2022 Blizzard Zero G 85

The 2022 Blizzard Zero G 85 is a narrow, light weight touring ski whose sole purpose is to cover a lot of distance really fast. These skis are incredibly light and agile, and when you put a light binding and a minimalistic boot on them, you’re headed for skimo and uphill speed records for sure. As the narrowest ski in the Zero G grouping, the 85 is also the lightest, making it the ideal choice for skiers who value light weight and uphill efficiency over downhill performance and flotation.

In the 178 cm length, the Zero G 85 tips the scales at 1180 grams per ski, which is really light and quick. These things will get you to the top in a hurry for sure. Built with a paulownia wood core, the skis are incredibly feather-like. Blizzard then adds to that a carbon laminate that they refer to as Carbon Drive 2.0. It’s full-width in the tips and tails, but tapers in a bit in the mid-section of the ski in order to provide more playfulness and save even a bit more weight. Overall, you’d never know that these are weight-saving techniques, and skiers who are looking to spend a lot of time climbing, with less emphasis on the descent will appreciate, but hardly notice them. Skin notches in the tail make it easier to affix and remove skins, and it’s all part of the user-friendly package that Blizzard is using here.

In the 178, the skis produce a 21.5-meter turn radius, and this is on the long side for a ski of this width and length. They do this for a couple of reasons. First, having a straighter cut on the uphill makes the stride more efficient. With less sidecut for the ski to roam and pull one way or the other, your strides will be straighter, and therefore more efficient as you cover less distance. Second, on the downhill, you’ll be able to vary up your turn shape and style easier versus a more dramatic sidecut, and this is beneficial because the ski is neither hooky nor grabby on the downs. When a ski is this light, if the turn shape is too rounded, the skis will engage too easily, and likely against the wishes of the skier. This way, the skier has more of a say in how long the ski will be in the turn for, putting more emphasis on fun and active skiing.

If you’re looking for the lightest alpine touring ski in the mid-80's range, the 2022 Blizzard Zero G 85 skis are a fantastic choice. Light, fun, and wicked easy to climb on, the Zero G 85 has a whole lot to offer in terms of uphill efficiency. When you get to the downhills, the carbon acts and behaves like a much higher-end product, allowing skiers to get the most performance possible out of the ski, while keeping the weight to an absolute minimum. There’s a lot of adventure to be had on the 2022 Blizzard Zero G 85.