Welcome to Cochise 2.0, the evolution. The 2016 version marks Blizzard's first significant change to the Cochise since it was introduced 4 years ago. The changes have less to do with what the Cochise is than with how it skis. Blizzard has altered both its construction and shape, making the performance of the Cochise more obtainable. First, the addition of carbon fiber at the tip and tail gives the Cochise more personality across the hill without diminishing its strength, the main characteristic expected from the reference ski in the One-Oh-Something Charger category.
The shape is the other significant change for 2016. Blizzard added a bit of camber but showed some smarts in its design process. “If a little is good, a lot must be better” is not the case with the Cochise: a little is enough. The original incarnation had zero camber, and the ski really needed to be bent to get a lot out of it or it could feel greasy or disconnected. This additional camber gives the Cochise a better connection to the snow, a bit more pop without losing what skiers liked about the first generation. An updated tip and tail shape also contribute to the versatility of the new Cochise. Blizzard designed some taper past the contact points, which allows the ski to enter and exit a turn without feeling so locked in, but again without losing the dynamics of what better skiers expect from a benchmark ski.
Make no mistake, this is still a charger and performs best when it has gravity to work with. The Cochise is most at home on wind buff and the steeps, when it is being pushed. I like to call such a ski "an 11/10th ski." I am an average-sized guy at 5’11” 190 lb, and my go-to ski is about 180cm and 98-100mm underfoot; someone who is 6’ plus and over two bills is going to get the most out of the 185 Cochise at 108mm. I did find the new Cochise in a 185 to be better than the original in the 20+ inches of powder we just received at Northstar, but I had more fun on them last spring at A-Basin on Pali and the East Wall, where I was able to open them up and work the 27m turn radius.
The shape is the other significant change for 2016. Blizzard added a bit of camber but showed some smarts in its design process. “If a little is good, a lot must be better” is not the case with the Cochise: a little is enough. The original incarnation had zero camber, and the ski really needed to be bent to get a lot out of it or it could feel greasy or disconnected. This additional camber gives the Cochise a better connection to the snow, a bit more pop without losing what skiers liked about the first generation. An updated tip and tail shape also contribute to the versatility of the new Cochise. Blizzard designed some taper past the contact points, which allows the ski to enter and exit a turn without feeling so locked in, but again without losing the dynamics of what better skiers expect from a benchmark ski.
Make no mistake, this is still a charger and performs best when it has gravity to work with. The Cochise is most at home on wind buff and the steeps, when it is being pushed. I like to call such a ski "an 11/10th ski." I am an average-sized guy at 5’11” 190 lb, and my go-to ski is about 180cm and 98-100mm underfoot; someone who is 6’ plus and over two bills is going to get the most out of the 185 Cochise at 108mm. I did find the new Cochise in a 185 to be better than the original in the 20+ inches of powder we just received at Northstar, but I had more fun on them last spring at A-Basin on Pali and the East Wall, where I was able to open them up and work the 27m turn radius.
- Who is it for? Big boys, chargers, and those who prefer to let a ski run in wide open terrain.
- Who is it not for? Lighter finesse skiers -- but no worries, Blizzard hasn’t forgotten you; check out the Peacemaker and the Gunsmoke.
- Insider tip: This is a better Cochise in every aspect. If you liked your old Cochise and weren’t sure it was time to replace it, it is. Just get the new one, you won’t be disappointed.
