TiffAlt
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I've really been wanting to try these, but can't find a demo anywhere. Now that I have the Yumi (which I love) too much overlap in the quiver, but still!
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Frontside & moguls - what should be on my demo list?
- Thread starter tika55
- Start date
Verve
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
You can usually find a 172 online if you demo the men’s ski and like the women’s topsheet
it’s true that they’re thin on the ground. Also, Blizzard is awesome and makes longer size runs in the women specific skis.Mary Brosnan
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I also really want to try the Ranger 84s but they're hard to find. I am looking for low/mid 80s playful ski and would like to demo these and the Blaze 86. Where did you find the Rangers to demo?
I can't speak to the 84s, but I love my ranger 90s in the bumps. Would be curious how the two widths compare?
tinymoose
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I'm much smaller than you, so not sure how useful my recs will be, but of skis I've tried in the last year, here are a few demo suggestions below. Stats: 5'1", 95 lbs, advanced skier, former competitive gymnast (still do gymnastics recreationally so I like to think I'm somewhat strong for my size) , used to own the Yumis (which you liked), ski on the east aka ice coast.
- Black Crows Vertis Birdie - @kmb5662 mentioned this ski. It's got a very fun, floaty surfy feel to it and it was super turny. Probably not the best edge grip on icier conditions, but still not terrible there. It's definitely a softer ski so may not be enough for you, but worth trying if you they have it.
- Blizzard Black Pearl 88 - stiffer than the Vertis Birdie, but still easy going enough in the bumps. had more edge grip and felt more frontside oriented than the Vertis Birdie
- Faction Agent 1 or 1X - no difference in the 1 or 1X other than lengths available and topsheet colors. Otherwise no difference in construction between the men's (1) and women's (1X). This ski has a feel that's somewhere between the Black Pearl and Vertis Birdie. Has an easy going, relaxed floaty feel to it, but also very damp and holds a better edge than the Vertis Birdie. Not as grippy as the Black Pearl. I ended up buying this ski after demoing, and it's easy going in bumps (I'm not a great bump skier). You may also like the Dancer, which as I understand it, is similar to the Agent but with metal instead of carbon (which the Agent has), so it's stiffer than the Agent.
- Volkl Blaze 86 - this ski was super turny. I unfortunately didn't get to try it in bumps b/c of poor snow conditions and no moguls, but I'd imagine it'd be easy going in the bumps based on how turny it was. Also didn't get to try it out on any ice (was raining and soft snow the day I tried it), but others here say it has good edge grip and I've never met a Volkl without good edge grip, so I'd imagine it would be more than fine.
- Black Crows Vertis Birdie - @kmb5662 mentioned this ski. It's got a very fun, floaty surfy feel to it and it was super turny. Probably not the best edge grip on icier conditions, but still not terrible there. It's definitely a softer ski so may not be enough for you, but worth trying if you they have it.
- Blizzard Black Pearl 88 - stiffer than the Vertis Birdie, but still easy going enough in the bumps. had more edge grip and felt more frontside oriented than the Vertis Birdie
- Faction Agent 1 or 1X - no difference in the 1 or 1X other than lengths available and topsheet colors. Otherwise no difference in construction between the men's (1) and women's (1X). This ski has a feel that's somewhere between the Black Pearl and Vertis Birdie. Has an easy going, relaxed floaty feel to it, but also very damp and holds a better edge than the Vertis Birdie. Not as grippy as the Black Pearl. I ended up buying this ski after demoing, and it's easy going in bumps (I'm not a great bump skier). You may also like the Dancer, which as I understand it, is similar to the Agent but with metal instead of carbon (which the Agent has), so it's stiffer than the Agent.
- Volkl Blaze 86 - this ski was super turny. I unfortunately didn't get to try it in bumps b/c of poor snow conditions and no moguls, but I'd imagine it'd be easy going in the bumps based on how turny it was. Also didn't get to try it out on any ice (was raining and soft snow the day I tried it), but others here say it has good edge grip and I've never met a Volkl without good edge grip, so I'd imagine it would be more than fine.
I'd like to try the Rangers... I've heard good things about them.
My opinion of the Ripstick is the same ( I own it) and so is my opinion of the BP88 ( and 82). Been trying to demo the Mindbender, my size is rarely available, the word has gotten out!
Did you find the Ranger 84 skied true to size or short?
What were the snow conditions when you tried the Ranger 84s?
mustski
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Solid early season corduroy with chalky, scraped of spots and some loosely piled sugar. it was at Mt. Rose.
I skied a 167 length which is a bit longer than I would normally ski on a groomer, but they did not feel long at all. They felt very accessible and easy to ski and FUN!
tika55
Certified Ski Diva
On the list!Same here on the Volkl 86.. They are fine on firm New England snow and I just had them out at Steamboat during a week of freeze thaw conditions along with 10 inches of snow one day. They are super versatile, great in bumps and trees, and will also carve up groomers. I’d definitely at least add them to the demo list. I originally got them because I was looking for something playful to work on icy New England bumps with.
slow_biscuits
Certified Ski Diva
I’m glad to see this post. I’ve been looking through posts to see if I could find info similar to this, so I’ll pile on my own questions here. I’m similar height/weight (5’11” and 170 lbs). Not a powerlifter but do regular running and weights, so athletic.
I’ve been skiing Volkl Yumis since 2018. Have the 2017 model. They are definitely too short for me at 164 cm but at the time I bought them in 2018 I was just getting back into skiing after a 10+ year break so they were perfect for re-learning and building confidence. I have absolutely loved these Yumis but I’ve outgrown them and I’m looking for something that’s a little more aggressive and won’t chatter at speed or when I drive them hard. I spend most time on groomed blues/blacks, but just starting to learn to moguls and trees (these short Yumis have been fun for this). Home mountain is in the West but has a lot of melt/freeze conditions commonly so many days is icy hard pack similar to what I grew up on back east. Do travel (mostly southern Colorado and Utah) a couple times per year. About 35 days per year skiing per year.
I tried what I think may be the polar opposite to the Yumi- my husband’s 2017 170cm Kendos (same as the Kenja I think?) - last weekend and they were super stable and really kinda great at speed. But unforgiving at slower speeds and really a bit exhausting just because of how heavy they are. Maybe I just need to give them more time, but I had trouble with short turns in them.
Many of the skis listed here were on my “want to demo” list, but now I’m wondering if what I want doesn’t actually exist. I want something fun and turny and forgiving like the Yumi, but also something stiff enough to drive harder, but not something too damp or too heavy. I feel like trying for something in the middle might just be the worst of both worlds? Do you always have to sacrifice “turniness” and playfulness for stability at speed?
I’ve been skiing Volkl Yumis since 2018. Have the 2017 model. They are definitely too short for me at 164 cm but at the time I bought them in 2018 I was just getting back into skiing after a 10+ year break so they were perfect for re-learning and building confidence. I have absolutely loved these Yumis but I’ve outgrown them and I’m looking for something that’s a little more aggressive and won’t chatter at speed or when I drive them hard. I spend most time on groomed blues/blacks, but just starting to learn to moguls and trees (these short Yumis have been fun for this). Home mountain is in the West but has a lot of melt/freeze conditions commonly so many days is icy hard pack similar to what I grew up on back east. Do travel (mostly southern Colorado and Utah) a couple times per year. About 35 days per year skiing per year.
I tried what I think may be the polar opposite to the Yumi- my husband’s 2017 170cm Kendos (same as the Kenja I think?) - last weekend and they were super stable and really kinda great at speed. But unforgiving at slower speeds and really a bit exhausting just because of how heavy they are. Maybe I just need to give them more time, but I had trouble with short turns in them.
Many of the skis listed here were on my “want to demo” list, but now I’m wondering if what I want doesn’t actually exist. I want something fun and turny and forgiving like the Yumi, but also something stiff enough to drive harder, but not something too damp or too heavy. I feel like trying for something in the middle might just be the worst of both worlds? Do you always have to sacrifice “turniness” and playfulness for stability at speed?
slow_biscuits
Certified Ski Diva
Do you know how the current Yumis compare to the Yumis back in 2017-2018? I know they redesigned them and I was told that the current Blaze is basically Volkl’s equivalent to the older Yumi in the lineup today. I was figuring based on that the Blaze might be too soft.
I haven’t heard that comparison..
TiffAlt
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Both the Kendo and Kenja have gone through several iterations since then and from what I can gather, are both lighter and more forgiving now. You might want to give a newer model another chance if you can demo.
slow_biscuits
Certified Ski Diva
I’ve got this season’s Kendos lined up for this weekend- hopefully they’re a tiny bit more fun
Verve
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
@slow_biscuits where do you ski? I just helped my friend with a similar ski search and we demoed a ton of skis in VT. She landed on the Kenja fyi
