Thunderbird r15 plus review

Overview

The Thunderbird R15 Plus is the top of Blizzard's Thunderbird piste line for 26/27, sold as a system with the Race Plate Pro B and the Comp14 Demo binding (DIN 5–14). It keeps the Thunderbird R15 shape — 121-70-102 mm, with a radius of 14.5 m at 170, 15 m at 175 and 16 m at 180 cm — but comes only in those three lengths, where the R15 LTD runs from 155 to 180 cm. Construction is a full sandwich with double Titanal around a Trueblend Piste woodcore of beech and poplar, full ABS sidewalls and Blizzard's Active Carbon Armor under the binding. Blizzard calls it "premium on the piste" and prices it at €1,400 in Germany, €200 above the R15 LTD + Comp12 Demo. It is made in Austria.

On-snow performance

We compared the spec sheets rather than skiing it, but the picture is clear: this is a GS-flavoured frontside carver for firm snow. Full camber, a 70 mm waist and a 14.5–16 m radius favour medium to long carved turns at speed; the double Titanal and the race plate should keep it quiet and glued to the snow, while the Active Carbon Armor — a carbon-fibre plate mounted outside the ski body so it can flex freely — is there, in Blizzard's words, to damp vibration and improve rebound and acceleration without touching the progressive flex. The Trueblend core has a harder zone underfoot for grip and softer tip and tail zones for easier turn entry and exit, which is what should make the R15 Plus more approachable than its race-plate looks suggest. The Comp14 binding and the 170–180 cm run point at heavier, stronger skiers than the standard R15, and the 0.9°/87.5° factory tune is sharp. Soft snow and bumps are tolerated, not enjoyed.

Construction & specs explained

• Construction: Full Sandwich, Double Titanal (2 Ti) with Trueblend.
• Core: Trueblend Piste HP Woodcore, beech and poplar in three stiffness zones.
• Damping: Active Carbon Armor, a carbon plate under the binding mounted outside the ski body.
• Sidewall: full ABS.
• Profile: Full Camber.
• Plate and binding: Race Plate Pro B with Comp14 Demo, DIN 5–14, supplied as a system.
• Factory tune: 0.9° base, 87.5° side.
• Dimensions: 121-70-102 mm in all three lengths.
• Radius: 14.5 m (170), 15 m (175), 16 m (180).
• Weight per pair as listed by Blizzard: 3,400 g (170), 3,580 g (175), 3,720 g (180) — about 1,700 to 1,860 g per ski including the plate.
• Made in Austria. Price: €1,400 on blizzard-tecnica.com Germany, binding included.

Who it's for & comparisons

The R15 Plus is for strong advanced and expert piste skiers — instructors, ex-racers, heavier carvers — who want the Thunderbird's firm-snow precision with a race plate and a 14-DIN binding, and who ski 170 cm or longer. Lighter or less aggressive skiers get the same shape with a wider length run and a Comp12 binding in the Blizzard Thunderbird r15; the Blizzard Thunderbird r13 is the shorter-radius, more forgiving sibling; and the Blizzard Firebird rs ii ti is Blizzard's race-derived 70 mm carver. Cross-shop it against the Head Supershape e speed (68 mm, 156–184 cm) for a damper feel, the Salomon Equipe gs 12 (68 mm, 170–180 cm with the P749 race plate) for a similar plate-and-double-titanal recipe, and the Stockli Laser gs (168–182 cm) as the premium Swiss GS carver.

Pros, cons and verdict

Pros

• Double Titanal sandwich plus Active Carbon Armor for damping without a dead flex.
• Race Plate Pro B and Comp14 Demo binding included; ready to ski.
• Trueblend core with softer tip and tail zones for easier turn entry.
• Made in Austria, 14.5–16 m radius for fast carved arcs.

Cons

• Only 170, 175 and 180 cm; lighter skiers are pushed to the R15 LTD.
• €1,400, €200 more than the R15 LTD + Comp12 Demo.
• Around 1.7–1.9 kg per ski with plate; a long day on it is work.
• System plate and binding limit your choice of binding.

Verdict: The R15 Plus is the Thunderbird for skiers who already outgun the standard R15: the same proven shape with a race plate and a 14-DIN binding, in the three longest lengths. If you ski shorter than 170 cm or want an easier day, the R15 LTD is the better buy.