"The Quattro is a collection of men's and women's skis that are specifically designed for groomed snow. They are the most thoroughly designed and technologically advanced skis ever built."
That marketing statement could be said by any ski company offering a new collection of skis. Blizzard has created the Quattro series by bringing some core technology from the past -- namely, IQ and Suspension -- modernized into an all-new collection of skis. The IQ binding system has been streamlined and shortened to increase performance; the Suspension integration into the IQ is now offered in three levels with a difference that can actually be felt.
Blizzard has done an excellent job of consolidating this new series of skis and making the options very clear. Above the entry-level models, all skis will be offered in two widths, narrow and wide. The lower to mid levels will have some tip and tail rocker to help the skier create a proper turn. The highest-level models, RX and RS, will have little to no early rise and increased camber; they are intended for the skier who wants a technical carving instrument.
I was able to get on five of the models, all 174 cm: the 8.0Ti ($699), the 7.2Ti and 8.4Ti ($899), and the RS and RX ($1,099). Usually when you get on this many models from the same line from the same manufacturer, it creates confusion and overlap. Blizzard did an amazing job of creating separation and distinction between these skis, something that is extremely tough to do. All of these skis could have had blank top skins and you could tell the difference.
Quattro is based on -- you guessed it -- four points. Blizzard believes that you need four things to make a great frontside ski: Stability, Precision, Agility, and Control. I am just glad they didn’t use the acronym S.P.A.C. or S.C.A.R. as some would; Quattro, a name resurrected from the past, is indeed much better. We can get into all the rhetoric on what Blizzard says makes its skis better, but the question is, Does it?
Yes. Blizzard is making a clear collection of frontside skis for all levels of skiers. I think the shapes are very good, from the early rise of the lower and mid levels to the full-camber top level. These all-new shapes let you carve, slarve, and skid, whichever turn you need in any situation. Where some skis in this range lock you into a turn radius in the low to mid-teens, the Quattro’s TR is more in the mid-teens, which is better for being able to work the turn. Blizzard also allows you to pick the turn you want based on the length of the ski. Stay tuned for individual reviews of a few of the key offerings. The upper-end models will be available for an early release starting February 1.
That marketing statement could be said by any ski company offering a new collection of skis. Blizzard has created the Quattro series by bringing some core technology from the past -- namely, IQ and Suspension -- modernized into an all-new collection of skis. The IQ binding system has been streamlined and shortened to increase performance; the Suspension integration into the IQ is now offered in three levels with a difference that can actually be felt.
Blizzard has done an excellent job of consolidating this new series of skis and making the options very clear. Above the entry-level models, all skis will be offered in two widths, narrow and wide. The lower to mid levels will have some tip and tail rocker to help the skier create a proper turn. The highest-level models, RX and RS, will have little to no early rise and increased camber; they are intended for the skier who wants a technical carving instrument.
I was able to get on five of the models, all 174 cm: the 8.0Ti ($699), the 7.2Ti and 8.4Ti ($899), and the RS and RX ($1,099). Usually when you get on this many models from the same line from the same manufacturer, it creates confusion and overlap. Blizzard did an amazing job of creating separation and distinction between these skis, something that is extremely tough to do. All of these skis could have had blank top skins and you could tell the difference.
Yes. Blizzard is making a clear collection of frontside skis for all levels of skiers. I think the shapes are very good, from the early rise of the lower and mid levels to the full-camber top level. These all-new shapes let you carve, slarve, and skid, whichever turn you need in any situation. Where some skis in this range lock you into a turn radius in the low to mid-teens, the Quattro’s TR is more in the mid-teens, which is better for being able to work the turn. Blizzard also allows you to pick the turn you want based on the length of the ski. Stay tuned for individual reviews of a few of the key offerings. The upper-end models will be available for an early release starting February 1.