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Black Pearl 82 157cm or Yumi 85 154cm

Nicolette_Marii

Diva in Training
Hi!! I am so happy I found this site!

I am hoping you all can help me with my first pair of skis :smile: I have skiid by whole life but always rented.

I am 5 foot 3 120 pounds. I ski 50/50 out west (Utah, CO) and Vermont. I would call myself an advanced intermediate skiier who is looking to improve this year. I mainly stick to the trails but def do some trees as well. I am very athletic but def can work on my form!

I am looking at the Black Pearl 82 157cm or Yumi 85 154cm but open to any suggestions! Are the 157 black pearls to long for me (I could go down to 152 but that seems rather short)? Any other suggestions? Let me know what other stats are helpful! Thank you so much!
 

Jilly

Moderator
Staff member
Skis are pretty, but what about boots? Boots first. If you're feet aren't happy it won't matter which skis you're on.
 

knolan12

Angel Diva
I have the BP 82s in 157 (5'5). I bought them without demoing (I know I know), but really love them! I ski in New England and these were my second skis ever (kept my beginner skis for about 12 years). I would say I'm an advanced beginner/low intermediate and when I spoke with the salesperson at the ski expo last year, he said it was a pair that I would grow into (I had initially been looking at the 78 and had narrowed down my choice to BP based on research). I didn't have any issue taking them out last winter and found them stable. I think the Yumis are supposed to be a bit stiffer (someone correct me if I'm wrong haha) so might be a consideration there. If you have the option to demo this winter, that is most likely going to be your best bet prior to making a decision :smile:
 

contesstant

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I don't think the 157 BPs would be too long for you. As for choosing which ski, you could use the "throw a dart" method or draw straws and not get the wrong answer. :tongue:
 

marzNC

Angel Diva
Hi!! I am so happy I found this site!

I am hoping you all can help me with my first pair of skis :smile: I have skiid by whole life but always rented.

I am 5 foot 3 120 pounds. I ski 50/50 out west (Utah, CO) and Vermont. I would call myself an advanced intermediate skiier who is looking to improve this year. I mainly stick to the trails but def do some trees as well. I am very athletic but def can work on my form!

I am looking at the Black Pearl 82 157cm or Yumi 85 154cm but open to any suggestions! Are the 157 black pearls to long for me (I could go down to 152 but that seems rather short)? Any other suggestions? Let me know what other stats are helpful! Thank you so much!
Welcome! I'm a little shorter and a little lighter, probably a lot older, and have become an advanced skier in the last decade (after age 55). The BP82 and Yumi 85 are pretty different based on my demo experience. Both make sense as a one-ski quiver that's reasonable in VT and out west.

When I was more of an advanced intermediate, my all-mountain skis were 154cm and 75 underfoot. I don't think 157cm is too long. Probably better to be long then too short on slopes in UT/CO.

What skis have you rented lately? What length were they? Nose height? Shorter or longer?
 

Nicolette_Marii

Diva in Training
Welcome! I'm a little shorter and a little lighter, probably a lot older, and have become an advanced skier in the last decade (after age 55). The BP82 and Yumi 85 are pretty different based on my demo experience. Both make sense as a one-ski quiver that's reasonable in VT and out west.

When I was more of an advanced intermediate, my all-mountain skis were 154cm and 75 underfoot. I don't think 157cm is too long. Probably better to be long then too short on slopes in UT/CO.

What skis have you rented lately? What length were they? Nose height? Shorter or longer?


I normally ski around nose or a little taller. 155-160 I would say on whatever the standard rental skis were wherever I was skiing! I am 26 year old if that helps and am hoping to get skis that will last me a bit :smile:
 

tinymoose

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I've never tried the BP82, but tried the BP88 a couple years ago. I've also owned a couple pairs of Yumis, both the previous version w/o metal and the current version with titanal band. I'm 5'1" and about 100 lbs, low advanced skier.

My general impression of the two (BP88 and Yumi) is that the Black Pearls were turnier, softer, and faired better on softer snow conditions, where the Yumis are stiffer, not as turny, but have a bit better edge grip to them.

I don't think you can really go wrong with either, but it might be beneficial to demo if you can just b/c they're not very similar skis (assuming the BP82 is anything like the BP88).
 

marzNC

Angel Diva
I don't think you can really go wrong with either, but it might be beneficial to demo if you can just b/c they're not very similar skis (assuming the BP82 is anything like the BP88).
Agree that both are good skis but quite different. For some reason although I've always liked the BP88, including the original Black Pearl the was different from the current design, I didn't find the Cheyenne or the BP82 that fun. Never could figure out why.
 

Patronainthe801

Certified Ski Diva
I have the Yumi's and can attest that they are a lot of fun. I haven't skied on the BP's but several of my girlfriends do and they love them as well. My Yumi's are on the taller side and I have not had an issue with them at all. I find them to be very stable.
 

newboots

Angel Diva
I ski the BP 82s 157 and love them!

I am 5'4" and [heavier than you] [okay, 145). I was on 153s before these (Blizzard Quattros) and the BPs don't feel long to me at all. I loved them since my first demo. I'm a newer skier (got them last year, my fourth) and they were so much more fun!
 

AppleJacks207

Certified Ski Diva
I ski the BP 82s 157 and love them!

I am 5'4" and [heavier than you] [okay, 145). I was on 153s before these (Blizzard Quattros) and the BPs don't feel long to me at all. I loved them since my first demo. I'm a newer skier (got them last year, my fourth) and they were so much more fun!
Ooh, this is so helpful to read! I'm also 5'4" and 145ish and keep looking at the BP 82s. My current skis are a little short - Atomic Vantage 85s in 149. My husband seems to think they're also a little soft and I might like a stiffer ski at Sugarloaf. I'm still pretty new (converted from snowboarding last winter) so all I know are rentals and my Atomics!
 

lisamamot

Angel Diva
I won't straddle this one - my vote is for the Yumi! Volkl edge grip will serve you well in VT, and it is a bit wider which will span VT and west skiing better. With your ski experience I also feel the Yumi will be a ski that you will be happy on for quite awhile...until you start a quiver of course from sticking around us too long, lol. Ski Magazine did a write-up on best skis for women this December and both the BP 82 and Yumi are detailed...their feedback is in line with my gut on this -
https://www.skimag.com/gear/best-womens-value-skis
 
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newboots

Angel Diva
@AppleJacks207 - I skied 149s in my first year (a season rental) and moving up in length was definitely helpful. I went to 153 and now to 157 on the BP 82s. 149 to 157 may be a bigger jump, but you're certainly tall enough.
 

AppleJacks207

Certified Ski Diva
@AppleJacks207 - I skied 149s in my first year (a season rental) and moving up in length was definitely helpful. I went to 153 and now to 157 on the BP 82s. 149 to 157 may be a bigger jump, but you're certainly tall enough.
That is about the jump I'm planning to make - I'd rather grow into the skis a bit than outgrow them too quickly! My old snowboard was a 153, but I'm already better on skis than I ever was on a board. My next skis need to last a while and those BPs just keep calling me - hopefully will get to demo a pair this year! Do they give you good stability in icy stuff and/or crud? I am frequently meeting ice patches, haha.
 

newboots

Angel Diva
We are going to ski on ice in the Northeast, it's just the way it is. I can manage them on ice but weirdly, I've never found ice terribly treacherous. I mean, I'd rather ski on packed snow, of course, but since I learned with ice patches I don't freak out.

Anyway, I haven't found any particular difficulty with them on ice. They are wider than my last skis, but not very much, so I'm as able to put them on edge (sorta) as my Quattros.

One big advantage not afforded to me: this year they are a beautiful color! Last year it was called "rose gold" but I would say, a mauve-ish brown, which I dislike. Cover them with snow. The new ones are a gorgeous blue!
 

AppleJacks207

Certified Ski Diva
We are going to ski on ice in the Northeast, it's just the way it is. I can manage them on ice but weirdly, I've never found ice terribly treacherous. I mean, I'd rather ski on packed snow, of course, but since I learned with ice patches I don't freak out.

Anyway, I haven't found any particular difficulty with them on ice. They are wider than my last skis, but not very much, so I'm as able to put them on edge (sorta) as my Quattros.

One big advantage not afforded to me: this year they are a beautiful color! Last year it was called "rose gold" but I would say, a mauve-ish brown, which I dislike. Cover them with snow. The new ones are a gorgeous blue!
True - ice is part of the deal! It's not nearly as bad on skis, imo. It's great to hear how they work for you - thank you for sharing with me! And I do love this year's color. My husband keeps telling me to just buy them...
 

newboots

Angel Diva
If you have a chance to demo, don't discount @lisamamot 's comments about the Yumis. I've never been on them, and don't have anything to add. But different skis for different gals, right?

My ex is known on the forum as Mr. Blizzard. He was a rep for Blizzard and constantly talks about how wonderful they are. He was my mentor in skiing, and I skied Blizzard skis. A little silly, really, but at least I wasn't face with dozens of choices! I've also demo'd the Head Joys (sorry I can't remember which ones - maybe @Abbi does? She skied them too. They were nice, but it was a couple years ago and I didn't know what I was doing.) Don't be afraid to rent your demo skis from a shop in town if the mountain doesn't have what you need. It's more of a hassle, but maybe you'll love them and stay out all day on them! Worth it to buy the right ones.
 

Jenny

Angel Diva
One big advantage not afforded to me: this year they are a beautiful color! Last year it was called "rose gold" but I would say, a mauve-ish brown, which I dislike. Cover them with snow. The new ones are a gorgeous blue!
They called that color "rose gold"? I had wanted to try them but they weren’t around to demo when I was buying, and the color dissuaded me from waiting another year. Which is just as well, I got a better deal on the prior year 88s anyway, and got to ski them last year. I'd hate to be trying to buy skis and boots this year. It involved a lot of driving to Ann Arbor, and that’s a couple of hours away.
 

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