2024 Blizzard Bonafide 97

[SkiTalk Test Team]

Updated from previous season ...

Philpug: I have owned every generation of Bonafide since it was introduced; each had its own, slightly different personality, but the Bonafide 97 last season is a complete departure. Only two things carry over from previous Bonafides: the name, and ... well, that's one thing. Construction, length, scaled widths, all of that is new. This ski is the most "all new" that you can call a ski while keeping its name.

With Flipcore, Blizzard took a marketing approach to a new core design, but with the new Bonafide, the construction is much more size-specific, with different wood stringers set up for different lengths in order to scale the flex. It is a great concept if you get it right, but if you are wrong, it can go waaay wrong. This is one of the few skis I skied in multiple sizes. A 180 Bonafide was always dead-on for me, so would I want the 177 or the 183? Since I had the opportunity, I skied both. I tried the 183; well, I should have tried the 177 first. The 183 felt like a truck, big and cumbersome. I don’t think even my old 25-lb-heavier self would have liked it. The 177 felt better, but still not like my old Bonafide. It is so new, they probably should have renamed it. It is a different ski; the apple has fallen far from the tree.

With all of that said, all-new is not all-bad. As you can see, the Bonafide 97 still gets a Tester's Choice because it is still a really good ski. The 97 is much more of a charger and has a higher point of entry than the older models. That is fine, you just need to know what to expect.

• Insider tip: If you were between sizes on the old model, you will be happy. If you hit the old sizes right, you won’t be.

Long term update:
Size tested: 177cm
Location tested: Mt. Rose, NV
Conditions tested in: Mixed fluff

You might have read where I didn't really have an intent to ski the Bonafide on this day, it was meant to be a day on the Rossignol Experience 86Ti but this is why we tend not to leave SkiTalk HQ with just one pair of skis, conditions can change or not be what expected and plans can change and it was the latter that happened in this case. Well, by bringing the Bonafide, proved that my spidey sense was right in choosing a back up ski. Conditions on the Slide side of Mt. Rose was Christmas storm leftovers, as many know sometimes the leftovers are as good as the meal itself especially in this case when I had the right cutlery to eat the meal. Sure I could have enjoyed the conditions on a One-Oh-Something or even most 95mm but the Bonafide stepped up and helped me enjoy those leftovers, wouldn't be surprised if they left the mountain a few MM wider with how much leftovers they ate up.

Co Freeskier
Size tested: 189cm
Location tested: Colorado

Demoed the Bonafide 97 recently and of all the skis I tried (Mantra, Maverick, Enforcer, Ripstick, etc.) it was easily the best of the mid-90s bunch though I could see how it is not for everyone. It is heavy and damp but when you get it up to speed, say 40-50, it comes to life especially at high edge angles. I’m 195 lbs, 5’11” and put a premium on stability at high speeds. It is not the quickest edge to edge but from an edge hold and stability standpoint it is much stronger IMO than the others. I’ll jump on my WC GS or SL skis when I want edge to edge quickness.

I’ve searched for years for something that could come close to my old pairs of Dynastar race room Legend Pros and the Bonafide is the closest I’ve found.

• Insider tip: Note that I did have a hard time choosing between the Bonafide and the Stance 96, the only other ski that really stood out to me on a long day of ski testing in very challenging conditions.

Tomahawkins
Location tested: Mt. Baker, Wa
Conditions tested in: 28" of powder

A Baker Powder day with 28" in the preceding 12 hours and another 15" during the day. Flake clumps coming down the size of apples. Extensive avalanche hazard kept the lifts closed until 11, but after that the mad rush was on. Surprisingly lifts 6 and 1 came online shortly after the bell and I was able to get one untracked line down Canuck's before 6 saturated and I had to retreat to 5 and Gabl's. Baker gets a lot of snow, but it's also a small area and gets tracked out quickly. The first 20 minutes I was wishing for something with a little more float, but after that the Bonafide came into its own and kept getting better on every subsequent run. A great ski for cutting through thunderous chunder. The thing is like a monster truck that can somehow still corner hard hitting every apex.

 

[Wasatchman]

@Philpug what were your thoughts on the newer version of the Bonafide versus the previous version? It seems you prefer the older version. Was it a size thing or other properties? I absolutely love how powerful this ski is but it is definitely a handful when you need to navigate tight spots and agility is needed. But I haven't been on a more stable and planted all mountain ski when conditions are subpar. The edgehold and stability are incredible.

 

[Philpug]

@Philpug what were your thoughts on the newer version of the Bonafide versus the previous version? It seems you prefer the older version. Was it a size thing or other properties? I absolutely love how powerful this ski is but it is definitely a handful when you need to navigate tight spots and agility is needed. But I haven't been on a more stable and planted all mountain ski when conditions are subpar. The edgehold and stability are incredible.

I like the newer ski, I liked the original too, some of the middle incarnations, not so much. I did find I was inbetween sizes on the new ski, the 177 was a bit short and I found the 183 to be truck like...I missed the old 180. If you are finding the old one tough in tight spots, you might want to err to the shorter of the new two lengths.