The 2025 Volkl Blaze 86 W with Marker Squire 11 Bindings is a light and playful all-mountain setup that excels in a variety of conditions. With its moderate waist width and super lightweight construction, the Blaze 86 W is both approachable and intuitive, making it a strong performer in bumps, trees, crud, and on groomed trails. We paired the 86W with the Marker Squire 11 because of the Squire’s high performance and dependability for lighter weight all mountain and freeride skiers. With a light weight construction and a safe, reliable release, the Squire 11 is a go to choice to keep performance high and weight low.

Why we like it:

The Blaze 86 W opens the door for intermediate skiers to explore beyond groomed runs, venturing into bumps, trees, and backcountry terrain with confidence.

Who it's for:

A broad range of skiers will appreciate the Blaze 86 W, from intermediates looking to expand their skillset to advanced skiers who prefer a more relaxed and approachable ski.

Highlights:

The 2025 Volkl Blaze 86 W offers impressive all-mountain versatility. Its super lightweight Multilayer Woodcore features a blend of featherlight Poplar and stable Beech wood, enhancing both performance and playfulness. The core is further refined with milled-out slots to reduce weight, contributing to the ski’s nimble feel. Volkl’s 3D Radius Technology provides the ability to make a variety of turn shapes with minimal skier input, making the 86 W highly intuitive. Marker’s Triple Pivot Light 2 Toe and Hollow Linkage Heel systems work in tandem to provide powerful energy transmission to the ski, allowing for maximum edge grip and control of the ski. Lighter weight skiers can rest easy knowing the Squire 11 will be easier than ever to step into thanks to a re-designed heel piece. Perhaps the most underappreciated feature of the Squire 11 is the anti-ice rail, which sits on top of the toepiece and can be used to scrape the sole of your boots clean before stepping in.

Things to consider:

Although the Blaze 86 W is surprisingly stable for its weight, skiers who prefer a ski with more energy and rebound might find it lacking in liveliness. Advanced skiers seeking top-end performance may also prefer a more aggressive option, as the Blaze 86 W is designed to perform at a more relaxed pace.

Fit & sizing considerations:

The Blaze 86 W skis true to size.