2023 Blizzard Sheeva 10

The 2023 Blizzard Sheeva 10 returns with the trademark qualities that continue to put these all-mountain warriors in the limelight. Carrying forth the shape and profile that prove to be the ultimate sweet spot for skiers with a strong skill set and eagerness to tackle the mountain with power, maneuverability and ample flotation when needed. At 102 mm underfoot, the Blizzard Sheeva is an ideal width for freeride performance in softer conditions, yet thanks to the build, it can hold its own on variable surfaces. With a partial metal laminate and carbon in the tips and tails, skiers have the stability and strength to enhance dynamic responsiveness and powerful edge grip with maneuverability and playfulness to round it out. What makes this ski such an appealing choice for intermediate to advanced female skiers is the fact that despite the lack of full metal, it still performs with maximum power. This do-it-all, confidence-inspiring women’s ski is forgiving enough to allow for liveliness yet stable and smooth for a well-rounded, powerhouse.

Carly Monahan skied the 164 and felt that it skied short due to the rocker profile. For the east coast terrain that she encountered, they were true to size but if she were to ski out west, she would opt for a longer size. It’s helpful to receive this level of feedback as we want to know how and why skis perform best in various types of conditions and terrain. Looking at her scorecard, all categories received 4’s and 5’s, with the exception of a 2 for versatility. We get the sense that this may have been affected by the overall shape of the Sheeva, speaking to its significant rocker and waist width. Carly mentioned “this rockered ski does not want to lay flat on firm snow; these skis want to smear and slash in soft snow. Their burly build would be great for plowing through any heavy snow or chunder, but they're still super maneuverable and will happily cut turns on corduroy. You don't have to be an extreme athlete to enjoy these, but they will certainly be more fun for someone who will drive them dynamically with confidence. While these are not ideal skis for an east coast daily driver, if you're looking for a powerful-yet-playful ski for sidecountry laps and powder days, these should definitely be on your list.”

Ann MacDonald and Kristi Brown took a pair of 172s out and both enthusiastically noted the length as great! This emotion was backed up by 4’s across the board for Ann, leading us to believe that her overall impression was solid and consistent. A lot of the time we see testers scoring positively in almost all categories minus one, highlighting at least one noticeable weakness. However, Ann’s reaction portrayed a well-rounded reaction, with her comment being “got along with this ski way better than its sister the 9! I think it’s the width..., got up on edge much better and was more forgiving. A little torsional stiffness underfoot ..maybe carbon in it? But the overall impression was ok… not one of my favorites but not bad either. It just didn’t pop for me.” While Ann awarded the ski all 4s and showed an overall likeness, it didn’t wow her necessarily, in part to the extra work required to drive this ski in comparison to the Sheeva 9. For Kristi, “the Sheeva 10 offers a little bit of being good at everything skiing. The versatility grants good edge hold on hard pack while slicing through crud and floating pow. Feels slightly planky at low speeds. I would rather be charging about the hill rather than just buttering snow. More advanced skiers will enjoy the Sheeva’s do-it-all personality.”

Between our tester feedback and overall impression, the Black Crows Sheeva 10 speaks to advanced female skiers looking to power through crud and soft snow with stability and force. Between the metal component and carbon tips and tails, this ski can do it all between firm edge grip and playful flotation.