2027 Blizzard Zero G 96

Blizzard's Zero G 96 is a fantastic option for touring enthusiasts who are looking for a mid-width ski that'll work great in softer snow as well as more technical and tighter zones. These skis are light, agile, and built for touring and backcountry audiences. There's not a lot of resort-based potential here as these skis are meant to accommodate a light tech binding and lighter boots. Skiers will likely know what they're looking for in the Zero G 96 as there probably won't be too much guesswork involved in this decision.

Built with Blizzard's Trueblend Tour Woodcore 2.0, we get a mix of poplar and paulownia in the ski. That's all good and light, but then they need a bit of beef, so they include an ash core insert in the binding zone. If you've ever been on a long tour and taken some sort of hard crash, you know how much it stinks to have a binding rip out of a lighter core material. With the ash, that fear is mitigated as the binding will hold on a bit tighter to the ski and prevent unwanted failures. In the 178, the skis sit on the scale at a stated weight of 1310 g/ski, so we're talking about some lightweight skinning action here. They've basically swapped the carbon for poplar in the build, creating a more natural feel even if it's not as stiff overall.

At 96 mm underfoot, these skis are fine for deeper and softer snow but really excel in their versatility of applications. They make a lot of sense for mixing conditions and terrain while keeping the technical capabilities firmly intact. Blizzard is using a 5 Radius Sidecut in these skis, with a straighter center radius for increased control in sketchier zones. The skis use a standard sidecut of 127/96/111 in the 178 to generate that mix of radii, but overall we're looking at a 20-meter cut on average. While there is some rocker in the tips and tails, there's a good deal of camber underfoot to create a grippier and more energetic feel in that middle zone.

This is certainly a dedicated touring ski, and while it's accessible for a multitude of skiers in terms of ability, the specificity of the application makes it more unique than ubiquitous. We recommend using these skis as touring and backcountry only, and they're best when paired with lighter tech bindings and boots to fully maximize the efficiency.