The Blizzard Sheeva line, closely mirroring the Rustler men’s line, is a high-energy freeride line of skis that has three levels (widths) to accommodate and please pretty much any advanced to expert skier. The Sheeva 9 sits at the narrowest end of the spectrum at 92 mm underfoot. The width, combined with the progressive rocker technology, makes the ski surprisingly surfy and floaty, but still manages to have awesome edge grip and carving ability. The metal plate underfoot allows for some great carving performance, while the softer tips and tails make the journey into softer snow both fun and easy. For an all-mountain/freeride ski hybrid, the Sheeva 9 will be a favorite of a wide variety of skiers. Our testers loved the toy-like feel of the skis, and the playful nature and character did not disappoint. All of our testers used the 164 cm length.
Katrine Wolfgang railed some turns on the Sheeva 9 and found that they had “nice snap to the skis. The narrow waist made it easy to turn—and it does love to turn.” The 14 meter turn radius at that length is pretty turny for a freeride ski, and Katrine also noted that “it stayed pretty stable when I ran it wide and fast, and would be best in bumps.” So given the relatively tight turn radius, she found the ski handled the speed and length of GS turns just fine, but also noted that mogul performance would be exceptional thanks to the “narrower” waist and quick radius.
Kristi Brown took the Sheeva 9 out for a spin and loved the quickness, maneuverability, and playfulness of the skis. She found that they felt a bit on the short side, but that didn’t seem to hinder her fun whatsoever. “The Sheeva 9 is super-fun and reliable—peppy and pretty. Turns like a mini-cooper!” We infer her to mean that it’s quick and responsive.
The word “pep” pops up again with Susan Dorn’s review. She notes it as “peppy, floaty, fun. Light sounding, light feeling, quick turning. Great ski for advanced women.” The picture being painted by the testers so far certainly circles around quickness and maneuverability.
Jenny Lawson also loved the pleasant and quick feeling of the ski, but did note that it lacked stability and edge hold on hard surfaces. Finishing on a positive note, though, she says: ”This ski was playful and easy to turn.” Again, the common theme of playfulness and fun prevails.
From Pascale Savard: “Good overall ski, best in softer snow. Tips are really soft, which makes the ski bounce around at higher speed.” She notes as well that the skis are better suited for less-aggressive, but accomplished skiers. Pascale drives a ski pretty hard, so it’s not terribly surprising to hear that she feels this way. When you stand on the metal plate underfoot, the ski feels solid, but certainly the tips and tails leave something to be desired for the most aggressive skiers on the hill who are looking for the highest levels of stability.
The Blizzard Sheeva series is making skiing fun again—what they lack in brute strength they more than make up for in playfulness and fun. The full wood core with metal underfoot sends the message that these skis are made to be danced with, not slammed on. Advanced skiers will love the pep, snap, and light weight feeling of the 2019 Blizzard Sheeva 9.
