The Quattro series has been an extremely popular and well-received product line for the past few years, and Blizzard is continuing on and forging ahead, churning out some of the best on-piste skis in the market. With devastating precision and top-notch construction, the 2019 Blizzard Quattro 8.4 Ti sits just below the RX, with similar construction, except for the extended binding rails. The result is a slightly more forgiving version that is probably a bit more versatile, but loses a twinge of stability at speed or on hard snow. But for skiers who are looking for a mid-80’s underfoot trail ski that has some off-road capabilities, the Quattro 8.4 Ti is as sure-footed as a mountain goat. Our testers all seemed to agree that the 8.4 Ti is a solid, stable beast that loves carving big turns.
Devin Gleason skied the 174 and scored it high in stability and torsional stiffness/edge hold. Not only did he comment on the carving nature of the ski, but also that it’s a “great all-mountain ride.” The conditions of the test softened quickly, but that didn’t slow Devin down. He noted that the Quattro 8.4 Ti “handled soft mush well.” In addition to the “nice carving” of the 8.4 Ti, the all-mountain performance and soft snow handling were both plusses for him.
Also skiing the 174, Bob St.Pierre rated it 5 out of 5 for both stability and edge hold. He commented that the ski should have a broad appeal: “Solid performer—could be used by a large variety of skiers, but experts will definitely reap the best rewards.” For an on-trail type ski, the 8.4 Ti had a great call and response mechanism. “Feeds off of input and responds accordingly. Not just a trail ski!” While confidence inspiring on-piste, the 8.4 Ti performed pretty darn good in the woods, moguls, and crud. Bob loved the natural and easy-going nature of the ski.
Jamie Bisbee found the 174 to feel on the long side, but that didn’t damper his experience, probably because he’d ski a longer length if he could. He liked the stability and stiffness of the ski and noted as to the free-wheeling and casual character of the skis: “Just press cruise control and enjoy! Velvet smooth through wet snow. I enjoyed the ride at speed with zero distraction. I also found it easy to disengage when necessary.” Jamie has some really good comments here, and it sounds like he simply was able to enjoy the ski without thinking about it too much. That’s probably when you get your best skiing done, anyway.
Contrary to Jamie, Jake Inger found the 174 to be a bit short. He did, however, mark it a 5 for stability, so it doesn’t seem like the shortness affected the performance of the ski too much. “Strong ski, nice and stiff. Holds an edge very well. Not too heavy for a metal ski.” Jake liked the versatility of the ski and had a very favorable overall impression. He places it squarely in the “good for a solid intermediate or expert skier” category, so he sees it as being able to cross some ability lines and have a broad appeal.
Charlie Roy reiterates some of the previously stated information about the 174 Quattro 8.4 Ti. “This ski rips the front side. It has a stiff tail, so stay on top of it or it will buck you. It has a fairly wide shovel that really pulls you into the turn.” Charlie, like our other testers noted that the ski is pretty versatile for a supposed “on-trail” ski.
The Quattro series keeps chugging along, putting out some great products that not only rip the front of the mountain, but also are capable off-trail performers. This type of versatility in a ski is a huge asset, and to be able to appeal to a wide range of skiers is a big plus.
