Advice on new skis

[EAVL]

Hello Divas!

So here's my situation. I have been skiing regularly for five/six seasons now I think. A couple years ago I topped out on progression on my beginner skis and after demoing the Volkl Kenjas I fell in love and bought them. Short story is I was much stronger, skiing more often and braver then. Last year our conditions weren't great here in CO when I got my season started and right off the bat I caught an edge on a bad patch of snow I didn't see, WHILE GETTING OFF THE LIFT, and tore a ligament in my knee. Not a huge deal, no surgery. Just time off and then holy smokes do I have the fear that I am not in as much control as I thought I was if I could do that just skiing away from the lift. What if I did that while going fast down the mountain? So I wasn't stoked on skiing much after that last season, although I went because that's what we do as a family and my daughter was on a snowboard team and had to be there every weekend anyway. I was relieved when the season was over. I am still nervous this year, but the snow is awesome so I am a bit more excited. Anyway, I think my Kenjas are just too much for me. In addition to my fear and loss of confidence, I started having neurological issues last summer. So I have more muscle weakness and fatigue than I ever have. I think between being nervous to ski the Kenjas aggressively and so always having the brakes on and fighting with them in addition to my tired body, I am exhausted after a couple of runs. My legs will be burning and shaking and just done. I used to go all day two seasons ago!

So this is where I am at now. I demoed some Blizzard Black Pearl 88s in 166 length (my Kenjas are 163, I am 5'8") and they were fun. Much less tiring, but still stable. I did get into a little bit of soft snow and they didn't float as well as the Kenjas. The place where I am renting told me I need to try the Solomon QST Lux 92 so I am doing them this weekend. I am a little scared of the length. The guy said I should try the 169 and they ski much shorter. Solomon also makes the Myriad 85 which my husband thinks would be better for me, but the shop guy says he thinks if I like BPs and have been skiing Kenjas I will enjoy the 92 more.

Any of you ladies been in a similar situation? As in scared of the skis you once loved? I just don't want to ski as fast as the Kenjas want to go and I don't know if I will regain the level of strength I once had. I am always taking a hockey skid every five turns or so on steeper terrain to slow myself down, calm my nerves and honestly to rest my legs for a few seconds! I felt like with the BPs I could control my speed a lot easier and not get as exhausted. Excited to try to the Solomons especially since we are supposed to get some deep snow this weekend. I don't venture off piste too much, but would like to have a ski that makes me confident enough to do it and won't wear me out. Also, don't want to sacrifice edge hold when it gets icy. I have to say I like the edge hold of the Kenjas, but I don't really carve like they like to do unless I am on mellow greens where I feel confident.

Appreciate any thoughts/advice. Thank you!!

Elizabeth

 

[HikenSki]

Sorry to hear about your dilemma. I wouldn't be scared of the 169 length in the Salomons. I'm 5'10" and made the mistake of not thinking about the rocker when I bought my first 85 width ski last year in a 163cm after the suggestion of the ski shop. Because they were replacing 160cm length skis with very little rocker, I didn't want to go too long. Long story short, I'll be selling them this fall because they ski too short and are unstable when I get faster and encounter bumps. I picked up a 170 that is more like a 174 and after demoing some rockered skis a few weeks ago, realized I have no issue with the 170-174 length.

I think going to a lighter ski will be less stress on your legs. I know after a day on my heavier carvers that my knees are not very happy and my legs are much more tired. I'd recommend checking out the Rossi 88Ti for this year as well (mens and womens are the same ski). It's got some metal but I didn't think they were particularly heavy and were a nice cruiser ski when I demoed them recently. I am sure someone will chime in about the Sheeva 9. I just bought the Alluvit 88 to replace my 85's. I am looking forward to the extra length, width, and stiffness.

 

[MissySki]

Hi there! I think it's great that you're getting out and trying other things! I absolutely think that from year to year equipment can feel different, and we are not always in the same place we were a year or more ago due to any number of reasons in our lives. I totally feel and ski differently now when I get 20-30 days on snow versus when I was getting 50-70 days on snow. I have some skis that I haven't used in awhile because of that as well because I used to wait until I was in a certain "ski shape" to really enjoy them, otherwise they were too much effort. So I got other skis that feel good to me where I am now, and all is great!

Ski days are too few to spend them feeling fearful and uncomfortable on a pair of skis if you are having more fun on other ones. I say, demo as much as you can, find the pair that makes you smile, and move on with them without any glance back at the Kenjas!!

And per the comment above, I can say that the Sheeva 9 is worth a demo! Really fun, lightweight, and versatile ski!

 

[MrsPlow]

Can you demo the Volkl 90eight? I bought a pair a couple of years ago based purely on reviews - one of which said they'd put their dad on it or ski it themselves quite happily. Which for me sums up the ski nicely - I find it forgiving when I need it to be but I've never felt like I've hit a limit on what it can do. It holds an edge pretty well, but is also good in bumps and softer snow.

 

[Jenny]

Do you have Fischers anywhere to try? My husband's Rangers are really light, and I like them a lot.

 

[SallyCat]

You might detune the tips and tails of the Kenjas if maybe that's what tripped you up. It kind of sounds like you were spooked by a random fall and the injury and maybe just need to dial back the trail difficulty a bit until you get some confidence back?

Maybe bring the skis in for a base grind and make sure they aren't concave and that they are waxed and the edges aren't wonky.

That's not to say that a different ski wouldn't help, and demoing would be fun and informative. Just worth taking a look at the ones you liked before and making sure everything's kosher with them might make them more agreeable in the meantime.

 

[Jilly]

I tried the Myriad out at WB. Hated them, but then I haven't met a Salomon that I like. I ended up with the Vantage 95C. You might want to look at a narrower version of those. Atomic is a sister company to Salomon, but doesn't make the same skis. Boot technology is being shared, but not so much ski.

 

[contesstant]

I tried the Myriad out at WB. Hated them, but then I haven't met a Salomon that I like. I ended up with the Vantage 95C. You might want to look at a narrower version of those. Atomic is a sister company to Salomon, but doesn't make the same skis. Boot technology is being shared, but not so much ski.

Jilly, definitely get on next year's Salomon's when you get a chance and let me know what you think. I also never cared for them, but they have changed the construction and are WORLDS better now.

And, I also skied an Atomic I liked-The Vantage 86C. For an "intermediate" ski, it was nice and really fun when I got it up to a little faster speed. I think I used to not like them because their tip shapes are much different than what I'm used to. Now that I've skied a TON of different skis, I was able to figure them out.

As to the original post--I had the same issue with my beloved Kenjas after I started divorce proceedings and lost 15 pounds. So, I get where she's coming from. They are a pretty stiff ski and not super forgiving of tentativeness. Funny, I gained that weight back and now I'm saying, "damn, I shouldn't have sold those skis!"

 

[Little Lightning]

Outdoor Divas is having a demo day at Loveland next Thursday. A discounted lift ticket is available, demos are free. This time of year you might find some demos on sale. They are a great women's only shop out of Vail. https://outdoordivas.com/events/

Don't be embarrassed about doing hockey stops on steeper runs. If you are doing them properly they set you up for great turns.. I recently took a lesson to work out a bad habit I had developed due to skiing with an injury. After working with me for a couple of runs the instructor introduced me to using hockey stops in various situations . We worked with them on groomers, in powder, bumps and steeper faces.

The more I work with the technique the more I see it's value. Not only do they improve my turning skills they've given me a sense of control on conditions I tend to freeze on. Yesterday I skied a bumpy face that causes me to freeze no matter how many times I've skied it. It was the same old story, I froze, didn't want make a turn, kept traversing finally made it down with a couple of turns at the bottom. Today, I convinced myself I could ski the run because I knew when I made the 1st turn the hockey stop would point my skis uphill, slow me down, position my body and set me up for my next turn. Skied the entire run without stopping.

Hope you figure out what is causing your tiredness. For me it's exercise induced asthma. My meds were changed last fall and I've been feeling terrible even though I work out 3x per week. Couldn't figure it out. Got a prescription for Singulair. everything changed, energy level is back. Hoping to go back to old meds soon. Good luck with this.

 

[SqueakySnow]

Hi @EAVL I currently own the Salomon QST 92 Lux and I can give you a POV on that ski. It is pretty lightweight, no metal, quite playful and energetic. Sometimes too much so. If you lose focus, these skis can get a mind of their own. I had noticed them vibrating back and forth at the tips at fairly reasonable speeds, and that squirreliness was confirmed by a tech at the demo shop at Squaw last week. She said unless you're paying close attention, those skis start to chatter all over the place... I was happy to know it wasn't just me. It's not really a problem in deeper or softer snow, but really becomes an issue on hard pack into slightly icy conditions. I also tend to notice it more at the end of the day when my legs aren't quite as fresh as they were in the morning ;)

Give them a go, I like the ski overall, but keep your focus on the harder surfaces. Also, I would steer you away from the Myriad 85. The overall construction quality on that model is not the same as the Lux, Lumien, and the Stella. Not sure why they did that unless they consider that ski for beginners so they want to keep the price point down.

 

[tinymoose]

Just gonna throw the Yumis out as an option to demo too. They're very much like the Kenjas in feel and characteristics but are a much softer ski. So it might give you the things you liked in the Kenjas but be less demanding.

 

[EAVL]

Thanks Ladies! I will add the Sheevas to my list. I have had the Atomics in mind for a while too. My husband used to have them when they were called the Theory and he talked me into demoing them but it was my first season and probably my sixth time out and they were way too long and wide for my skill level. We recently read an old review of that exact model year and it said it was for aggressive advanced skiers and I couldn't believe he put me on them as a newbie! Now I can laugh about it. I felt like a semi going down a mountain with my brakes on fire! Super scary. I probably would feel differently today and I may check those out again. Might check out the Yumis too. Thanks for the info on the Lux 92 SqueakySnow! Ice is my least favorite and most terrifying condition and one thing I do love about the Kenja is that I can totally trust it to hold an edge and feel stable on ice. I did manage to ski for three years on short K2 SuperFree (my first skis) and was on everything from deepish powder to ice in those and I managed to survive. I even did a couple black runs on those. I haven't even taken my Kenjas on blacks because I feel like I get going too fast even on blues and I freak out. This weekend is supposed to snow so the Solomons will prob be fun. We'll see.....I wish I could go to the Outdoor Divas demo next TH, but have to work. I'll get it figured out sooner or later. Thanks for all your help!!

Elizabeth

 

[contesstant]

Get out on those Kenjas and do some hockey stops and short radius turns.

 

[SallyCat]

Get out on those Kenjas and do some hockey stops and short radius turns.

I skied Kenjas for a bit and didn't find them to be super-burly. Certainly not compared to the RTM 84s. The Kenjas were light and nimble and had great edge hold, and the width was good, too.

 

[SquidWeaselYay]

Can confirm that if you forget to detune tips and tails of kenjas, things can get pretty hooky.

 

[Live4Powder]

I got a set of Myriad 85s at the beginning of the season. They are lightweight and fine on groomers. In deep powder,, bumps, variable crud, etc..Not so good. I always felt like they were going to slide out from under me and didn't feel confident in them. When I was turning coming down steep hills the rear of my downhill ski would actually go back and forth. I just didn't have much fun with them.

A few weeks ago we went to Steamboat and it was snowing for two days. I demoed a set of Nordica Santa Ana 100s and had a blast doing stuff that I would never have done or gotten through with the Myriads. I bought a set of of the Nordicas with Tyrolia Attack 13B bindings and it's a night and day difference.

If I was going to recommend Nordicas for you I'd look at the Santa Ana 93s. They would be a bit tamer and get great reviews.

I wouldn't recommend the Myriads if you do bumps, trees, bowls or powder. They are fine on groomers but I'd demo skis and go with what you like from personal experience.