With the introduction of the Black Diamond Zealot skis last fall, the ski maker has almost single-handedly broken the mold of the dyed-in-wool telemark skiing stigma proclaiming that planks should be light, soft and skinny.
These crud-busting powder boards currently qualify as BD’s widest skis (136-110-126 in the 182-cm model, with a slightly wider tip and tail at 192 cm).
The energetic wood core understands how to carve a turn, although it excels in soft snow, where the smooth flex manages to dampen these stiff skis and provide a stable platform that inspires confidence in a wide variety of terrain.
Those who still consider Black Diamond a telemark- or AT-specific ski manufacturer will rethink that philosophy after attaching alpine bindings to these big mountain boards (a la the late, great Billy Poole) and tackling the tough stuff. The Zealots go from a late-season score at the MSRP of $640 to a flat-out steal with current online pricing as low as $500 for one of the season’s best-kept secrets.
Find it: Info at . Available at fine ski stores (and websites) everywhere.
