tinymoose's Diva East '23 demo report

[tinymoose]

I'm mostly doing this for my own benefit later, but if any other small people are interested, enjoy.

Stats: 5'1", 95 lbs., advanced skier

149 Volkl Kenja - Yeah, I still can't bend this ski even though they've made it supposedly more accessible. I could rotary turn it easily enough, but they honestly just felt like two 2x4s on my feet.

153 Black Pearl 88 - I was honestly shocked by these skis. They don't feel like the Black Pearls of yesteryear, any iteration I've ever tried. I was really shocked by the edge grip on these skis. These are definitely more groomer oriented than previous iterations, and I didn't find them super turny in the bumps like I have before. But they otherwise were a blast and I really liked them.

152.6 Black Crows Vertis Birdie - These did not have the edge grip the Black Pearls did, but were otherwise a blast. They have this super floaty, bouncy feel to them. To me they felt softer than the Black Pearls. mr tinymoose hand-flexed both skis and found the tip of the Vertis Birdie to be stiffer, while the Black Pearls had a softer shovel, but were stiffer underfoot. Overall, he found the Vertis Birdie to be a softer flexing ski than the Black Pearls. I liked them much more than the Black Pearls in the bumps. I'm not sure they're really very comparable skis, though. Black Pearls definitely felt more frontside oriented and the Vertis Birdie not so much, even though they didn't have a ton of tail rocker.

 

[Laroken]

Oooh this is super helpful! Thanks for sharing! Out of curiosity, have you skied the Volkl Yumi 84, Rossignol Experience 82Ti, or the Dynastar E-Pro 85? If so, any petite person thoughts on those?

 

[Jilly]

@SkiBam - she has/had the Yumi.

 

[SkiBam]

I've posted many times about the Yumis. Love them.

 

[skinnyfootskis]

I'm mostly doing this for my own benefit later, but if any other small people are interested, enjoy.

Stats: 5'1", 95 lbs., advanced skier

149 Volkl Kenja - Yeah, I still can't bend this ski even though they've made it supposedly more accessible. I could rotary turn it easily enough, but they honestly just felt like two 2x4s on my feet.

153 Black Pearl 88 - I was honestly shocked by these skis. They don't feel like the Black Pearls of yesteryear, any iteration I've ever tried. I was really shocked by the edge grip on these skis. These are definitely more groomer oriented than previous iterations, and I didn't find them super turny in the bumps like I have before. But they otherwise were a blast and I really liked them.

152.6 Black Crows Vertis Birdie - These did not have the edge grip the Black Pearls did, but were otherwise a blast. They have this super floaty, bouncy feel to them. To me they felt softer than the Black Pearls. mr tinymoose hand-flexed both skis and found the tip of the Vertis Birdie to be stiffer, while the Black Pearls had a softer shovel, but were stiffer underfoot. Overall, he found the Vertis Birdie to be a softer flexing ski than the Black Pearls. I liked them much more than the Black Pearls in the bumps. I'm not sure they're really very comparable skis, though. Black Pearls definitely felt more frontside oriented and the Vertis Birdie not so much, even though they didn't have a ton of tail rocker.

Small people..ha. Glad you reviewed them. Looks like you had a blast

 

[marzNC]

Oooh this is super helpful! Thanks for sharing! Out of curiosity, have you skied the Volkl Yumi 84, Rossignol Experience 82Ti, or the Dynastar E-Pro 85? If so, any petite person thoughts on those?

I'm enjoying the Yumis that @tinymoose decided to sell. I'll use them mostly in the southeast. Would take them for northeast skiing too but don't have any plans for that in the near future. I'm petite, over 60, advanced.

 

[sashak]

Sorry... New to this. There was aNOTHER demo day and I missed it?

 

[tinymoose]

Oooh this is super helpful! Thanks for sharing! Out of curiosity, have you skied the Volkl Yumi 84, Rossignol Experience 82Ti, or the Dynastar E-Pro 85? If so, any petite person thoughts on those?

I owned a 2018 Volkl Yumi in a 147 until recently. Only got rid of them after I changed boots and how they skied changed with my new boots. 154 Yumi is still in the running for my replacement ski. I think they're a great option with a bit of that Volkl feel, but more accessible for smaller/lighter people than some of their other skis. Can't speak to the other skis as I haven't tried either.

 

[tinymoose]

Sorry... New to this. There was aNOTHER demo day and I missed it?

I just decided to demo some skis while at Diva East at Killington. Self-made demo days. lol

 

[skinnyfootskis]

I just decided to demo some skis while at Diva East at Killington. Self-made demo days. lol

So what was your favorite at the end of the day?

 

[tinymoose]

I was feeling down after a rough demo day yesterday, so never got around to posting yesterday's skis so here are yesterday and today's skis all lumped together. First two are from yesterday, second two are from today:

154.4 Black Crows Captis Birdie - I thought these were going to feel a lot like the Vertis Birdie if not more soft-snow oriented b/c more rocker, but these were a lot of ski for me. I could bend them, but they wore me out. Maybe b/c of my size and their beefiness, I didn't get the same floaty, surfy feel I got with the Vertis Birdie. Edge grip on these was definitely better than the Vertis Birdie, maybe because these have all sidewall construction and the Vertis is semi-cap construction.

157 Blizzard Sheeva 9 - I know these are a well loved ski on this forum, but this ski both felt too wide and too long for me at my size and skill level. They were fine on groomers, but I really felt the width and length in the bumps. Definitely not a stiff ski. Didn't feel like I had issues bending them on the groomers. They also come in a 148 but I feel like that would ski wicked short with the amount of rocker this ski has.

154 Faction Agent 1.0X - These may have been the winners of the week for me. They didn't have quite the edge grip of the Black Pearl, but weren't far off. And they had a less groomer oriented feel to me, although not quite the floaty, surfy feel of the Vertis Birdie. Overall, I found them to be a super stable, fairly grippy ski, with a bit of a soft snow oriented feel to it.

149 K2 Minderbender 85 W - These skis and I did not gel. I don't know if it was the length or the flex or the tail or just a host of issues, but other than being turny, they didn't do anything for me. I didn't feel the edge grip was all that great, and they weren't as damp as I would have liked. I felt like I felt every little ice chunk I skied over. Overall, just meh. I would have blamed it on my legs being tired, but I took the Factions back out after this and liked them just as much as before, despite conditions being more scraped off than earlier in the day.
So take what you will from my ramblings, if they're of any use to you.

 

[tinymoose]

So what was your favorite at the end of the day?

See below. I was typing my novel when you replied. lol

 

[skinnyfootskis]

I was feeling down after a rough demo day yesterday, so never got around to posting yesterday's skis so here are yesterday and today's skis all lumped together. First two are from yesterday, second two are from today:

154.4 Black Crows Captis Birdie - I thought these were going to feel a lot like the Vertis Birdie if not more soft-snow oriented b/c more rocker, but these were a lot of ski for me. I could bend them, but they wore me out. Maybe b/c of my size and their beefiness, I didn't get the same floaty, surfy feel I got with the Vertis Birdie. Edge grip on these was definitely better than the Vertis Birdie, maybe because these have all sidewall construction and the Vertis is semi-cap construction.

157 Blizzard Sheeva 9 - I know these are a well loved ski on this forum, but this ski both felt too wide and too long for me at my size and skill level. They were fine on groomers, but I really felt the width and length in the bumps. Definitely not a stiff ski. Didn't feel like I had issues bending them on the groomers. They also come in a 148 but I feel like that would ski wicked short with the amount of rocker this ski has.

154 Faction Agent 1.0X - These may have been the winners of the week for me. They didn't have quite the edge grip of the Black Pearl, but weren't far off. And they had a less groomer oriented feel to me, although not quite the floaty, surfy feel of the Vertis Birdie. Overall, I found them to be a super stable, fairly grippy ski, with a bit of a soft snow oriented feel to it.

149 K2 Minderbender 85 W - These skis and I did not gel. I don't know if it was the length or the flex or the tail or just a host of issues, but other than being turny, they didn't do anything for me. I didn't feel the edge grip was all that great, and they weren't as damp as I would have liked. I felt like I felt every little ice chunk I skied over. Overall, just meh. I would have blamed it on my legs being tired, but I took the Factions back out after this and liked them just as much as before, despite conditions being more scraped off than earlier in the day.
So take what you will from my ramblings, if they're of any use to you.

Nicely done.

 

[xxs_skier]

I owned a 2018 Volkl Yumi in a 147 until recently. Only got rid of them after I changed boots and how they skied changed with my new boots. 154 Yumi is still in the running for my replacement ski. I think they're a great option with a bit of that Volkl feel, but more accessible for smaller/lighter people than some of their other skis. Can't speak to the other skis as I haven't tried either.

Did you end up finding your replacement ski?

 

[tinymoose]

Did you end up finding your replacement ski?

I ended up buying the Faction Agent 1.0X in a 154 length. Actually bought the demo pair I tried!

 

[AdkLynn]

I ended up buying the Faction Agent 1.0X in a 154 length. Actually bought the demo pair I tried!

Thanks so much for the info! You were instrumental in helping me find my favorite skis, Yumi 84s. I’m thinking of new skis, but as a senior petite skier, I think I’ll get a new pair of Yumis! At 72, I just want to stay in the game and have fun! I love all the reviews, all the divas are wonderful!

 

[JaneB]

I'm enjoying the Yumis that @tinymoose decided to sell. I'll use them mostly in the southeast. Would take them for northeast skiing too but don't have any plans for that in the near future. I'm petite, over 60, advanced.

I skied the Experts 82 Ti.

Oooh this is super helpful! Thanks for sharing! Out of curiosity, have you skied the Volkl Yumi 84, Rossignol Experience 82Ti, or the Dynastar E-Pro 85? If so, any petite person thoughts on those?

I skied the Experience 82 ti while in the Canadian Rockies. Nice skis, but take some skill to work them. I'm petite and senior.

 

[ncychank]

@tinymoose thanks for this awesome review and your help with my gear question last week. I am now deciding on the length for the BP88s. I am 5-1 normally ski a 159-163, but i see that you chose the 153cm in the BP88 and are an expert skier. I'm not an expert, but am pretty decent. Should I go with the 153? I did demo the sheeva 9 in 157 this weekend and actually found it a bit short (tail rocker make it feel a bit squirelly), so am wondering if the 159 in the BP88 would be just right or too much ski for me. I'm going to use it mainly for icy groomer days. Thanks for your wonderful advice as always!

 

[tinymoose]

@tinymoose thanks for this awesome review and your help with my gear question last week. I am now deciding on the length for the BP88s. I am 5-1 normally ski a 159-163, but i see that you chose the 153cm in the BP88 and are an expert skier. I'm not an expert, but am pretty decent. Should I go with the 153? I did demo the sheeva 9 in 157 this weekend and actually found it a bit short (tail rocker make it feel a bit squirelly), so am wondering if the 159 in the BP88 would be just right or too much ski for me. I'm going to use it mainly for icy groomer days. Thanks for your wonderful advice as always!

I'd call myself a low advanced/advanced skier. I can get down a lot of stuff safely, but it's not always pretty. lol

Looking at your Sheeva thread, you're a good 1-2 inches taller than me and outweigh me so if you're comfortable with longer skis then go longer. I'm only 5'1" (if I round up) and 95 lbs on a good day since going back to gymnastics. I found the Sheeva 9 too much for me length and width-wise at my size. It was fine on groomer, but totally unmanageable in the bumps (I'm admittedly not a very good bump skier).

 

[shadoj]

@tinymoose is a better bump skier than she admits
The BP88 is rockered, but not as much as the Sheeva, so a 159 may be just what you need if you know how to drive a ski. Extra effective edge is nice on ice. I'm 4'10" / 105lbs and like a 150-153cm ski, so I expect you will be able to handle the longer length fine with good technique, since that's a length you already ski on.