Phoenix 72 ca review

Overview

The Phoenix 72 CA is the narrowest ski in Blizzard's Phoenix women's on-piste line for 26/27 and comes as a system package with the FDT Free Short Plate and the TPC11 Demo W binding (DIN 3–11). It is the "CA" build without the titanal layer of the Phoenix 72 TI, aimed squarely at women who are learning or refining their carving. The geometry is short-radius and forgiving: 116-72-98 mm at 144 cm and 119-72-101 mm at 162 cm, with radii from 10 m (144 cm) to 14 m (168 cm). Blizzard's own line is that the ski "will show you the art of the carve", and the construction backs that up: a light Trueblend Piste woodcore, a partial sidewall and a low 3 mm tip rocker.

On-snow performance

On paper this is an easy, quick-turning groomer ski. The 10–14 m radii mean the ski wants to arc short to medium turns at moderate speed, and the softer tip and tail zones of the Trueblend Piste core are designed to make initiation and release undemanding. The partial sidewall keeps some bite on firm snow without the heavy, locked-in feel of a full-sidewall race ski, and the absence of titanal keeps swing weight low: Blizzard lists the bare ski at 1,160 g per ski at 144 cm. The flip side is a ceiling at speed. Without metal, the construction suggests the ski will start to feel light and nervous when an advanced skier pushes it hard on fast, icy pistes, which is where the 72 TI or a Thunderbird take over. Off-piste the 72 mm waist and 3 mm rocker offer little float; this ski is built for prepared slopes.

Construction & specs explained

• Construction: W.S.D. Sandwich Partial Sidewall (Women Specific Design from Blizzard's W2W programme).
• Core: Trueblend Piste Woodcore, two wood species in three flex zones: a firmer centre for stability and grip, control zones around the binding, softer tip and tail for easy initiation.
• Metal: none; the CA version does without the titanal layer of the Phoenix 72 TI.
• Sidewall: Partial ABS.
• Profile: 3 mm Rocker, a low early-rise tip over camber.
• Plate and binding: FDT Free Short Plate with the TPC11 Demo W, DIN 3–11, supplied together.
• Dimensions: 116-72-98 mm (144 cm), 119-72-101 mm (162 cm); radius 10 / 11 / 12 / 13 / 14 m at 144 / 150 / 156 / 162 / 168 cm.
• Weight: 1,160 g per ski at 144 cm (Blizzard lists 2,320 g per pair); the complete system weighs about 2,920 g per pair at 162 cm.
• Factory tune: 0.9° base, 87.5° side edge.

Who it's for & comparisons

Blizzard names two target groups: cautious beginners learning turn and speed control, and intermediate to advanced skiers who make confident parallel turns and want cleaner carved arcs. Within the Phoenix family the 76 CA is the same build with a 76 mm waist and 11–14 m radii for a little more stability, while the 72 TI adds titanal for stronger skiers. Against other women's piste skis in this class, the Elan Primetime n2 w (73 mm) is another forgiving system carver for progressing skiers, the Head Real Joy (75 mm) offers a similarly light, easy feel with a wood core and Graphene reinforcement, and the Atomic Cloud c8 (72 mm) sits at the same entry-to-intermediate level. If you want one ski for piste plus the odd soft-snow day, Blizzard's own Blizzard Black Pearl 82 is the broader all-mountain alternative.

Pros, cons and verdict

Pros

• Light Trueblend Piste core and no metal make for an easy, low-effort ski.
• Short 10–14 m radii suit learning and refining carved turns.
• Women-specific W.S.D. construction and a wide 144–168 cm length run.
• TPC11 Demo W system binding is included and simple to adjust.

Cons

• No titanal, so stability at high speed is limited.
• The system plate and binding fix your binding choice.
• A groomer specialist with little float in soft snow.
• Strong intermediates may outgrow it within a few seasons.

Verdict: The Phoenix 72 CA is an honest, forgiving women's carving ski for beginners and progressing intermediates who want to learn to carve on prepared slopes. Stronger skiers should look at the Phoenix 72 TI or a stiffer carver.