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Partner News | Uvex, Blizzard, Tecnica Preview on Snow 2017

Uvex, Blizzard and Tecnica present their new products

by Christiane Eggert • 01/25/2017

Test conditions at Preview on Snow — Test conditions at the Preview on Snow

HMP

Once again this year, PowderGuide partner companies UVEX, Blizzard and Tecnica invited a number of journalists from the sports and outdoor industry to get to know their latest products - even before the presentation at ISPO. This time the test took place in Zürs am Arlberg. PowderGuide was of course also there to take a look at the new products.

UVEX

UVEX is now also getting involved in the visor helmet market and presents the UVEX helmet 500 visor. The helmet shape and the mirrored visor look stylish and sporty at first glance. The foamed edge is designed to provide a seal and prevent draughts. The advantages of a visor helmet are obvious: they are extremely practical and the field of vision is huge. The disadvantages become apparent when you put them to the test: despite their stylish appearance, draughts and snow accumulation are a hindrance when powder skiing. For the average consumer on the slopes, however, a very recommendable and stylish piece.

Another innovation from UVEX is the variotronic goggle: a pair of goggles that automatically changes the lens tint at the touch of a button. Four viewing conditions can be adjusted in a tenth of a second. A 3-layer LCD system makes this possible. In combination with a wide field of vision, the goggle is not only a 4-in-1 goggle but also offers a true panoramic window. However, the battery life of 30 hours must be taken into account. The goggles can be charged via USB.

The fit of the UVEX helmets is also worth mentioning, especially for models with "octo technology", such as the two classics: JAKK and JIMM. The octo-system has 10 individual slats that automatically adapt to any head shape. We tested the JAKK+ helmet at Preview on Snow and were impressed by the fit, the beautiful design and the low weight.

Blizzard

The Austrian cult brand Blizzard has been part of the Tecnica Group for 10 years. Tecnica has now blossomed into an extended family and can also count Nordica, for example, among its daughters. The advantage of such a marriage is that sets can be offered - i.e. skis, bindings and boots from a single source - as veteran Thom Rakusha tells us. In general, the guys from Blizzard and Tecnica are very confident in their products and you can feel the passion behind the production.

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For the 17/18 season, Blizzard& Tecnica has dedicated itself entirely to "Specific Design", especially to the needs of ladies. One special feature is the W2 series (women to women): Professional female skiers such as Jacky Passo, Angelika Kaufmann, Brenna Kelleher and Claire Brown formed a focus group. Valuable input and demands from the female skiers were exchanged and implemented in the material. This time it's not just about the color pink, but about comfort, performance, lightness and the possibility of a playful ride. The result was four all-mountain ski models: Alight, Elevate, Sheeva and Black Pearl, each available in 2 widths. In terms of boots, the focus group was concerned with performance, warmth, fit and comfort. This was achieved with the C.A.S Cuff Adapter on the shaft, C.A.S Linder material on the inside and the option of an integrated heating system.

The Black Pearl, 88 SP (flat), with the Radius 15.5 - the all-rounder from the freeride collection for ladies - was tested for you at Preview on Snow. "A softer set-up, natural rocker shape and lower weight are perfectly complemented by the Blizzard Flip Core technology", according to the promises. First of all, the ski showed on the piste that it is a jack-of-all-trades. It was easy to turn and playful on the well-prepared piste. In powder, despite its narrow width (88 mm), there was buoyancy and hardly any instability. Overall, the ski made a great impression. It can be skied with little effort. The matching boot from Tecnica MACH 1, MV (105 flex) fitted perfectly thanks to boot fitting and was not only comfortable but also provided stability and optimum power transmission.

The range of freeride and touring skis was also shown at the Preview on Snow.
The freeride collection Cochise, Bonafide, Brahma and all-mountain skis Spur and Rustler not only impress with their beautiful design but also with the latest technologies to combine lightness and lightness. The Zero-G touring collection is one of the lightest and most stable medium-width touring skis on the market. We have already tested last year's model of the Blizzard Zero G 108 in detail.

Tecnica:

Special feature of the Tecnica boots: Not only the W2 models but all models (e.g. MACH 1, men's model, 130 Flex) are available in 2 widths (100 mm and 98 mm) and can be individually adjusted thanks to the CAS system in the inner boot and in the shell. A boot fitting workshop was used to demonstrate how quickly the shoes can be adapted for a wider calf, a high instep or narrow ankles. The inner shoe and shell can be adjusted by heating (8 minutes at 80 degrees Celsius).

Since the shell has a flexible "crumple zone" at the back of the upper, it can be adjusted to the calf. Otherwise, the boots can be individually adjusted using a milling cutter or glue-in pads. Tecnica sales staff should be familiar with this service and are trained in this area.

The Cochise series, which is optimized for downhill performance, and the freetouring models from the Zero G series are also available to match the skis. Both Cochise and Zero G have an ascent function and inserts, but the Zero G models are significantly lighter. Here's our review of the Zero G Guide Pro for the 16/17 season

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This article has been automatically translated by DeepL with subsequent editing. If you notice any spelling or grammatical errors or if the translation has lost its meaning, please write an e-mail to the editors.

Show original (German)

Gear reviews | uvex Big 40

Lukas Zögernitz • 01/18/2017

With the "Big 40", the German goggle specialist is expanding its range to include snow goggles that have been specially designed for freeriding. In line with the trend for oversized powder goggles, the focus is not only on the design but also on many technical details. We tested the goggles in various conditions to see whether the features and design were convincing.
Gear reviews | Tecnica Zero G Guide Pro

Lea Hartl • 10/19/2016

Tecnica presents an interesting new boot for the freetouring segment for the 2016/17 season. The Zero G Guide Pro is a solid four-buckle boot that scores points with its surprisingly low weight and wide range of use. We tested the boot extensively in the southern hemisphere winter.
Gear reviews | Uvex JAKK+ helmet and JAKK TO goggle

Patrick Fux • 03/02/2016

Over the past few weeks, I was able to put the coordinated set of the UVEX JAKK+ helmet and the UVEX JAKK TO goggle through their paces.