All Things Blizzard

[PTskier]

Has Blizzard been in continuous production of skis from the founding through their changes of ownership, now the 4th owners?

Mr. Arnsteiner, Scott Sports, Messrs. Hoffstätter and Stöckl, currently the Tecnica Group.

 

[K2 Rat]

Has Blizzard been in continuous production of skis from the founding through their changes of ownership, now the 4th owners?

Mr. Arnsteiner, Scott Sports, Messrs. Hoffstätter and Stöckl, currently the Tecnica Group.

I don't know for sure, but i think so. However, I remember Blizzard having financials difficulties ....maybe around 1990. I think they were not available in the US during that period. I think they were still making limited quantities of race skis and had some World Cup skiers then while they were reorganizing or maybe looking for a new buyer ?

 

[oldschoolskier]

I don't know for sure, but i think so. However, I remember Blizzard having financials difficulties ....maybe around 1990. I think they were not available in the US during that period. I think they were still making limited quantities of race skis and had some World Cup skiers then while they were reorganizing or maybe looking for a new buyer ?

I had heard that they also did a lot of contract manufacturing for other companies in those days (you bought brand x,y and z and they where made by Blizzard branded something else). Couldn’t tell if it was rumor or not back then.

 

[LeVieuxCrouton]

Can I share some of my hidden treasures ?
In fact , what are these ????
Still in their plastic wrap , never touched !
But what are they for ...
Should I invest in bindings for these 205 ?

 

[Royal]

I had heard that they also did a lot of contract manufacturing for other companies in those days (you bought brand x,y and z and they where made by Blizzard branded something else). Couldn’t tell if it was rumor or not back then.

they do contract manufacturing today. I just read that they are building Black Diamond skis now. see wildsnow blog.

 

[LeVieuxCrouton]

The Zero X skis seem pretty heavy and stiff : an ice ski ?

 

[oldschoolskier]

Just looking at the photos I suspect that it is a ski from the 90’s. In part the logo, it seems to have some shape, and World Cup (something) is on the logo. The plastic bag hides a lot of detail.

 

[Uncle-A]

A stiff 205 could be a SL ski from back in the 90's. A GS would be softer a Super G and DH would be longer.

 

[Andy Mink]

View attachment 17425
SKIING Dec 1977

I think I had one of these pair when I was in middle/high school. I believe it had a set of 555s on it. Sold to me by @Philpug. I guess you could say he's been in the industry for some time now.

 

[Uncle-A]

SKIING Dec 1977
Blizzard had to compete against these.

WIN_20160120_122224

• Uncle-A
• Jan 20, 2016

Retro Kastle Twin Tip

WIN_20160120_122211

• Uncle-A
• Jan 20, 2016

Look 99's on the Kastle Twin Tip

 

[LeVieuxCrouton]

So two new things this evening ... one is a Blizzard ... the second , see Dynastar .

Well I found on the web a pair of Blizzard Vollplast 205cm with Salomon 202 on them .
The Vollplast are from 1972 .
I ordered them and they arrived at the office where I work ... I was so excited that , Tuesday , I cleaned them and threw them in the car for a test run ....
Yes : my boots were a perfect fit . Not even an ajustment needed !

That was great ....

I just forgot to sharpen the edges so I was skidding on the patches of ice - the slopes are like concrete .
Next time , they will be sharp as a blade !

See here :

 

[Andy Mink]

So two new things this evening ... one is a Blizzard ... the second , see Dynastar .

Well I found on the web a pair of Blizzard Vollplast 205cm with Salomon 202 on them .
The Vollplast are from 1972 .
I ordered them and they arrived at the office where I work ... I was so excited that , Tuesday , I cleaned them and threw them in the car for a test run ....
Yes : my boots were a perfect fit . Not even an ajustment needed !

That was great ....

I just forgot to sharpen the edges so I was skidding on the patches of ice - the slopes are like concrete .
Next time , they will be sharp as a blade !

See here :

View attachment 38677 View attachment 38678 View attachment 38679 View attachment 38680 View attachment 38681 View attachment 38682 View attachment 38683 View attachment 38684 View attachment 38685

I'd check but I don't think those bindings are indemnified.

 

[oldschoolskier]

There are a few of us that ski bindings that aren’t indemnified, we just check and ensure they function as designed .

 

[Royal]

I hope you are doing some sort of release check on all these old bindings. those 202 looked pretty dirty and scary to me.

 

[Andy Mink]

There are a few of us that ski bindings that aren’t indemnified, we just check and ensure they function as designed .

I'm one.

 

[Uncle-A]

There are a few of us that ski bindings that aren’t indemnified, we just check and ensure they function as designed .

This is true but the S 202 was the bottom of the line of their adult bindings. I do ski older bindings but keep it to the better quality older bindings. When it comes to Solomon the Orange 727 may be the only one of worth.

 

[Philpug]

This is true but the S 202 was the bottom of the line of their adult bindings. I do ski older bindings but keep it to the better quality older bindings. When it comes to Solomon the Orange 727 may be the only one of worth.

And the first year black 727, that had the metal heel too.

 

[Uncle-A]

And the first year black 727, that had the metal heel too.

OK Phil I go along with that one as well.

 

[Royal]

I have skied the 555 but they were clean, no flat spots on the toe wing rollers and tested good. a will stay away from anything lower in the salomon line. but I have skied miller toes with a cable heel. they were good enough for Alf. I figured I could risk a couple of runs in them.

 

[LeVieuxCrouton]

Gentlemen ....
Thank you for your sollicitude but I have to confess something
I buy old skis that have old bindings on . I buy those skis to ski on them .
When they arrive here , I take a screwdriver and I ratchet both front and back to the highest setting there is on the bindings !!!
That should lock them forever ...
I know the risks : I go down as fast as I can at a ski hill that looks like a pimple . I offered the owners to dig with a shovel to gain some vertical feet . It takes 5 minutes waiting to take the chair , three minutes going up and between 35 and 45 seconds skiing down .
Obviously I like the idea of a possible sanction if I make a mistake ...

I do not own an helmet ... never had one ... I don't wear googles ... never had ...
I am skiing very often on Salomon SX91 Équipe and I wish I could find a pair of old Hanson Competition or Stiletto . On the Blizzard , I had my new Head because they were the ones that were fitting without moving a screw .

As I said on the Dynastar post , I bought the Maverick so I could switch the 202 for the Dynastar's 444 if the 202 were scrap . But I would ski these Blizzard as close as possible to the original setup .

Lucky I ski on a pimple ... but I would do the same in Panorama or Whistler .
Skiing gave me , when young , a reason to live . Goals . Places to see . Snow Bunnies . Friends .
I don't want to dilute my skiing experience . It is supposed to be fun with some sprinkling of WOW !!!!!