The new graphics are so fun, love how they look! I'd rock the pink/purple. The comment at 18:20 about the long/low rocker and how the front of the ski doesn't engage at low edge angles is one of my favourite things about Volkls. Incredibly loose if you keep them flat, precise and locked in once you put them on edge. Actively adjusting edge angle while you're skiing to change how they perform is super rewarding
Demo'ed the 94's at Palisades. In the morning when the snow was firm they didn't perform that well as my other skis but when the snow softened up they really shined!
Thanks! Boringly, I have not added much to my personal ski quiver over the past two years, but my boot selection has grown exponentially! I suppose I could make a hybrid quiver video with both boots and skis.
I bought the 94 to replace my qst 92. I wanted something just a little bit lighter and a little bit more rockered. The ski really delivered. I ended up choosing this more than any other ski in my quiver this year. 2 pairs of Kastles, head kore 105 and a Bonafide all stayed on the bench many east coast resort days. They were great for skiing slowly with my younger child. And they were so light that I was able to add some new tricks to my side hit repertoire. they are not perfect. In chopped up snow they can be kind of bumpy, especially if you're not on edge. Although i think they're a good Mogul ski , they are a touch stiff for my personal taste in the bumps. They're light but definitely a bit stiffer than I expected. Soothski data backs this up. overall still very good in the bumps. (Especially for a 94) I find myself recommending these often. Excellent soft snow choice. I also agree that these are some of the best tree skis I've ever been on. . I've enjoyed these things even in some deeper snow. 6 to 8 in was no problem at all. You can also catch some good sales on these skis
Is the Mindbender 106 c/96c less stiff than the blaze 106/94? I love The Rocker and weight of my blaze. But I think I want something a bit softer ideally.... I had the Kore 105, also too stiff for me also (but did have lot of fun on them)
The 96 C, especially in the shovel, is softer than the Blazes. The 106 feels like it has a thicker core profile underfoot, so there's some substance there, but it's not as poppy or peppy as the Blaze 104. Both are a step below the Kore in terms of stiffness. I do think the K2 106 is a good choice for a slightly more forgiving ski, yet it is still quiet and composed. While I'm not personally a fan of the Fischer Ranger 102, it does seem to fit the profile of being a slightly softer ski in this range.
@myselfo8732 I have the current blaze 94 (unchanged for several seasons, 2025 will be the 1st changes) and a 2022 qst 92. Blaze is lighter, more flickable (edge release is about as easy as anything I've been on), and floatier. Qst carves a better turn (imo), but neither carve all that well imo.. this is my soft snow ski so I don't place much value on carving when I pick this ski For the day. I would say it depends on your usage. Both are easy to ski, but I'd lean towards the qst for majority of people if you're buying only 1 ski. Qst is a smoother ride and is little better on trail. Blaze 94 is amiung the best tree skis I've been on. The 94s bailed me out of a few bad decisions in tight VT tress😅. That creates an instant bond with a ski for me! Blaze is light but has a mount point that seems far back. Took little getting used to on jumps. I may have moved up the mount point if I had known. But not an issue. Gives more float for pow!
@carterfan80 Thanks a lot. All mountain ski is not that much popular here in Korea. I'm going to buy it for my Japan ski trip(Niseko) this coming ski season. Thanks again for your kind response again.
Hello ,ski essentials team!Wondering if the Blaze 94 would be a nice lazy Sunday resort ski? I’m getting older (45) and I’ll still charge hard most days but I can feel a bit beat up and want a nice light ski that isn’t too demanding after a few days of skiing. A good all rounder. I’m 5’11 215lbs . I currently use a Mindbender 89ti 176 (carver, low snow) Declivity 102 - 180 (daily) and a Rustler 11 - 188 (soft snow/pow.) I’m super curious what you will recommend. Being west coast I’m looking at a 95 and up waist. I’m good with alpine bindings on 50/50’s Thank you!
I'm a huge Blaze 94 fan--it simply goes where you point it and does what you ask. Nice and light as well, so very much not tiring. In the mid to upper 90's, I'd also check out the Elan Ripstick 96 or the K2 Mindbender 96 C.
Love your videos its almost like getting to demo skis with your precise comments. I'm a Tahoe 2 quiver guy with M6 Mantra and 100eight for long time. Got the Blaze 106 last year from you guys as wanted to upgrade to the PT binding. I prefer the 100eight stiffness for chop although love the 3d turn shape of the 106 definitely better on groomers. Is there a ski with same shape as Blaze but stiffer in a ~110 width? Or maybe the Blaze 114 would be a better pick for me if it has similar stiffness to the 100eight but still maneuverable and able to slash at lower speeds. When get to ~115 wide usually get lethargic at low speeds and lose ability to slash in powder but Vokl good at making unicorns lol?
I was impressed with the 114's agility and pep. Sure it's a bit wider than the 100Eight, but it's also got more energy with the lower camber. I'd also check out the Head Kore 111 if you're looking for a similar shape with stiffer flex and really impressive performance. Keeps the weight down as well.
@@SkiEssentials thanks I'm hoping to find a place to demo the Head Kore 111 that sounds like a good fit for me. In the Mantra M6 I was inbetween sizes and went with 184. However in the 114 no sure I should size up to the 184 as so wide?
@@Andy-gn2hj I think if you keep it light like the Kore, you can go to 184. Good luck finding a demo, honestly, I can't think of too many places that will have this.
The Blaze has a bit more pep and zest to it than the Echo--the Salomon is smoother and quieter, but not by much, and the weight is pretty similar. Echo also has more of a modern rocker profile and taper shape--I'd say it's a better floater as a result, while the Blaze is more versatile for in bounds conditions and terrain.
That 100Eight was an uncommon floater due to the full rocker profile. I also really liked the strong backbone of the 100Eight due to the 3D Ridge. Other than that, the 104 is considerably more versatile and a better on-trail ski. I'd still take the 100Eight on a pure powder day, but the 104 in all other conditions or terrain.
There's more pep and tail energy out of the Blaze than the Rustler. Most of the Rustler's power is found in the central portion especially at higher edge angles. I prefer the pivoty feel of the Rustler in softer snow, mainly because it's more confidence-inspiring. I still don't totally trust the Blaze 104 when it comes to softer snow as it is still on the lighter and less stable side.
If you go back to the video at about 27:06 and watch the skiing, that is where the Stormrider will pull away from the Blaze. In those wider spaces and longer turns, the smoothness and stability of the Stockli will make its presence known. The Blaze does great for the weight and it's a lot of fun, but if you're in search of strong directional performance, the Stormrider will feel a lot more composed in variable conditions and terrain at speed. That said, it's not as energetic, poppy, or bouncy as the Blaze, so it could be considered less fun and playful and more business-like as a result. Although I will say, going back and watching that footage, I'm certainly impressed at how well the Blaze handles those speeds and conditions!
I think the new 104 is more stable than the new Ripstick 102 Black. The Elan is very flexible in the shovels making it supremely mobile and smooth, but I don't think stability is as strong as it was in the outgoing 106 Black Edition.
The weight is the biggest difference. The QST 106 is more stable and sturdy while the Blaze 104 is lighter and more mobile. The new 104 is more comprehensive and stronger than the older one, and for all-mountain skiing, it's an improvement. It's still not where the QST is at when it comes to smoothness and tip to tail consistency.
Hi there, great review - I've been looking forward to this one! I'm in search of a “slight downhill-focused” touring ski (with a 70/30 touring vs. resort split) that still uses a tech binding like the Marker Cruise or Kingpin. I'm 188 cm tall and weigh 65 kg/143lbs, and this would be my first touring ski. Which of the skis Völkl Blaze 104, Salomon QST Echo 106, the Blaze 106, and Atomic Backland 107 do you guys think would be best suited for a lighter skier like me? Carving or on-piste performance won’t be too much of an issue since I would be using the ski mostly for off-piste objectives when I’m at the resort.
The Echo is the most substantial ski on your list. It's slightly heavier than the Blaze 104 but feels more consistent and stable from tip to tail. I do think that if you're looking for more of a touring ski, the Backland and Blaze 106 make more sense as they're proper floaters with lighter weights. If on-trail performance isn't an issue, I'd say the Backland is a great choice for a lighter skier.
I used the Blaze 106 this year as my only touring ski, and my soft-snow resort ski, mounted with Shifts. They performed admirably, but I'm a heavier/more aggressive skier, and wanted something burlier in bounds. I think the Blaze 94 could be really awesome for this application on the east coast.
No issues. There's an extra hundred grams in the new 104, so if that amount of weight bothers you then you can adjust accordingly. Personally, I'm still a believer in one set of touring and one set of resort gear.
I liked how speacialized the 106 was. Now they've created another boring all mountain ski. Why are ski brands so afraid of creating unique products? A company like volkl is big enough to make great all around skis AND unique specialized skis. But instead they serve us luke warm meh. I just don't get it.
The Volkl lineup is extremely comprehensive, almost to a fault. The new Blazes are very energetic and poppy--I think they're better options than the previous versions. The new 104, in part, was created to put more gap between it and the Blaze 114, which is an AMAZING powder ski. Then look at a Mantra 102--that is a very specialized ski in that it is one of the best carving wider skis on the market today. There's nothing else like the Revolt 114, Katana V.Werks, V.Werks 100 (unattainable at $2500, I know), or new Peregrine (80 and 82) out there today. On the women's side, the Secret lineup is unrivaled in terms of top-shelf all-mountain performance. Volkl certainly seems like one of the more cutting-edge companies to me in terms of both high and low end offerings. I often give credit to smaller companies like Line and Black Crows for making more specific and creative products--the Sakana and the Justis are two of my favorites and they are very unique skis.
