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Volkl Aura 2012

ski diva

Administrator
Staff member
There are a lot of Divas here who love the Auras. I'm one of them. I had the 2010 model (which is for sale in our Gear Swap & Sale section, if anyone's interested. Very reasonable and in great shape. Go here), and thought they were a great ski.

This year I got the 2012, and today, with some new snow finally on the mountain, I couldn't resist giving them a try.

Let me say a word about conditions: challenging. Yeah, we had a few inches of new snow. But it was heavy and wet. And where it wasn't skied into piles, it was either scraped off or sticky. What can I say. It's been a lousy snow year so far.

How'd the Auras do? There were a lot of people positively fighting their way through the snow. Was I? No. Those Auras went through it all like butter, from heavy and wet to scraped off or sticky. A very stable ride, too, without a damp, heavy feeling. Easy to turn, very responsive. In short, a ton of fun.

This year's Auras have an early rise tip, which makes turn initiation even easier than before. The graphics are better; they've done away with the busty geisha and replaced her with a soothing hummingbird, split between the two planks. (The bases are bright pink, too. Cool!) And they've supposedly made the flex softer. To be honest, I didn't notice any difference. For me, they're just fine. I don't find them difficult or demanding or just for experts, as some have said in other threads. What I really like about the Aura is its versatility. I find I can take it in just about any conditions and have a hoot of a day.

Here are the stats:

Me: Advanced skier, 5'1", 110 lbs

Skis:
130-94-113
Length: 163

Binding:
Salomon Z10, mounted just a tad forward of center

ONECOL.jpg
 

mustski

Angel Diva
Thanks for the review. Those are the skis I am considering and I am following any reviews closely. I hope to be able to demo them later this year. I have the Attiva AC3 right now and love it. I am looking for a good all mountain, one quiver ski and the rocker technology interests me. I know you also ski the Tierras which I think are similar to the AC3. How is the flex of the Aura compared to them?
 

ski diva

Administrator
Staff member
The Tierra is definitely stiffer. It's not as wide as the Aura underfoot, so not the best powder ski. But the shovel is huge, so it can bust through just about anything, and it handles hardpack like it's on rails. In the east, this is important. I really love this ski.
 

mustski

Angel Diva
Yes, the Tierra sounds like the AC3. I love them and use them all the time. I ski mostly groomed hardpack in SoCal. They are still in excellent shape (I bought them at skijam in 2009 - new but a 2007 model. I am looking for something better in powder (for the 1x a year trip I get to take to powder!) and yet still want to be able to use it on the local groomers and in bumps. Are the Auras stiff enough to avoid chattering on occasional spots of morning ice?
 

ski diva

Administrator
Staff member
Yes.

From the sound of things, I think this would be a great ski for you. :smile:
 

mustski

Angel Diva
Thank you for your review and your quick responses. Thank you also for starting this website. It is amazing useful and informative. I love it!
 

shima

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Thank you for your review and your quick responses. Thank you also for starting this website. It is amazing useful and informative. I love it!

I just discovered this website today and so another +1 from me for it! Definitely just what I needed for a place to get great advice on new gear I'm considering demo'ing!
 

SkiGAP

Angel Diva
I have the white Auras from a few years ago and love them (of course). Today, at the Telemark Pyrenees shop in Ax les Thermes , I had them pull this year's Auras (flat) out so I could take a look. Very nice - and I think the rocker is noticeable...but perhaps it is my imagination.
 

Gypsy

Diva in Training
It looks like the Aura is the favourite ski on this forum! I have been demoing all-mountain and powder skis for a few weekends now, and the Aura is next up - I am taking them to Fernie where they have had over a metre of fresh snow this week, so I guess I will get to see them at their best!

From the reviews I have read and the demos I have tried so far, I think Aura will be the one. The question is, is the 2011/12 a major improvement over the 2010/11? From what I've read, the new model is rockered making it better on deep pow, but how is the 2010/11 in the same conditions?

I ask because I have an opportunity to buy last year's model new for a great deal, but I don't want to end up buying the cheaper ski and wanting to upgrade in a year or two.

Can anyone compare the two years?

My ski MO is basically chase deep powder every weekend, I spend a lot of time in the trees and the back bowls but also need to keep it under control racing down the front to meet friends for lunch :smile:

Thanks!
 

snow addict

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Well, there are better skis than Aura for deep pow, but I think Aura is the best all over. I have my JJ's for deep pow days and they make me look much better and stronger skier than I am, but I skied Aura's on powder days too, and they were very good, I really had a good time on them. I think that 2011/12 model will be an inmprovement over past models, rocker should improve the way the ski handles in powder, bumps and even groomers. I heard that tails were made softer. So it should be totally awesome now. Out of my past 85 days of skiing since I bought Aura's I spent about 75 days on them. They are fantastic as a go-to ski. Any condition. But I would love to try the new model too, I expect it to be even better. I will probably buy it at the end of this season as well if I find a good deal.
 

Powder Hound

Certified Ski Diva
I too am new to this site and love it!
Love the review on the Aura's as it is in my list to demo coming up. Can anyone compare the Aura with the Kiku and/or the K2 Misbehaved. Looking to demo and buy a rocker that gets me through the trees, powder in the bowls, playing in the bumps and not have me wipe out on an icy patch as I head home on the groomers! Just trying to get my demo line up in order. Thanks all.
 

aurafan

Certified Ski Diva
I too am new to this site and love it!
Love the review on the Aura's as it is in my list to demo coming up. Can anyone compare the Aura with the Kiku and/or the K2 Misbehaved. Looking to demo and buy a rocker that gets me through the trees, powder in the bowls, playing in the bumps and not have me wipe out on an icy patch as I head home on the groomers! Just trying to get my demo line up in order. Thanks all.

I'm interested too in what others say.

I've had the 2008-2009 Auras for some time. Fell in love with them, even tho I had relatively new Rossi B3s then. They're great in all conditions. However, I thought I'd try the Kiku, since I've been wanting to - and we had loads of deep snow here yesterday and today. I'm not really a powder skier - do better on groomed - but spent the whole day in the powder on the kikus and my legs are fine. My guess: it's the kikus that make it easier and not any improvement in my skiing!

I may buy them tomorrow... trying to decide whether to keep on demoing or have another ski. I'm tempted!:smile:
 

Tammy

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I've read some pretty good reviews of the Rossignol S7w from previous threads if you're looking to demo something similar to the Kiku for a comparison.
 

mustski

Angel Diva
As an update, I purchased the Auras and have been skiing them in SoCal's worst winter in quite a few years. I waited and waited then finally broke down and test drove them on groomed man made snow which deteriorated as the day went on to outright crud. They impressed me. I skied them later on hardpack with icy patches and they held an edge (not even a slip) on those icy spots ... mashed potatoes - plowed through and made the bad conditions fun. Finally! This weekend, I got to test drive them on bumps and knee deep powder. Ok, understand that I am a terrible powder skier. The skis were awesome; in fact, I had an overwhelming urge to apologize to my skis for my bad driving! As sad as my skills were, it was my best powder skiing ever. Now bumps I know a little more about, and the Auras were playful and flexible and I just kept wanting more bumps. I had a great time and loved the ski. My overall impression ... if you are looking for a one ski quiver, this is an ideal ski.
 

aurafan

Certified Ski Diva
I've read some pretty good reviews of the Rossignol S7w from previous threads if you're looking to demo something similar to the Kiku for a comparison.
Thanks for the suggestion, Tammy! Funny, because that is what the shop had suggested too. Apparently, the two have a very different "feel." If I can do so easily, I may. Hard to decide whether I need another big mountain ski (since I have the Auras) or whether I should simply demo on powder days! It may depend on the price. If economical enough, I'll probably go for it! It's very tempting, as I've never been very comfortable in deep powder, and today I spent the whole day there! The Auras are good in all conditions and great fun, but I couldn't turn very easily once the powder was deeper than about 8 inches or so or when it got chopped up, whereas the Kikus seems to let me handle these with ease.
 

lakeviewpowder

Certified Ski Diva
I also have a first generation Aura (7 years old?) that I'd like to replace. My question is regarding length and if you'd recommend going a size longer with the 2012 rocked Aura that also is a tad wider under foot? I ski the 163 and sometimes wish they'd be longer. However, I absolutely love how I can muscle them into very short turns or jump turns in tight conditions. Btw, don't use them as powder skis (have another pair), so length doesn't matter for deep pow.
 

mustski

Angel Diva
I also have a first generation Aura (7 years old?) that I'd like to replace. My question is regarding length and if you'd recommend going a size longer with the 2012 rocked Aura that also is a tad wider under foot? I ski the 163 and sometimes wish they'd be longer. However, I absolutely love how I can muscle them into very short turns or jump turns in tight conditions. Btw, don't use them as powder skis (have another pair), so length doesn't matter for deep pow.
Definitely go a size longer with the rockered ski. Otherwise you won't have the amount of edge you are accustomed to. I haven't skied the previous generation Auras but my carver is a 156 and my rockered Aura a 163. They turn on a dime - I think it and they do it. I love these skis!
 

snow addict

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I also have a first generation Aura (7 years old?) that I'd like to replace. My question is regarding length and if you'd recommend going a size longer with the 2012 rocked Aura that also is a tad wider under foot? I ski the 163 and sometimes wish they'd be longer. However, I absolutely love how I can muscle them into very short turns or jump turns in tight conditions. Btw, don't use them as powder skis (have another pair), so length doesn't matter for deep pow.

If you don't need extra floatation then you could probably stick with the same length. I saw rocker profile and it's fairly moderate, you will lose some edge length compared to your current skis, but not too much. If jump turns is what you happen to do often 163 should be very good (unless you went for shorter skis than you needed for your stats in the first place when 170 would have been more appropriate).
 

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