This last March I was fortunate enough to be asked to join Ski and Outside magazines women's ski testing group. While I have been lucky enough to test skis as part of my job for the last 15 years, this was my first chance to tag along with the team responsible for the most-read ski reviews in the industry.

Over 4 days I tested skis from brands across the industry in categories from true powder tools to front-side carving machines. One of the skis that for me won “best in test” and was ranked in the top women’s all-mountain skis was the new Black Pearl 94. For the magazine, it won best for hard snow, but for me and probably a lot of other Colorado women this ski should be called the new Swiss Army knife.

Blizzard took their Black Pearl 97 and re-tweaked things for a ski with the ease of use of its more popular sister, the Black Pearl 88 but the charging ability of the old 97 creating a ski that really hits the mark. As the test rankings reflected, this ski really performs well on firm snow with almost unshakable stability. This quality is not restricted to the Black Pearl 94 but that solid feel doesn’t come at the expense of weight or forgiveness - two things we usually have to give up to get that security. An all-mountain ski should be very balanced in its skill set and the Black Pearl 94 really carries all the categories very well.

The flexibility provides a fun, non-jarring ride when you do find mixed snow conditions. It can handle bumps with proper direction and while it may not be the surfiest member of the pack, it floats well enough that you won't get left behind on a powdery day. This ski has enough breadth that the aspiring skier is going to feel confident to tackle new terrain and the seasoned expert will feel they have a confident companion for any condition.

All things considered, there were a lot of great skis out there to try. You can check out all the category winners and in-depth reviews at Ski Magazine or better yet - test them for yourself at one of our FREE Women's Ski Demo Days and see what ski is right for you!