Recommendations for new frontside ski (replacing 2016 Volkl Yumis) for intermediate skier?

[scandium]

It looks like the Rossi Experience line mainly targets beginner/early intermediate skiers in the sub 80mm category.
The Volkl Flair line does a mix of beginner and advanced skis in the sub 80mm category - the Flair SC Carbon is 70mm underfoot and is the stiffest/ most "advanced" ski offered in the Flair line, but they also confusingly do the "wider ski for better skiier" thing with the Flair 72 being the beginner ski and the 79 being more advanced.

 

[echo_VT]

I haven’t read all the responses but agree with @NewEnglandSkier and @scandium ’s initial responses.

I think the 84 Santa Ana would make sense, however I have the 93 Santa Ana and have the metal plate in it which I think they removed in subsequent years so I don’t think is exactly the same construction.

you can find good carvers in all mountain skis and vice versa, and it sounds like that is what you’re looking for. I think high 70s to mid 80s is a good compromise that you’ll be happy with on east and west coasts. Tune the skis to handle ice! Also learn how to ski on ice conditions. Both will help. Best of luck to you!

 

[scnelson]

Well, I took the leap and bought the Experience 82 basalt in 151cm tonight. I really wish they came in 154cm but hopefully they are not too short. Doing the conversion, I'm 156cm tall so they are about 2" shorter than me which I think will be ok. I'm excited to try them but it doesn't look like I'll be making another trip out this season. Thanks for the help!

 

[echo_VT]

please report back! hope it's love

 

[teppaz]

Well, I took the leap and bought the Experience 82 basalt in 151cm tonight. I really wish they came in 154cm but hopefully they are not too short. Doing the conversion, I'm 156cm tall so they are about 2" shorter than me which I think will be ok. I'm excited to try them but it doesn't look like I'll be making another trip out this season. Thanks for the help!

We definitely need a report! I hope the hive mind steered you right. I feel pretty confident

 

[NWSkiGirl]

I had the newer Yumis, and I liked them on the groomers. They would sink in pow and chatter when I got going too fast so I sold them. You may want to consider getting the new version of the Yumis with metal in them since you are looking to stay on the groomers. Also, maybe check out the Black Pearls, which come in several different waist sizes.

 

[scnelson]

I wanted to give a report back on the Rossi Experience 82 Basalts since I finally got to ski them and also ask your opinion on length. The good news is I absolutely love the skis and they immediately took my skiing to another level (maybe 2 or 3 levels, lol). I've only had a few pairs of skis so I don't have a lot to compare to but within the first run, I was carving and linking my turns like I've never been able to before. They are very "turny" skis so I was making a lot more turns down the run then normal but that was a lot of fun!

The only negative or question mark we (well, my husband really) have is the length. As soon as my husband unboxed them he said they were going to ski short as they are VERY early rise so the effective edge is quite a bit shorter than my other skis. Since we don't live close to a shop where we could see them in person, we ordered the 151cm but my husband said that had we seen them in the store, we would have gone up to the 159cm. Now I really love these skis so my question is, am I really giving up enough by being on the wrong size that it warrants selling these and picking up the next size? Mine literally don't have a single scratch on the tops or bottoms and are "like new" so now would be the time to make this decision if we are going to. I'm also wondering what the 13m turning radius of the 159 would feel like compared to the 11m radius of my 151cm? I'm 156cm tall btw.

On the one hand, if my husband didn't say anything about the length, I wouldn't think these are too small as they felt so good. But I felt the same about my Yumis where, as a beginner, I started on a shorter pair and loved them but then he bought the next size up and I liked them even more. I love the skis so whatever size I end up with, I'll be keeping them for a long time so I'm just trying to decide if I should change them out now, or just keep the 151s and be happy.

 

[scandium]

I wanted to give a report back on the Rossi Experience 82 Basalts since I finally got to ski them and also ask your opinion on length. The good news is I absolutely love the skis and they immediately took my skiing to another level (maybe 2 or 3 levels, lol). I've only had a few pairs of skis so I don't have a lot to compare to but within the first run, I was carving and linking my turns like I've never been able to before. They are very "turny" skis so I was making a lot more turns down the run then normal but that was a lot of fun!

The only negative or question mark we (well, my husband really) have is the length. As soon as my husband unboxed them he said they were going to ski short as they are VERY early rise so the effective edge is quite a bit shorter than my other skis. Since we don't live close to a shop where we could see them in person, we ordered the 151cm but my husband said that had we seen them in the store, we would have gone up to the 159cm. Now I really love these skis so my question is, am I really giving up enough by being on the wrong size that it warrants selling these and picking up the next size? Mine literally don't have a single scratch on the tops or bottoms and are "like new" so now would be the time to make this decision if we are going to. I'm also wondering what the 13m turning radius of the 159 would feel like compared to the 11m radius of my 151cm? I'm 156cm tall btw.

On the one hand, if my husband didn't say anything about the length, I wouldn't think these are too small as they felt so good. But I felt the same about my Yumis where, as a beginner, I started on a shorter pair and loved them but then he bought the next size up and I liked them even more. I love the skis so whatever size I end up with, I'll be keeping them for a long time so I'm just trying to decide if I should change them out now, or just keep the 151s and be happy.

It sounds like 151cm might be the ski you grow out of as you progress, but it's also important that you have a ski that works for you now not you in 3-4 years. I would personally go longer myself, because the advantage is more stability and it sounds like they are so easy to turn that you won't lose much of that.

 

[teppaz]

What also comes into play is whether you get into moguls and/or trees: shorter is an advantage in that terrain. Even if you don’t like bumps now, you may grow to enjoy them more with shorter skis.

 

[diymom]

As you can see from the last two replies, there is no easy answer for that question. If you had an opportunity to try longer, you might find you like them better. Or not. Or you might find that you like both, but for different conditions/ types of skiing. Possibly start with these, demo longer when you have a chance and if you decide that is better, once again your daughter gets a new pair? And if you are BSL buddies, you might still be able to ski both

 

[scnelson]

Thanks for the input! We found a pair of slightly used 159s in Vail so we will pick those up when we are out there in a couple weeks. After skiing those, I can decide if I prefer the longer or shorter ones and also see if my daughter prefers those over either size of the Yumis before deciding which to sell.

 

[scandium]

Thanks for the input! We found a pair of slightly used 159s in Vail so we will pick those up when we are out there in a couple weeks. After skiing those, I can decide if I prefer the longer or shorter ones and also see if my daughter prefers those over either size of the Yumis before deciding which to sell.

Sounds like a win-win situation for everyone!

 

[LauraVa]

I recommend trying the newer version of the Yumi as it now has some metal to give you the bite you're looking for on hardback.