Phoenix 72 ti review

Overview

The Phoenix 72 Ti is the narrow all-rounder in Blizzard's new Phoenix line for 26/27, the women's piste family (W.S.D., Women Specific Design) that replaces the women's frontside skis below the Black Pearl 84. Blizzard calls it a 72 mm frontside machine: a single Titanal layer over the Trueblend Piste Woodcore in a W.S.D. TI Sandwich with partial ABS sidewalls, 3 mm of tip rocker and the FDT HP Short Plate with the TP11 Light Demo W binding (DIN 3–11). It is sold as a system. The sidecut grows with length — 116-72-98 mm at 144 and 150 cm, 117-72-99 mm at 156 cm, 119-72-101 mm at 162 cm and 119-72-102 mm at 168 cm — and the radius runs from 10 m to 14 m in one-metre steps. At 1,190 g per ski at 144 cm and 1,450 g at 162 cm (Blizzard's per-pair figures halved) it is the lightest Phoenix we cover.

On-snow performance

Blizzard's own words set the tone: precise but never merciless, energetic but never tiring, happy to carve trenches in fresh corduroy and bite into ice, yet willing to be dialled back for a relaxed cruise. The spec sheet supports that split personality. A 10–14 m radius and a 72 mm waist describe a short-to-medium carver that changes edge quickly, while the 3 mm tip rocker — the most rocker of any Phoenix — and the softer tip and tail zones of the Trueblend core should make turn initiation easy and forgive a late or lazy start to the turn. The single Ti layer (Blizzard's Ti Insert Construction) is there to damp chatter and hold the edge on hard snow without the stiffness of a double-metal race ski, and the HP Short Plate sits lower and lighter than the race plate of the SL and R14 Pro. The construction suggests a ski that is friendly at moderate speed and still grips when pushed, but that will run out of calm before the SL does when the piste gets fast and rough. With 72 mm under foot it tolerates a few centimetres of fresh snow at the edge of the piste but is not built for it.

Construction & specs explained

• Core: Trueblend Piste Woodcore — two wood species, veneers of different density in three flex zones (firmer centre, medium around the binding, softer tip and tail), tuned for women (W.S.D.).
• Metal: single Titanal layer (Ti Insert Construction) in a W.S.D. TI Sandwich.
• Sidewall: partial ABS sidewall.
• Profile: 3 mm Rocker at the tip, camber under foot.
• Plate and binding: FDT HP Short Plate with the TP11 Light Demo W (DIN 3–11), supplied as a system.
• Factory edge tuning: 0.9° base, 87.5° side.
• Dimensions: 116-72-98 mm (144, 150), 117-72-99 mm (156), 119-72-101 mm (162), 119-72-102 mm (168).
• Radius: 10 / 11 / 12 / 13 / 14 m from 144 to 168 cm.
• Weight: 1,190 / 1,270 / 1,360 / 1,450 / 1,560 g per ski from 144 to 168 cm.
• Lengths: 144, 150, 156, 162 and 168 cm.

Who it's for & comparisons

Blizzard pitches the 72 Ti at women who have moved past the basics and carve confident parallel turns on most pistes, up to experienced skiers who want a relaxed piste day. In the Phoenix line the 72 CA swaps the Titanal for carbon and costs less, the 76 CA is the wider carbon model, and the SL and R14 Pro are the race-plate skis for stronger carvers. In our catalog it lines up against the Atomic Cloud c11 (72 mm, 11.5–13.9 m, 143–164 cm), the Salomon S max n10 (72 mm, single Titanal, 14 m at 160 cm) and the Nordica Belle dc 72 (72 mm, 13.7 m at 162 cm, 138–168 cm). Against those three the Phoenix 72 Ti is the lightest on paper and has the tightest short-end radius, while the Head Super Joy (75 mm, carbon, 14 m at 163 cm) is the choice for a wider, carbon-based alternative.

Pros, cons and verdict

Pros

• Single Titanal layer for edge grip and damping without a race ski's stiffness.
• 3 mm tip rocker and soft tip and tail zones for easy turn initiation.
• Lightest Phoenix with a Ti layer: 1,190–1,560 g per ski across five lengths.
• 10–14 m radius range suits short and medium carved turns.

Cons

• Partial sidewalls and one Ti layer give up some grip and calm to the SL and R14 Pro at speed.
• System plate limits you to the TP11 Light Demo W binding (DIN 3–11).
• Longest length is 168 cm, short for taller or heavier skiers.
• A piste ski first; 72 mm offers little in soft snow.

Verdict: The Phoenix 72 Ti is the easy-going metal ski in Blizzard's 26/27 women's piste line: light, rockered and forgiving, with enough Titanal to carve clean arcs on hard snow. Choose the SL or R14 Pro if you want race-plate precision; choose the 72 CA if you want to spend less and do not need the metal.