2025 Blizzard Anomaly 88 Ski Review

Replacing stalwart skis like the Brahma, Bonafide, and Cochise is no small task. Blizzard has undergone massive changes for 2025 with the introduction of the Anomaly series, consisting of four models, the 84, 88, 94, and 102. While these widths don’t specifically line up with the outgoing models, they do keep the marquee one in the 88, maintaining an emphasis on the all-mountain carving ski that sets the tone for all else in the market today. With an all-new construction, refined shaping, and a totally different range of performance characteristics, the Anomaly 88 blazes its own path, picking and choosing the best parts from the outgoing Brahma 88 as well as bringing in notes from the incredibly versatile Rustler series.

When Blizzard revamped the Rustler series to include the Trueblend wood core and the innovative Flux Form titanal laminates, that ski took off in terms of smoothness and energy. It was only a matter of time before Blizzard took some of those hints and incorporated them in their new Anomaly skis. While Trueblend has been involved in Brahma for a while, the all-mountain version in the Anomaly consists of poplar and beech stringers. The beech is located in the center, extending from tip to tail, while the outer poplar stringers are lighter and more flexible. This way, the engineers at Blizzard create a strong and sturdy spine in the middle with more playful flex and increased mobility along the sides. This isn’t dissimilar to the Brahma’s core, but where it gets interesting is in the use of metal. The bottom layer is robust and full, stretching full width and full length. On top of the core, we get a full glass layup and then the second metal layer. This one is also full, but it’s broken up into three different pieces. The central strip follows the spine, boosting those beech stringers to keep the ski smooth and stable. On the sides, the remaining metal looks similar to how the Fluxform titanal arms works in Rustler. In between, we get another fiberglass layer to boost the responsiveness and energy. Since the titanal arms are above that glass layup, closer to the top, they increase the grip and silence, especially as felt in the skier’s feet as that metal is right there. From top to bottom, this ski is a marvel of modern ski design, bringing a sophisticated wood core and an innovative metal layup together in ideal harmony. Blizzard does a fantastic job keeping this ski strong and smooth—capable of high speeds stability and mellower approachability. In the 176, the Anomaly 88 hits 2000 grams on the scale, putting it in the strong and somewhat hefty category, but the new shape brings it a lot closer to the mobile side of the spectrum, and this is where things get very interesting.

At a Glance:

2025 Blizzard Anomaly 88 Skis

The Rustler 9 moved to 96 mm underfoot last year, leaving somewhat of a gap in Blizzard’s line in terms of all-mountain/freeride performance. While the Anomaly 94 picks up the mid-90's slack, we always felt like there’s been a need for a hypothetical Rustler 8. The new shape of the Anomaly 88 almost seems like it’s taking that spot. Certainly, the build of the ski, combined with the more directional tail keeps it in the all-mountain zone, but the shovel and the taper now feed more into the versatile side of the spectrum. With increased rocker in both tips and tails, the Anomaly 88 is considerably more amenable to softer snow, bumps, trees, and crud than the Brahma 88 ever was. The ski flexes more evenly, and when that’s combined with the rocker in the shovel, the ski basically gets unlocked. We always loved Brahma ability to be an absolute tank in a carved turn but lamented its off-trail and soft snow capacity. Strong and skilled skiers could eke out some well-roundedness, but for the most part, the Brahma was somewhat rigid in nature and scope. Anomaly keeps most of the top end when it comes to power and performance and opens the ski to more aspects of the mountain. Just like how yoga or mobility training can unlock your hips, the rocker profile of the Anomaly unlocks the ski’s potential in the freeride realm. In the 182, the turn radius of 17.5-meters makes a lot of sense for carving clean, round turns and keeping it tight and active. That energy due to the turn shape is a highlight of this ski and its capabilities in both on and off-trail strategy and approach.

The blend of construction, shape, and profile all contribute to the amazing performance of these skis. We got along great with the Anomaly 88, and it was a highlight of the season in terms of all-mountain power and versatility. As an 88, this ski should work well in a carving and on-trail format. Simply put, this thing rips. The shorter radius and more flexible tip increase the suppleness of the initiation phase. Anomaly 88 is very easy to start the turn as a result. Once you’re in it, the metal and the wood core tear through the radius, bringing you around with an uncommon amount of energy—this is very similar to how Brahma 88 operated, with the exception of the slightly softer shovel. No matter how firm the snow got, the skis held tight to the surface, as this is an indication of how well the metal works with the Trueblend wood core. On the other end, when the snow gets soft, as it often does here in Vermont, the width of the ski, combined with the rocker profile, allowed amazing turning on junked up corduroy and in softer conditions. This was a standout highlight for us. Even though narrower skis like the Blizzard Thunderbird R15 at 76 mm underfoot hold better on truly hard snow, the Anomaly 88 does just fine, and it takes the slightly softer conditions to the next level. Most skiers may not be able to tell the difference here, as the new 88 is so incredibly intuitive and accomplished on hardpack. Additionally, having that slightly wider platform underfoot is great for balance and for allowing skiers to create higher edge angles on slightly softer surfaces. In shorter turns, we were very impressed with how the Anomaly 88 can vary shape and style. These skis are a lot friendlier at slower speeds and in shorter, more skidded turns. If you like to stay on the side of the trail and focus on more swing-like turns, the Anomaly 88 is more than happy to oblige. This is due partly to the shorter radius, and also because of the tip and its more flexible nature. From short to long, and everywhere in between, the Anomaly 88 is an obscenely strong performer on-piste.

Whereas the Brahma 88 was somewhat limited in application, the Anomaly opens it up when it comes to off-trail personality. We took this ski all over, and for more creative and adventurous zones, the Anomaly 88 is a huge step up from its predecessor. One day, skiing Hayride after a snowstorm, the Anomaly cut right through crud and chop with ease. We have a few pictures of the ski in a flexed position, and the shovel rises out of the snow and flexes appropriately for the related conditions. This makes the comparison of the Anomaly 88 and the hypothetical Rustler 8 come to life. A Rustler 8 should have less rocker than the 9, and more of an on-trail character. Anomaly 88 fits both requirements. Add in more metal and a stiffer core, and you’ve got a less versatile but more aggressive version of the Rustler. We just couldn’t help but think that if you’re a Rustler fan, but want more on-trail performance, this is the place to be. It’s the perfect mix of strength, power, agility, and versatility. In the moguls, this ski is way easier than Brahma. It’s responsive and predictable. It’s still more of a handful than something like an Atomic Bent 90 in the bumps, but that’s to be expected of a ski with this type of top-shelf performance. There’s more driftiness and smeariness in the Anomaly than before, so the tree and soft snow experience is boosted by a considerable margin. Again, there are better options for strict woods and powder, but the mix of on and off-trail capabilities at an incredibly high level is what makes Anomaly 88 stand out from pretty much anything else on the market today.

This 2025 Blizzard Anomaly 88 was a bright spot for us this past season. While all the Anomaly skis stood out as strong new options, the 88 is the pinnacle of all-mountain performance. The 84 has a bit more precision and pep, the 94 is a bit chargier, and the 102 is the big mountain specialist. Normally, when a ski is a jack of all trades, it’s a master of none, but that saying simply does not apply to the Anomaly 88. This ski truly handles it all at an exceptionally high level. It’s all due to the blend of technology in the build and creativity in the shape—those aspects meet squarely in the middle, creating a simply wonderful on-snow ski experience for advanced and expert skiers.