simultaneously generating speed. When it comes to drops and airtime, they perfectly absorb landings and you’re guaranteed to land almost anything you try (unless you’re being an idiot). Although stable upon landing, their only downfall is their lack of playfulness due to their stiffness. In open powder, they float well and don’t sink even with the narrower waist compared to the previous models. Skiers looking to take their abilities to the next level will love these skis as they not only boost confidence but charge in all conditions. Happy shredding!!
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