2016 Völkl Kenja, Yumi and Blizzard Black Pearl

[marzNC]

@Jersey Fresh : it's really hard to say. I love the BP in all sorts of conditions, like the Samba when skiing deeper powder at Alta, and couldn't get the Cheyenne to be fun at all during the Massanutten demo weekend last season.

@ellae : great write up! I was a somewhat more experience skier than you are right now by the time I was doing demo days that included Volkl and Blizzard skis. More on the petite side. Haven't liked a Volkl yet, although I could ski the Aurena at the Massanutten demo day. I check out a Volkl for a run just to see if anything had changed. In contrast, Rossi models are always fun. The Black Pearl has been my all-mountain for a few years and I'm in no hurry to replace them. I much prefer making turns than going for high speed.

 

[surfsnowgirl]

I have never tried the BP's either so maybe I'll get the chance this season. Curious about the men's version as well.

 

[snow addict]

^^ If you are curious about men's version, try Brahmas as Bushwackers are absolutely identical to BPs and either of them will give you an idea what to expect from the other. Brahmas have metal, so will ski differently to these two.

 

[ellae]

@brenda kelley thank you for your kind words!! I hope you end up liking them

@marzNC thank you!!
I have a pair of Völkls that I love, and both my mother and boyfriend's mother ski on Attivas that they refuse to give up. It's just preference I guess. Mine are the only ones I've tried that I liked, and the other three pairs I tried on didn't do a whole lot for me. I don't think I mentioned it in my write up, but one thing that really turned me off about the Kenja was that it made me so exhausted. I felt like I was lugging the ski around, and I just didn't get that from the BP. It just felt like more of an extension of my own foot, if that makes sense?

 

[ellae]

@snow addict @surfsnowgirl my boyfriend is on Blizzard Regulators and he loooooves them. I'm not sure which femme model they're comparable to.

Also, how does everyone say "Blizzard?"
I say "blizz-erd," the Blizzard rep said "blizz-erd," but I've also heard others insist it's "blizz-aaaard."

 

[Jersey Fresh]

I say Blizz-erd too (like the snow storm). My friends who bought theirs from a ski shop say "blizz-aaaaard". I dont know which is right but the later sounds silly so i refuse to say it

 

[surfsnowgirl]

Blizz-erd or Blizzaaaard, not sure. I have said both. When I have seen reviews on them they say the latter so I am not sure what the correct pronunciation is. This is my first pair of Blizzards and so far I like them. I think the BP might be too light for me so that's why I was inquiring about the mens equivalent of their skis.

 

[contesstant]

Videos on the Blizzard website say Bliz-erd. So that's how I say it.

 

[snow addict]

It really depends whether you prefer to say it in French or English. The word means the same in both languages, just pronounced differently.

 

[ellae]

I say Blizz-erd too (like the snow storm). My friends who bought theirs from a ski shop say "blizz-aaaaard". I dont know which is right but the later sounds silly so i refuse to say it

Haha!! Agreed! That's why I don't say it that way.

 

[lisamamot]

I saw on Epic that is "Blitz'aard" - this from someone who used to work for the company. Since it is Austrian that pronunciation makes sense. I have been saying Blizaard, which I suppose is an Americanization.

On a similar note, I recently learned Adidas is not Ah-deed-iss, it is Ah-dee-doss (doss as in toss). I called a local store and they answered the phone "Ah-dee-doss"...I thought I had the wrong number so asked who I had called, and then inquired on the pronunciation. Yup, it is Ah-dee-doss. Problem is if I pronounce it correctly no one knows what I am talking about!

 

[VickiK]

Lisa's right. Since it's Austrian, it would be 'Blitzahrd'. I say 'Blizzaaaahrd'. I say 'Elahn' (good skis, btw) and 'bahlcony' too. But I don't say 'vahz'.

 

[Lmk92]

You all are making me want to try the BP again. I demo'ed them last year and HATED them. I really wanted to love them, and after reading all of the posts on here raving about them, I still wonder if I just had a bad pair. The lady after me who tried them hated them too. Demo days at snowshoe are up in the air right now, but if they open well go and Ill try them again.

Yeah, she talked me into trying them again this year, too. ;)

 

[ellae]

Haha same with "Dee-na-star," NOT "Die-na-star," nor is it "Tee-vuh" or "vy-brum," it's "Teh-vuh" and "vee-brum."

 

[ellae]

Yeah, she talked me into trying them again this year, too. ;)

Great!! Hopefully you like them, and if not, then at least you gave them another shot and will know for sure!

 

[Liquid Yellow]

I saw on Epic that is "Blitz'aard" - this from someone who used to work for the company. Since it is Austrian that pronunciation makes sense. I have been saying Blizaard, which I suppose is an Americanization.

I say Blizzaaard too!

On a similar note, I recently learned Adidas is not Ah-deed-iss, it is Ah-dee-doss (doss as in toss). I called a local store and they answered the phone "Ah-dee-doss"...I thought I had the wrong number so asked who I had called, and then inquired on the pronunciation. Yup, it is Ah-dee-doss. Problem is if I pronounce it correctly no one knows what I am talking about!

Adidas is pronounced Addy-dass, because it comes from the name of its German founder, Adolf (Adi) Dassler:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adidas

https://uk.businessinsider.com/how-to-pronounce-adidas-2014-12?r=US&IR=T

Your local shop is wrong!!

Haha same with "Dee-na-star," NOT "Die-na-star," nor is it "Tee-vuh" or "vy-brum," it's "Teh-vuh" and "vee-brum."

Dynastar is more like 'Dinner-star', I think, as it's French.

Oh, and Nike rhymes with spiky!

 

[lisamamot]

@Liquid Yellow , is Addy pronounced add-e or ahh-d?

 

[tinymoose]

I say Blizzard, Dee-nah-star, and Ah-dee-dus. Womp womp.

 

[Liquid Yellow]

@Liquid Yellow , is Addy pronounced add-e or ahh-d?

Add-e not AH-dee

 

[surfsnowgirl]

I took out my Volkl Yumi's for the first time yesterday. I bought them from @lisamamot but hadn't gotten the chance to demo them.

OMG I loved these things. They turn fabulously and are such fun. These were just going to be my teaching skis but I think I may ski in these when free skiing also. I was skiing more parallel and even picked up a little speed. I am no longer nervous about being watched by the instructor trainer people when they evaluate our personal skiing. I felt like a real skier in these lovely pink things.