2018 Volkl Yumi and Black Pearl 88

[tinymoose]

Since it's sort of on topic...

How did I miss that Volkl made a new ski that is basically the old Yumi w/o metal. It's called the Kama. https://www.skis.com/Volkl-Kama-Womens-Skis/528423P,default,pd.html

So it's like the 3 bears now... lol

Kama - wood only
Yumi - titanal band underfoot
Kenja - titanium layer

 

[santacruz skier]

@tinymoose which is your choice?

 

[santacruz skier]

BTW, I just read @SnowHot 's cage match btw Wild Joy and Black Pearl 88... Also saw blister gear review and didn't realize Wild Joy was considered such a stiff ski... I know it took me awhile to get used to the Total Joy but it always takes me a few runs to get used to any ski I demo. I don't automatically get on a ski and declare love/hate for it. Also I demo on whatever runs I'm skiing (not start on for instance groomed, it could be anything ).....so many choices.

 

[tinymoose]

@tinymoose which is your choice?

I actually just purchased the Yumis earlier this week. They arrived Thursday.

ETA: They're replacing my old wood-only Yumis, which I kinda felt I was starting to outgrow.

 

[Cantabrigienne]

This is an interesting thread to come back to - my 2017 Yumis delaminated end of last season & Whistler Village Sports replaced them for me with the 2018s. Only had a couple of days on them in April & I thought I was just struggling with the freeze/melt cycle (not a fan of spring skiing for most part) but am now thinking it's the additional stiffness that made them so much more work.

 

[tinymoose]

This is an interesting thread to come back to - my 2017 Yumis delaminated end of last season & Whistler Village Sports replaced them for me with the 2018s. Only had a couple of days on them in April & I thought I was just struggling with the freeze/melt cycle (not a fan of spring skiing for most part) but am now thinking it's the additional stiffness that made them so much more work.

I can't believe they delaminated. Must have been a weird manufacturing fluke. I've never had a Volkl do that (yet). I'm sure it happens to all brands, though.

Sorry you felt like you were struggling with the added titanal band. That's got to be frustrating. Can you find your old model and buy them and sell the new if they're not working for you? Do you mind me asking your stats (height/weight/skill level)?

 

[tinymoose]

It's so funny, because the new Yumis I feel like are Kenja Jrs., too stiff to actually bend, more like I'm parking and riding on them while they take ME for a ride. The Black Pearls have loads of energy IF I load them up, but they also dial back and cruise easily. I get the same feeling on my Kastle LXs.

So, you just never know, and why it's always wise to demo. And even then, in different snow conditions, ski "X" might not feel the same as you remember.

A very wise man told me yesterday that he looks at the dimensions and specs of a ski, buys it, then adapts to IT, not the other way around. Takes the guess work out, I suppose!

I was just rereading this and agree that they're like a Kenja Jr. Although, I really liked the Kenjas, I was just too lightweight to flex them well. So maybe that's why I was so thrilled with the revamped Yumi. I never cared for the lack of dampness to the Yumis coming from the Kenjas. The titanal band seems to bring that back but without it being too much (for me).

Oddly enough, I sold my Kastle LX's at a tent sale this fall and replaced them with Head Jr. slalom skis. lol I was never bowled over by my Kastles. They were fine to ski, just didn't love them.

 

[Cantabrigienne]

I can't believe they delaminated. Must have been a weird manufacturing fluke. I've never had a Volkl do that (yet). I'm sure it happens to all brands, though.

Sorry you felt like you were struggling with the added titanal band. That's got to be frustrating. Can you find your old model and buy them and sell the new if they're not working for you? Do you mind me asking your stats (height/weight/skill level)?

That's a good idea, not least for the trivial reason that I like the old topsheet better! The guys at the WB rental shop noticed it when I took my skis in for waxing; they said the 2017 Yumis were prone to delam problems - they'd had bad issues with the ones in the rental fleet, but those get beaten up and I only skied about 25 days on mine. The signs were very preliminary, but they advised me to replace them while I could still make a credible claim.

I'm 5'1" and 120 (eek, more like 125lbs now - must work on that in the next 6 weeks or else won't fit into my ski gear!) so in theory the additional stiffness shouldn't be a huge problem because I do have the weight (sadly) to bend them. But I'm a lazy upper intermediate - on my good days I can ski like a lower advanced level skier, but I lack both fitness and guts to ski well consistently. I was so pumped to be able to trade up my Yumis so it was disappointing to find out that the newer ones felt so different. I'm hoping that I'll get used to them / figure out how to enjoy the slight increase stiffness this season.... and if not, then your idea about selling them is a good one.

 

[tinymoose]

That's a good idea, not least for the trivial reason that I like the old topsheet better! The guys at the WB rental shop noticed it when I took my skis in for waxing; they said the 2017 Yumis were prone to delam problems - they'd had bad issues with the ones in the rental fleet, but those get beaten up and I only skied about 25 days on mine. The signs were very preliminary, but they advised me to replace them while I could still make a credible claim.

I'm 5'1" and 120 (eek, more like 125lbs now - must work on that in the next 6 weeks or else won't fit into my ski gear!) so in theory the additional stiffness shouldn't be a huge problem because I do have the weight (sadly) to bend them. But I'm a lazy upper intermediate - on my good days I can ski like a lower advanced level skier, but I lack both fitness and guts to ski well consistently. I was so pumped to be able to trade up my Yumis so it was disappointing to find out that the newer ones felt so different. I'm hoping that I'll get used to them / figure out how to enjoy the slight increase stiffness this season.... and if not, then your idea about selling them is a good one.

Weird. Must have been something off with the design of the 2017 that leads to that. That would make me more hesitant to get another pair then if they're likely to do that. I wonder if the 2016s had similar issues?

OK, so we're similar stats then. I weigh a little less than you at 105 lbs.. Hmmm... it's a tough choice; I don't envy your position. Maybe others here will have some good suggestions.

 

[SkiBam]

Nothing really to add except that I've just bought a pair of 2018 Yumis. And I'm sure looking forward to getting on them.

 

[theyardsaleexpert]

I tried both of these skiis when I was trying to decide my new pair of skis (this was at Taos, I regularly ski there). I ended up going with the Yumi’s. I completely agree about the BP’s, they carve really well and they are easy to maneuver but in the end, I had the most fun with the Volkl’s! They are stiffer but I enjoy that. I took them on a couple hike-to-ski runs and they worked great with the powder and moguls!

 

[santacruz skier]

Maybe I need to try the yumis now

 

[santacruz skier]

Nothing really to add except that I've just bought a pair of 2018 Yumis. And I'm sure looking forward to getting on them.

What size did you get?

 

[SkiBam]

What size did you get?

147.

 

[santacruz skier]

147.

Oh might try the 154's.....your stats?

 

[marzNC]

Oh might try the 154's.....your stats?

I dunno. I liked the 147 Yumi. SkiBam is a very good skier, older than you are, a little more petite than I am. (Skied with her at Big Sky and Alta several years ago, also Tremblant early season.) Yumi turning radius @147 is 12.9, @154 it's 14.6. So depends on what terrain you want to use these skis for. I think our TSV instructor would say go shorter given that she though BP88 @145 was great for me and the Yumi is 84 underfoot.

 

[santacruz skier]

Hmm. Good idea for me to add to demo list.

 

[tinymoose]

Hmm. Good idea for me to add to demo list.

Try both lengths. #enabler

 

[santacruz skier]

I dunno. I liked the 147 Yumi. SkiBam is a very good skier, older than you are, a little more petite than I am. (Skied with her at Big Sky and Alta several years ago, also Tremblant early season.) Yumi turning radius @147 is 12.9, @154 it's 14.6. So depends on what terrain you want to use these skis for. I think our TSV instructor would say go shorter given that she though BP88 @145 was great for me and the Yumi is 84 underfoot.

Yes and same TSV instructor thought the BP88 in a 152 were perfect for me ....

 

[marzNC]

Yes and same TSV instructor thought the BP88 in a 152 were perfect for me ....

Turning radius of BP88 @152 is 12.0. Closer to Yumi @147. Less difference in radius between the different lengths of the BP88. Presumably because of the ski shape and/or materials. Took me years to realize how much the turning radius varies with length.