2021 Blizzard Firebird WRC

The Firebird WRC is Blizzard's version of what we like to call a "consumer" GS ski. You get all the construction elements found in World Cup race skis, but with a turn radius that's quicker and more responsive than the giant GS radius found on FIS skis. In the Firebird WRC specifically, you get a wood core, two sheets of metal, plus Blizzard's Carbon Spine and Carbon Armour technology. These applications give the ski a stronger feel underfoot, as well as more rebound and better energy transmission than you'd get without it. Carbon Spine is particularly cool, using vertically laminated carbon layers between layers of the wood core, which run longitudinally from tip to tail. If you like arcing big turns on firm snow, well, you already know why you're looking at this ski, it's darn good at that, and it's a lot of fun to ski.

Mike Thomas skied the 180 cm length in the Firebird WRC, which he felt was plenty of ski for his size. Plenty of 5 out of 5 scores from Mike for stability, torsional stiffness/edge grip, and overall impression. Playfulness and forgiveness did drop to just 2 out of 5, suggesting that the Firebird WRC means business. With those two sheets of metal, carbon, and the 18.5 m turn radius in the length Mike skied, that's not surprising. "Grip for days! Smooth and fast, locked in and ripped, but with a big of forgiveness. They were easy to dump speed on, they didn't mind making a steered, brushed turn." Mike's written feedback actually kind of contradicts his low forgiveness score, but we think we know what he's getting it. It's still a ripping, relatively demanding ski, but GS race skis are pretty much always that way. Among its competitors, it does have a little extra forgiveness to it, which helps up the fun factor just a touch. The ability to release the edge of the ski and dump speed is valuable on a ski like this. It's inevitable that you'll be going fast at some point, likely often. It can be scary to feel stuck into a turn shape on skis like this sometimes, and it's nice to know the Firebird WRC is relatively easy to manipulate.

Pretty similar scores from Marcus Shakun after he tested the 180 cm length. Even at Marcus' size, he didn't think he needed to jump up to the 185 cm length, which is something to consider if you're looking into a Firebird WRC this season. Scores of 5 out of 5 for stability, quickness/maneuverability, torsional stiffness/edge grip, and overall impression. Once again we saw the forgiveness score drop lower, to just 3 out of 5, and flotation was way down there at 1 out of 5, but no one is concerned about float on a GS ski like this. "For the skier who seeks out fresh corduroy, looking to make fast medium to long radius turns. Hold an amazing edge with quick edge to edge transitions. Grips into firm hard snow and gives great rebound into each turn. Not versatile in off-piste. That's the only downside, if it has any." Jeff Neagle echoes Marcus' response after his testing on the 175 cm length. "It has all the guts you'd expect from a brand like Blizzard in a GS ski like this, but it's a little more energetic, and slightly easier to link turns on than some competitors. I'd feel super comfortable and confident using these for Ski Bum races at Stowe. 17.5 m turn radius is just about perfect for the course they usually set."

Jeff's feedback can be applied to just about any local race league. We typically see these leagues racing "GS," but the distance between the gets and the set itself is usually a little tighter than a true GS course. Because of that, a ski like this is just about perfect. Of course, you don't need to be racing to enjoy it. If you love making high speed carving turns, getting your hip as close to the snow as possible, and the feeling of speed and lateral acceleration on snow, you'll love the Firebird WRC.