Gear Review
In case you haven’t noticed it yet, girls are different than boys. Thank god. Not only are they better looking and smarter, but they ski different, move different, and are built different.
For years, the ski industry tried to address these differences by painting pretty pictures on men’s skis and calling them women’s skis. That didn’t work.
Actual science has now come into contact with women’s skis and they’ve evolved brilliantly. Women’s skis now have women specific flex patterns, shapes, and sizes. All this adds up to women’s skis that help women rip harder than ever before.
THE AWARD WINNING WOMEN’S SKIS OF 2015:
SKI: 2015 Dynastar Cham W 107
AWARD: OnTheSnow.com Editors’ Choice Award
– OnTheSnow.com gave their Editors’ Choice Award to 12 women’s skis this year, but the Dynastar Cham W 107 got the highest rating of them all.
– PIck up a pair of Dynastar Cham W 107s at evo.com: 2015 Dynastar Cham W 107
- Lengths : 157, 166, 175, 184cm
- Turning Radius: 16 m (175 cm)
- Sidecut: 137-107-122mm
What OnTheSnow.com had to say about the Cham W 107:
“A hovercraft that’s quick, effortless to steer and loads of fun,” says Sibley of skiing the Dynastar’s freeride-focused Cham W 107. The ski’s progressive five-point sidecut (130-137-107-122-98) means that although the rockered tip is wide, the widest part of the ski is in the forebody, tapering down to a narrow, flat pintail. Dynastar uses traditional construction, including full-length vertical sidewalls, a lightweight paulownia wood core and camber underfoot. Testers gave it equally high scores for versatility, playfulness and stability. “This ski can play, but it gets serious where necessary,” says Rodman. “It’s a multi-level playmate because it’s stable, easy to maneuver and floats joyfully.” – OnTheSnow.com
SKI: 2015 Head Big Joy
AWARD: Skiing Magazine’s Powder “Ski of the Year”
– Skiing Magazine’s Powder “Ski of the Year” award was given to the Head Big Joy. Clean and simple, we like it.
- Lengths : 158, 168, 178cm
- Turning Radius: 17m (178cm)
- Sidecut: 149 – 110 – 132mm (168cm)
What Skiing Magazine had to say about the 2015 Head Big Joy:
Rejoice, ripping chicks. The Big Joy has arrived to meet your already strong skills and then take you to the next level of powder pleasure. “Finesse ‘em in the steeps or point ‘em in the open bowls”said one tester. “It’s solid underfoot without feeling heavy.” Graphene, a Space Agey material that’s incredibly light yet stiff, is the secret sauce in Head’s new Joy line. Every tester loved the Big Joy for its power, forgiveness, and maneuverability. In short, a worthy and rad Ski of the Year. – Skiing Magazine
SKI: 2015 Blizzard Black Pearl
AWARD: Ski Magazines Gold Medal Gear
– Ski Magazine gave 7 all-mountain skis its Gold Medal Gear award, but the Blizzard Black Pearl received their highest ranking of both men’s and women’s skis. This is a women’s specific ski.
– PIck up a pair of Blizzard Black Pearls at evo.com: 2015 Blizzard Black Pearl
- Lengths : 152, 159, 166, 173cm
- Turning Radius: 18m (173cm)
- Sidecut: 123 – 88 – 110mm
What Ski Magazine had to say about the 2015 Blizzard Black Pearl:
The Black Pearl is so versatile, it’s almost a shapeshifter, transforming into whatever you desire: damp super-G ski one minute, agile tree slalomer the next. It’s powerful yet forgiving, knifey yet smooth, responsive yet stable. It has the same shape as the men’s Brahma-gradual rocker tip and tail for float and ease, flat underfoot with sturdy sidewalls for grip-but with a significantly lighter core. It also boasts Flip Core, which takes advantage of the wood’s natural bow so there’s no need to force it into rocker. “Just like an Audi A4: fast and sporty but with AWD when you need it,” said Tracy Gibbons. – Ski Magazine
SKI: 2015 DPS Yvette 112 RP.2
AWARD: Backcountry Magazine’s Editors’ Choice Award
– Backcountry Magazine’s women’s powder ski that received the Editors’ Choice Award.
Pick up a pair of the DPS Yvette 112 RP.2 at evo.com: 2015 DPS Yvette 112 RP.2
- Lengths: 168, 178cm
- Dimensions: 141/112/128mm
- Radius: 27m (178cm)
- Weight/Pair: 7 lbs. 6 oz. (178)
What Backcountry Magazine had to say about the 2015 DPS Yvette 112 RP.2:
+“Easy on the feet and knees, which is an important element for a touring tool.”
– “They’d be a touch heavy for longer tours.”
= A major contender for resort-based and trailhead adventures.
The argument that women’s skis are detuned men’s skis is of course somewhat true. However, when you factor into the equation a women’s lower centre of gravity and weight difference one can argue that the entire selection process actually expands for women. Many skis with smaller waist size (85-100) mm will float for a woman like a much wider ski than that same ski would for a heavier male.The biggest mistake a woman can make is choosing too stiff a ski designed for men. In most cases the flex of women’s skis is significantly altered to suit women. It may not be a man’s world after all.
I think it is possible that you have selected several skis which are precisely men’s skis with different graphics and a different boot center line. you may be unintentionally propagating a myth. I’m not familiar with the Head, but the others are men’s skis with altered topsheets. the boot center mark on Blizzard’s flipcore series is 4.5 cm forward for women’s models. otherwise women’s skis and touring or non-metal men’s or unisex models are still the same. not facts, just personal observations.