2016 Völkl Kenja, Yumi and Blizzard Black Pearl

[lisamamot]

I agree, the Yumi is such fun @surfsnowgirl ! They have found a great home

 

[surfsnowgirl]

I agree, the Yumi is such fun @surfsnowgirl ! They have found a great home

They have Once again I saw a pair of Yumi's at Mount Snow yesterday but this time I didn't have Yumi envy because I have my very own pair

 

[ellae]

I finally, finally, FINALLY got to ski my BPs at Sunday River this weekend!!! I fell in even more in love with skiing, and they charged right through wherever I took them. I was a little nervous on my first run, remembering how they shot out from under me when I demoed them, but they were even better than I remember (Factory tunes forever, please?), and the shorter length (159) was the perfect choice. This weekend gave use a little bit of every kind of snow. There were soft bumps, hard bumps, sheets of ice, ungroomed, variable, corduroy, even something slightly reminiscent of powder (but I won't go so far as to call it that). Over the weekend, I stopped sliding my tails (which is a big help when you have an edge to grip with), and worked on becoming more confident in cruddy snow. They were perfect in all of it, as long as I stayed on top of them—I got a little back-seat on my second run and they went right out from under me. All in all, super happy I got them!!

 

[vanhoskier]

Definitely different strokes from different folks. Glad you love the Black Pearls. I loved them in soft snow but they fell short in anything else. I have the 2016 Kenja and think they are the most fun and versatile ski I've ever been on.

 

[nopoleskier]

Ditto what vanhoskier said.. I love my BP's in soft snow.. bumps, spring skiing.. do not like on hard pack rather be on my Atomics 74under foot my fav's.. I've skied them in everything.. why demoing is so important! great posts here!

 

[va_deb]

Glad y'all love the BPs! I was hoping to demo them but they didn't bring that ski to our demo day. Especially bummed b/c conditions were spring-like. Maybe I can later this season.

 

[Hjf6]

Definitely different strokes from different folks. Glad you love the Black Pearls. I loved them in soft snow but they fell short in anything else. I have the 2016 Kenja and think they are the most fun and versatile ski I've ever been on.

I'm curious how the 2016 Kenja compares to the older Kenja moldels? I LOVE my 2014 Kenjas and was creeping on the 2016 model yesterday at a ski store -- holy rocker! Has anyone skied both models?

 

[vanhoskier]

I'm curious how the 2016 Kenja compares to the older Kenja moldels? I LOVE my 2014 Kenjas and was creeping on the 2016 model yesterday at a ski store -- holy rocker! Has anyone skied both models?

I've skied the older version Aura, which is a wider version of the older model Kenja, so I can make that comparison. The 2016 Kenja is much more playful and transitions much more smoothly in varied snow conditions. I've had mine in hardpack, crusty death cookie-laden runs, soft bumped up snow, hard bumps, steeps, and a Nastar course. They do well in everything. Unlike the Auras (with less rocker), they take a little longer to hook up, but once they do, they have a lot of power and are a ton of fun. The Aura had a bit more of a race-ski feel; it wanted to be on edge much more, and I imagine the older Kenjas was the same, as it was similarly built. The new Kenja likes to rail on its edges, but is just as happy in skidded turns which is a bonus in bumps and soft snow. I will write a review once I have a little more time on mine.

 

[va_deb]

@Hjf6 Great question about model year differences and user experience. Can you start a new thread to help encourage responses from Kenja fans?

 

[ellae]

Definitely different strokes from different folks. Glad you love the Black Pearls. I loved them in soft snow but they fell short in anything else. I have the 2016 Kenja and think they are the most fun and versatile ski I've ever been on.

I know!! It's really funny how that can happen; I feel like all over the internet it's "Kenja vs. BP," and there aren't really many who sit in the middle. I do love Völkls, I really, really do, I just struck out with the Kenja. I really loved the Yumi, it made quick, fun turns, it was just so similar to the Völkls I already skied on. There was just something about the BPs that made my jaw drop (I don't mean in the literal sense, even though they did literally make my jaw drop...because I lost my balance and fell on my face ). However, I would absolutely try the Kenja again when my skiing has improved.

I ski on mostly ice and hard pack, and so far BPs have been very stable and sturdy. When you say "soft snow" are you talking spring snow or fluffy cold snow? Hopefully you mean both; I don't get to see a whole bunch of either lol. I'm an avid spring hater, so I'm hoping these will change my mind.

 

[surfsnowgirl]

I worship my 2015 Kenjas. I have the Yumi but so far haven't been won over which is strange to me cause I love Volkls, will give them another shot this saturday but they likely will be on their way out of my quiver soon. I have never tried the Black Pearls but given that I ski in the northeast, ski mostly on ice/hardpack and am not a lightweight I just have a feeling that the BP won't be my ski.

 

[ellae]

I worship my 2015 Kenjas. I have the Yumi but so far haven't been won over which is strange to me cause I love Volkls, will give them another shot this saturday but they likely will be on their way out of my quiver soon. I have never tried the Black Pearls but given that I ski in the northeast, ski mostly on ice/hardpack and am not a lightweight I just have a feeling that the BP won't be my ski.

I'm not really a "lightweight" myself - 5' 3" and 145 lb. Don't let your body composition deter you from trying them! I live and ski in Maine, so I'm on ice and hardpack as well. Try them out, maybe you'll like both

 

[surfsnowgirl]

I'm not really a "lightweight" myself - 5' 3" and 145 lb. Don't let your body composition deter you from trying them! I live and ski in Maine, so I'm on ice and hardpack as well. Try them out, maybe you'll like both

I definitely will. I like to keep an open mind because sometimes that's where you favorite skis come from. I own a pair of Blizzard front side skis and like them. Hopefully I'll get the chance to give the Black Pearl's a whirl. I'd have a hard time ever justifying their purchase because my Kenjas are 87 underfoot and the BPs are 88 but I still want to demo them.

 

[tinymoose]

Black Pearls are definitely softer than the Yumis, but there could certainly be plenty of other characteristics why you might like them better...

 

[contesstant]

I demoed the Yumis for a full day of soft snow conditions at Mammoth after skiing the Black Pearls for two seasons, and they were just downright boring compared to the BP's. No pop out of turns whatsoever, at least not to me. It was like driving a car with squishy suspension on a windy mountain road vs. driving one with sport tuned suspension and manual transmission.

I still think that a lot of ladies who find the BP's inadequate on hardpack had an inadequate tune for hardpack. Myself included. Got them tuned and they are quite a lot better.

 

[tinymoose]

Tail, pop is in the tail.

 

[HellaRuby]

Great reviews!!! very helpful!

I am similar stats as you Ellae and sounds like I have a good idea of some other skis to check out for next season. I am using and older 12-13 pair of Kenjas and your description even if not the same year is word for word how I felt about my "new to me skis". I am going to finish out this year with them, but this gave a good idea of what direction to head in next if I don't start feeling the love!!!!

 

[Powgirl]

Ellae...

I think you will love your BPs...I bought a used pair this year and they have made me a better skier. They are super forgiving, but do not like to be ridden in the back seat. I've had them shoot out from under me a couple of times when I was leaning back too much...but, if you ride them forward and centered, they reward you with great responsiveness. I am an older skier and appreciate their 'softness". I don't have to drive them terribly hard to get them to do what I want.

I skied them yesterday thru thick, tracked crud...I skied them this morning thru 4-5 inches of fresh, untracked powder...and they performed with ease.

I've had a bit of a learning curve on ice, and have noticed that the more I try to put on the brakes, the more they will skid versus being more patient with my turns, if that makes sense.

 

[vanhoskier]

I think what changed for me regarding the Black Pearls is when I changed boots. I was skiing in a pair of relatively soft (for me) Dalbellos with the Black Pearls, and seemed a good combination. However, my knees hurt often. When I switched to a stiffer, higher performance boot, the Black Pearls fell short...I could really, really tell the difference on hard pack. It was very interesting. What confirmed my suspicions was having an instructor in a clinic watch me ski in my new boots and stiffer skis. She had worked with me when I was formerly in my Dalbellos and BP's and she commented on how my skiing had really improved with the new setup. And my knees stopped hurting as much.

The 2016 Kenja is more toned-down; it has rocker that edges towards Black Pearl territory but not within Black Pearl territory. It's a nice compromise between a powerful driver and a fun, playful ski.

 

[vanhoskier]

Tail, pop is in the tail.

I ski with tinymoose; she knows how to work the Yumis!