Blizzard has a reputation for making burly high-performance skis best ridden by strong, speedy ex-racer types. It does not have the kind of vibe that our testers usually go for. However, while the brand-new Anomaly 102 is no exception in performance terms, it’s one of the most accessible Blizzard skis yet. The Brahma, Bonafide, and Cochise lines have been replaced by the all-mountain-focused Anomaly series and the 102 is the widest. Building on the construction of the freeride-oriented Rustler series that places metal strategically to balance stiffness and dampness, the Anomaly 102 offers finely tuned flex that’s satisfyingly powerful on hard snow, but not totally overpowering when things soften up.
Groomers & Resort Skiing:
Unsurprisingly, the Anomaly 102 wants to go fast. What we came to like, however, was how easy it was to get up to speed and control. There are plenty of skis out there that don’t have a speed limit, but many can be pretty scary to ride unless you’re a master of edge control and forward pressure in your boots. The Anomaly isn’t one of those. Some of our favorite laps were on steep wide-open groomers, where there was plenty of room to take advantage of the longer 21-meter turning radius. Despite a really quiet ride feel, the tall camber of the ski still feels energetic, giving it a good amount of liveliness when cranking from turn to turn.
Skier: Max Ritter. P: Carter Edwards
Skier: Lucas Boudreau. P: Hanne Lundin Wallengren
Skier: Lucas Boudreau. P: Hanne Lundin Wallengren
Sizes: 176, 182, 188, 192
Dimensions: 136 / 102 / 123 mm
Radius: 21m @ 188
Weight: 2240g @ 188
The Anomaly 102 was built specifically for those who crave speed in any conditions. An all-new titanal FluxForm layup begs you to open it up, while the TrueBlend woodcore and re-imagined rocker profile give you the versatility and confidence to shut it down. If it’s No Ordinary rush you need, the Anomaly 102 provides.
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