The Sheeva Collection from Blizzard gets a facelift this year with top to bottom changes to both the construction and shape of the entire line. The Sheeva 9 is the narrowest in the series and therefore the more carving, on-piste, oriented with some great off-piste capabilities. The Sheeva’s have been a trusted ski in the all-mountain and freeride communities for quite some time now and we felt like it was the right time to see a major overhaul to implement some great new technologies. Throughout our testing of the new 2024 Sheeva 9, we found that it is more playful than it was previously while still retaining that strong and robust feel of the previous version. This is undoubtedly because of the structural and shape changes that have been made which have made a great ski even better. So, if you are someone that likes to use the mountain as your playground or someone looking for a ski that can carve up a groomer just as well as slash through the trees, you have come to the right place with the 2024 Blizzard Sheeva 9.

So what has changed from the previous Sheeva 9 to the newest edition? The major changes have come in the form of its construction. Blizzard’s TrueBlend Freeride Woodcore consisting of a multi-stringer lay-up of beech, poplar, and paulownia is incorporated into the new designin an effort to fine tune the flex of the skis for increased playfulness while maintaining strong on trail carving performance. The TrueBlend Freeride Woodcore has 8 stringers of beech, 3 of poplar, and 5 of paulownia which are strategically located to make the extremities of the skis slightly soft with stiffness and energy underfoot to get the best of both worlds. A new titanal laminate shape is then incorporated into the ski in a frame format, very similar to what you see on the Volkl M6 Mantra. However, the Sheeva 9 does not have titanal underfoot like its closely related Blizzard Rustler 9. Instead, a fiberglass laminate is in its place to increase playfulness as well as energy. Altogether the Sheeva 9 comes in at 3530 grams at the 174cm length, which is right at the sweet spot in terms of agility and the ability to power through variable snow.

Not only did the Sheeva get an updated construction, but it also got a slightly different shape when it comes to profile and sidecut. The freeride twin-tip shape carries into 2024, however it is more pronounced than before with earlier rocker and increased splay for both the tips and tails. What this does is make turn initiation and release easier and smoother than before. This is especially evident in softer snow conditions. Slight changes were made to the sidecut as well with some additional width added to the tips and tails. The sidecut of the 2024 Sheeva 9 includes a forebody width of 129mm, a waist width of 96mm, and 118.5mm in the tails which produce a turning radius of 16 meters. With extra width in the tips and tails, these skis float extremely well in soft snow and hook up very well on trail. A turning radius of 16 meters is on the shorter end of the spectrum for a ski like this, but we found that it led to some fantastic turn shapes and nimbleness that we quite enjoyed. The wiggle factor was certainly through the roof on this one.

For female skiers that are looking for a mid-90's all-mountain ski with a freeride flair, the 2024 Sheeva 9 is one that has come to mind right away. But now with the overhaul of the series, we feel even more strongly that there are many female skiers who would benefit from having it. As a daily driver, one-ski-quiver, or as a freerider’s “carving” ski, the Sheeva 9 can do it all to the nth degree.