2022 Blizzard Firebird SRC

Everyone should get the experience of skiing a slalom-like ski in their ski career. The Blizzard Firebird SRC is the citizen’s version of their World Cup slalom race ski, but most mere mortals wouldn’t be able to tell the difference. With a slightly wider platform to stand on, the 68 mm waist width is still on the insanely narrow side, and this allows for the most precise edge grip that you can possibly find on a “recreational” race carver. The 165 cm length, which is most widely used by men’s slalom competitors, generates a 12.5-meter arc, which is right in line with the race ski’s specs. It’s just a bit wider all through the ski, allowing for less twitchy of a ski for most advanced and expert skiers who want the feeling of pulling those g-forces, without being totally and completely outmatched. Even so, these skis are built to turn, and they do not like to run flat. Here at Stowe, we are blessed with long, top-to-bottom runs on the Mansfield side, and that’s a wonderful thing to have. On a slalom ski, however, you end up making a couple hundred turns on the way down, making this a tough ski to use in a daily format. That said, there’s nothing else out there like a slalom ski—they're unique in their build and shape, and they offer a type and style of performance that you just cannot get in other skis. Our testers certainly take note of this, realizing that the SRC is not a daily driver, but rather a specialty ski that is not supposed to do a lot of things reasonably well, focusing solely on short, carved turns with endless grip and precision. All of our testers were on the 165.

Marcus Shakun is pretty tall at 6’5” to be skiing a 165, and he notes that “if I were a slalom skier, it’d be a great length!” But otherwise found it to be obviously short. He scored the ski 5’s out of 5 for stability, quickness, maneuverability, torsional stiffness, and edge hold—right in line with what a slalom ski should be. A 1 for flotation is not surprising, nor is his 2 for versatility. Marcus calls the SRC a “precise leg burner. Meant for the skier who wants to make the most turns in a day, and meant for firm snow or fresh corduroy. These skis do not like to run straight or make anything other than short turns. Be ready to hit the hot tub and ice packs after a full day of skiing these skis, as well as a cold six-pack of beer.” Jeffrey Siegel had some similar scores to Marcus, with that 1 for flotation leading the charge, as well as a 1 for versatility. It’s funny, though, that these low scores are actually a good thing for a ski like the SRC. Jeffrey comments that “This is a ripping slalom ski, but it’s also pretty easy-going as slalom skis go. I found that it only dishes out what you put into it. I found it snappy but easy to direct and I never felt it was going to kick me around. Heavier or more powerful skiers might overpower it. I think it’s a great choice for lighter skiers looking for a dedicated slalom ski, or for someone who wants to work on their technique in slalom gates.”

Not typically a slalom skier, Jeff Neagle likes to lay it over every now and then, and the SRC is as good as any when it comes to deep trenches and high edge angles. Another score of 1 for flotation from Jeff, leading us to believe that reaching for the SRC on a powder day might not be the best idea. “I don't ski slalom skis very often. When I do, I appreciate their performance, but it's really just not for me. Too many turns. Anyways, my personal issues aside, the Firebird SRC is a ripping ski. Full World Cup construction so it's stiff and strong. No lack of torsional stiffness or edge grip whatsoever, and with the short turn radius, that means you need to be on it. There's no relaxing on these skis, you need to be active and engaged, and honestly, you should probably be a pretty darn good skier. I think they would feel like a handful to an intermediate. They just always want to hook up and go, which doesn't translate to a ton of forgiveness. I feel like a good application for this ski would be someone who just takes a few runs before work in the morning. I don't really like the idea of skiing this bell to bell, but again, that's probably just my personal opinion about short radius race skis. On the other hand, I'd have fun just taking them out and ripping 2 runs down Nosedive or Hayride, giving the legs a bit of a workout, then calling it a day. I feel like it's important for me to say I really like skiing the HRC, which is only about a 3 m difference in turn radius... I guess that 3 m makes a bigger difference than you'd expect by just looking at the stats on paper...”

It’s a one-trick pony for sure, but the trick it does is pretty darn good. For a very strong and agile ski, the performance and energy you get out of it is quite impressive. The race-room build and the slightly friendlier shape are a great combination for expert skiers and former racers who are looking to reclaim a bit of the glory days out there on the hill, and we do not fault them for that in the least, and the Blizzard Firebird SRC is just the ski to do it.