Black Diamond Zealot Alpine Ski - 2007 BCS

Not like a riding a moped either. This is a review of the 182 from a lighter weight aggressive skier. Obviously great in the blower, crud and pow, the Zealot skis amazing inside the resort down the middle of groomers. And for 110mm underfoot, that's wicked.

Everyone talks about their stiffness. I don't think they are stiff like Volkl Explosivs. These do not have titanal - so the stiffness is torsional. That's why they still rail. The shovel flex and longitudinal flex is pretty progressive. Stiff but completely manageable and no stiffer than all mountain skis like my AK King Salmons.

I bought these as a big mountain/big powder day ski (for tele), and after the first day they became my 1-ski quiver. No need to use the Atomic Janak's except as rock skis. Granted they're stiff and will best suit aggresive skiers, but they actually arc on groomers and hard snow, rage in powder and crud, and don't feel any heavier skinning than did my Janaks. Just need a monster pair of skins now.

I'm a Tahoe skier, 6'0'', 180 lbs. Got the 192's mounted w/ ridiculously stiff O1's. I ride Garmont Ener-G's.

These skis rock! Makes super-G turns in crud feel like smearing the butter on your toast. Sick in the super deep, and will lay down rock solid trenches in anything but the bulletproof. Not the best for navigating narrow chutes unless you're going to straightline it. Requires a motivated and aggressive driver. It's a fun ski.

LOVE THESE SKIS!!!!! Can't say enough good things about them. They float through pow like a dream.

The downside is that they are heavy. But, you don't buy a stiff 110 underfoot ski for lightweight performance, right? Make sure you buy a nice pair of stiff freeride boots for these monsters - Crispi Diablo or Scarpa Denali.

By the way, I'm 5'11", and about 200lbs, so the weight of the skis was less of an issue for me. If you're a little bigger skier, you'll love these.

I use these for short-trip, deep powder backcountry skiing a la LCC and BCC in Utah.

This is for the 192.

These things rip. They chew up crud and rail on the groomers. they almost feel like race skis on the groomers. And the pow... these things love speed and power and a lot of input. You are rewarded with a ripping, stable, big mountain ski. Not for the weak or for the groomer cruiser.. but you knew that already.
These skis are stiff. Think 189 Rossignol squad. No kidding.
Me.. 5'11 190ish. Likes powder and drops and speed.

Got these skis two days ago. Have skied 2 feet of 5% blowweer on day one, and today super dense windblown at SnowBasin. They absolutely rule in both conditions, and do amazingly well on groomers once you're used to them. Plenty stout in the 182 length--the faster you ski the better. Don't think I'll have any need for my Atomic Janaks anymore (no need to ski hard bumps living in Utah!