The Volkl Blaze is the German ski brand’s all mountain freeride collection that ranges from the 106 at the wider end, to the new 82 on the narrower side. Whilst the 82 version has a freeride feel to it, the ski is more suited to the classic all mountain setup, making it an accessible tool for skiers looking to hit the piste, but take occasional forays into the side-country.
The first impressions of the Blaze 82 is how light the skis feel and how easy turn initiation is. Like pretty much all of Volkl’s skis, the edge grip is super solid and bites into the snow, even when conditions are hard under foot. But the best thing is how lively, fun and playful the Blaze 82 really is. They can whip around incredibly quickly and make turning feel about as easy as it gets on groomed slopes.
Take them off the sides, into moguls or chopped up terrain and they keep on playing. There’s no metal plate running through the Blaze 82’s, only some reinforcement under the bindings, so this relatively soft tip and tail provides a forgiveness in variable terrain that will be appreciated by intermediate skiers looking for a versatile ski that can be used across the whole mountain.
But when many ‘softer’ skis might feel a little undercooked to more aggressive skiers, Volkl’s Poplar and Beech woodcore offers stability, power and enough torsional flex to satisfy expert skiers looking for a fun ride out.
Yes at 82mm under foot, they might be a little on the narrow side for those looking for a big powder day ski, but for pretty much everything else, they perform as good as you get in this width area category.
