Canvas jr review

Overview

The Canvas JR is the junior member of Blizzard's Canvas twin-tip family. In the 26/27 range it comes as a system with the FDT JR 7 WB binding (DIN 2-7), priced at €300 in Germany, and a version with the smaller FDT JR 4.5 WB binding uses the same lengths and shape. Blizzard writes that it is made for kids who ride the magic carpet and see the mountain as their canvas: a twin-tip build, an even flex and a child-friendly binding system should make skiing playful, easy and fun. It comes in five lengths from 108 to 148 cm. Blizzard files it under junior freeride, but on paper it is a twin tip for young skiers who like small jumps, side hits and skiing backwards as much as piste turns.

On-snow performance

The shape points to a forgiving, lively ski rather than a pure carver. Blizzard calls the profile "Twin With Camber": camber underfoot for grip on groomed snow, with a turned-up tail so a child can land and ride switch. The waist grows with length, from 72 mm on the 108 cm ski to 76 mm on the 138 and 148 cm skis, which gives a little more float at the side of the run than the 67 mm junior piste skis. The radius also grows with size, from 7.5 m at 108 cm to 13.5 m at 148 cm, so a small child gets a quick, easy turn while a teenager on the longest size gets a calmer arc. The JR Composite core and cap build keep the ski soft and easy to bend for light skiers; the trade-off is less hold at speed on hard or icy snow than a wood-core junior ski.

Construction & specs explained

• Core: JR Composite.
• Construction: JR Composite Cap.
• Sidewall: partial ABS.
• Profile: Twin With Camber.
• Plate and binding: FDT Junior RTL Plate (size S for 108-128 cm, L for 138-148 cm) with the FDT JR 7 WB binding, DIN 2-7.
• Dimensions: 99-72-90 mm at 108 cm, 105-74-96 mm at 118 and 128 cm, 109-76-99 mm at 138 and 148 cm.
• Radius: 7.5 m (108 cm), 8 m (118 cm), 10 m (128 cm), 11.5 m (138 cm), 13.5 m (148 cm).
• Weight: Blizzard does not publish a ski-only weight.

Because the binding sits on a factory plate, this is a system ski with no touring use.

Who it's for & comparisons

The Canvas JR suits children who have left the snowplough behind, ski parallel on most pistes and now want to play. The K2 Omen jr is the closest rival on paper: a 75 mm junior twin with rocker at both ends, while the Canvas JR grows from 72 to 76 mm and relies on camber underfoot. The Head Oblivion team jrs is a narrower 68 mm junior twin that leans more toward the piste. The Atomic Bent jr 110-130 is wider underfoot (78-82 mm) with an all-mountain rocker profile, which suits soft snow better, but it only covers 110 to 130 cm. When a teenager outgrows 148 cm, the adult Blizzard Canvas 100 carries the same twin-tip idea on from 162 cm.

Pros, cons and verdict

Pros

• True twin tip for switch riding and the park.
• Waist and radius grow with each length.
• Ready to ski with the FDT JR 7 WB binding.
• Partial ABS sidewall on a junior composite ski.

Cons

• The composite cap build grips less on ice than a wood-core junior ski.
• Factory plate system, so no touring and no binding swap.
• Stops at 148 cm, so tall teenagers outgrow it.
• Too narrow for real powder days.

Verdict: The Canvas JR is a playful junior twin for kids who treat the whole mountain as a playground. It is easy to turn and ready to ski out of the box; young racers, or kids who mostly want grip on hard snow, are better served by a junior piste ski.