The One - an all mountain ski for an all mountain camp

We've just had a ski review from Vaivods, one of our Master the Mountain crew in Fernie. He's just invested in a pair of Blizzard's The Ones (can you pluralize "The One"?). It's all very a la mode...

The One - true beauty is more than skin deep

This week, I traded my slim and slender slalom skis for a voluptuous pair of Blizzard's "The One IQ-Max". The One (and its feminine counterpart - the Crush) is favored by many of the veteran mountain pros here at Fernie and seems to be among the hot skis this season. If you're looking for a solid off-piste ski that also performs on the groomer, the One could be right for you.

The One is light, quite wide underfoot and has a bit of rocker, which help make it an excellent ski for all kinds of deep snow. However, I was really surprised by how well it handles on groomed pistes as well as the occasional patch of ice. The guys at the shop say that this is because Blizzard have shaped it with a bit of a sidecut to boost on-piste performance. To be fair, when it comes to hitting groomers, the One doesn't lag far behind my slalom skis and is actually much lighter than they are.

Although the One has a lot of personality, it's not pretty. The latest edition of the ski has an unsightly red and green tartan pattern that is reminiscent of the worst kinds of punk rock apparel and is a far cry from the many more attractive alternatives on the market. If you're put off by the hideous visual design, you can always go for the 2010-2011 version, which is exactly the same ski but is easier on the eye (and is the model I eventually purchased).

Aesthetics aside, Blizzard's the One is as versatile as they come and is definitely worth checking out if you're looking for a pair of skis that will help you get more out of all the snowfall we've been getting in British Columbia this winter. Moreover, the Gear Hub in Fernie gives Nonstoppers a free one-day demo, so don't hesitate to go down there when the next powder day comes!