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The Scores (out of 10)
- Overall Score: 7.81
- Rank: #2
- 贵濒辞迟补迟颈辞苍:听7.71
- Playfulness: 7.43
- Responsiveness: 8
- Quickness: 8.29
- Crud Performance: 8.43
- Stability at Speed: 8.29
- Forgiveness: 7.43
- Versatility: 7
The Specs
- Price: $750
- Lengths: 148, 156, 164, 172, 180
- Dimensions: 139-112-129 (172)
- Radius: 17.5m
- Level: Advanced, Expert
In a Nutshell
- Pros: Crud Performance (#1), Stability at Speed (#1)
- Cons: Playfulness (#4), Versatility (#5)
Hard-charging ladies have come to love the reliability and power of the Sheeva series, and Blizzard has (thankfully) let the success of this ski ride out without significant changes. The Sheeva 11 is the burly, powder-hungry big sister to the all-mountain Sheeva 9 and 10, with a 112mm waist that floats through morning freshies and plows through crud at the end of day. Who鈥檚 gonna like this one? 鈥淎ny lady wanting to be unleashed to scamper all over big mountains on a powder day and still feel solid when she pops out on a groomer,鈥 said tester Erika Northrop.
Related: These pro tips make skiing powder less exhausting and more fun
This ski topped the charts in the Crud Performance and Stability at Speed categories, and surprised testers with its solid edge to edge transitions on hardpack despite its girth. Blizzard鈥檚 signature Carbon Flipcore D.R.T, which features Titanal in the center of the ski and carbon in the tip and tail, reduces torsional strength fore and aft while creating bombproof stability underfoot. That makes the Sheeva 11 approachable and (relatively) easy to steer in soft snow, while still digging in and revving up when the going gets firm.
With a ski that packs heat like the Sheeva 11, forgiveness is always the question. 鈥淢ore than a powder ski, it plows through crud with stability and speed, inspiring confidence in variable snow,鈥 said tester Lily Krass. 鈥淏ut despite its hard-charging nature it doesn鈥檛 feel challenging to drive and is forgiving towards the end of the day when you get tired.鈥 That doesn鈥檛 necessarily mean this is the ski for a first-time powderchaser, but testers were satisfied with the Sheeva 11鈥檚 willingness to let off the gas when you鈥檙e looking to wiggle through your last few runs. That being said, if you鈥檙e looking to get playful and loose on the hill, this isn鈥檛 the ski. The Sheeva sacrifices smeary playfulness for a planted feel that allows you to keep your cool in varied terrain.
Read more: Learn about how the Blizzard Sheeva 11 stacked up against the competition
鈥淭ypically not my favorite in this category but I skied turns in lots of different styles and every one felt like I was still centered and slaying it,鈥 added Northrop. 鈥淒o you ski in the back seat or the front seat? Doesn’t matter on this ski! Hop on and enjoy without having to make a plan for executing perfect turns. This ski is like a filter that makes every turn look and feel perfecto!鈥
is a freelance ski journalist based in Jackson, Wyoming with work featured in SKI Magazine, Powder Magazine, Freeskier, Teton Gravity Research, and Ascent Backcountry Snow Journal. She spends winters backcountry skiing in Grand Teton National Park and riding lifts at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, with the occasional trip to the Alps (for the food, obviously). While she’s been in ski boots since she learned to walk, Lily has been professionally writing about skiing, gear, and all things outdoors for the past seven years. In addition to an all-consuming addiction to powder skiing mixed with heavy doses of Type II fun, Lily takes snacking seriously, and when she鈥檚 not writing or sliding on snow, she鈥檚 likely deep into a baking project in her tiny kitchen. She is the co-author of , a collection of dirtbag-friendly recipes inspired by life in a mountain town.