Choosing Women’s Alpine Ski Equipment
Blizzard Tecnica’s Women2Women program has been committed to democratizing the world of alpine skiing for women since 2015. Fostering a better understanding of equipment is part of their engagement with the female ski community. Here’s how to choose women’s alpine ski equipment.
Blizzard Tecnica W2W Program
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Skiing means carving beautiful turns on groomers, sending up rooster tails of fresh powder on a mountainside or climbing a steep pitch to a long-coveted peak. It’s a sport that speaks deeply to so many outdoor enthusiasts, both men and women.
The Blizzard Tecnica Women2Women program’s mission is to create a female community of skiers through four fundamental pillars: developing products tailored to women’s needs, education, inspiration and community. These elements combine to make women autonomous in their sport, help them ski with total confidence and allow them to share positive experiences outdoors—and achieve all that together!
Many factors go into positive experiences on the mountain. Having alpine ski equipment adapted to your needs is among them. However, finding your way through the wide variety of women’s alpine ski equipment can sometimes be daunting.
The Basics: Determining Your Needs
Before embarking on the search for the ski equipment of your dreams, you should figure out what you need. Since there are many types of alpine skis and ski boots for women, ask yourself the following two questions:
What’s my skill level?
Beginner, intermediate, advanced, expert.
What type of terrain will I ski on most often?
Groomed runs, glades, steeps, snow parks, powder or a little bit of everything?
Construction of Alpine Skis
The main materials that are used in ski design are wood for the core and fibreglass, carbon and titanal for the reinforcement areas. These components affect the ski’s flexibility in terms of both the longitudinal flex (lengthwise) and torsional rigidity (laterally).
The ski’s stiffness determines how it behaves on a given terrain in low- and high-speed turns. An alpine ski’s flexibility depends on the materials used in its construction, how they are assembled and where they are placed. A ski can have a soft longitudinal flex and stiffer torsional rigidity. It’s all a matter of the construction and reinforcement areas.
To sum up flexibility, a soft ski will be easier to maneuver at low speeds and more forgiving. New skiers will prefer this type of ski. Stiff skis are lively and dynamic in turns. They’re perfect for advanced, experienced skiers.
Women-Specific Construction Technologies at Blizzard
Designed for women by women! The Women2Women program invites community ambassador skiers to contribute to product development and design. They give their input on both the aesthetics and the performance of skis on various terrain types.
Furthermore, the Women2Women group is consulted on all matters relating to improving and developing products under the aegis of W2W.
W.S.D. Flipcore (Women Specific Design) with the TrueBlend Core
W.S.D. Flipcore construction technology combines a fibreglass, carbon and titanium lamination process with a TrueBlend core. The core uses two species of wood, which allows the ski to have a different flexibility in specific places. For example, the Black Pearl has a stiffer waist so that it provides more power. The tip and tail are softer, which makes it playful and forgiving. The various lamination layers increase stiffness without weighing down the ski.
Binding Mount Points
To adapt to women’s morphology, binding mount points are farther towards the tip. This feature creates a centre of gravity that’s better suited to women so that the skis are easier to maneuver.
Tailored Profiles
Some Blizzard women’s skis feature a rocker that’s 3 mm shorter at the tip and tail, which increases the contact points with the snow by 10%. The result is a more stable, precise ski that offers incredible control.
Types of Alpine Skis
When it comes to alpine skis, there’s something for everyone. Alpine skis can be broken down into five main categories: on-piste skis, all-mountain skis, freestyle skis, freeride skis and alpine touring skis.
On-Piste Skis
- Waist that’s 85 mm and under
- There are on-piste skis for both beginners and experts
- Designed for on-piste skiing and groomed surfaces
- Bindings are usually included
All-Mountain Skis
- Waist between 85 mm and 90 mm
- Very versatile
- Can attack groomers and glades in different snow conditions
- Can be suitable for varied skill levels depending on the ski’s construction
Freestyle Skis
- Waist between 80 mm and 90 mm
- Impact-resistant construction
- Designed for the snow park
- Models can be focused on all-mountain freestyle
- Playful and forgiving
Freeride Skis
- Waist between 90 mm and 120 mm
- Ideal for snowy conditions
- Love steeps, snowy glades
- Can be used as an alpine touring ski
- For more advanced and experienced skiers
Alpine Touring Skis
- Waist between 84 mm and 102 mm
- Lighter, so ideal for going uphill
- If the ski is very light, it won’t perform as well in tough conditions.
- Must be combined with an AT binding
- Must be used with climbing skins
- Perfect for adventurers and those who want to cover long distances
- Great for getting in shape and using the skin trail instead of the ski lift
- For intermediate to expert skiers
Choosing Ski Boots
The choice of ski boots is made based on flex, foot width—narrow, medium, wide—and size. To find THE alpine ski boot for you, having your feet measured is critical.
You should be able to adjust a ski boot that fits your foot without any discomfort. A boot that’s too big sacrifices performance even if it’s more comfortable.
Alpine Ski Boots and Flex Indexes
There are various flex indexes. They indicate a boot’s stiffness level based on its overall design (including the materials used to build the shell, liner, buckles and straps).
Flex indexes for women’s ski boots range from 60 to 130. The higher the number, the stiffer the boot will be and vice versa. Morphology and skill level are the two points to consider to figure out the flex that suits the skier’s needs.
Very soft boots are easier to ski with. This makes them perfect for learners because they forgive mistakes and provide better mobility. These characteristics simplify initiating and getting out of turns.
A stiffer boot is more responsive. The energy transfer is more lively, which makes them ideal for seasoned skiers. A stiff ski boot is more effective and aggressive in turns.
There are no standards governing flex indexes. The feeling you’ll get from a given flex index varies from one manufacturer to another.
Flex Index for Women’s Alpine Ski Boots
- 60 to 90 — Beginner or occasional skier. Ideal also for smaller skiers.
- 90 to 110 — Frequent skier with an intermediate to advanced skill level
- 110 to 120 — Frequent skier with an intermediate to expert skill level
- 130 — Frequent skier, expert who needs a high-performance boot
Education is a key aspect of the Women2Women program. Understanding the equipment you use will allow you to make a better choice and purchase skis and boots that meet your needs. Then all that’s left to do is head out to the slopes and share the bliss with your girlfriends.
