SallyCat
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I don't need skis. I've been happily enjoying basically a 1-ski quiver in the Atomic Vantage 90 cti with a pair of Nordica Soul Riders for soft snow and laughs.
But yesterday was crowded and cold and the snow was less than ideal (hard and scrapey in places). I didn't exactly want to quit skiing, but the mountain's demo program caught my eye and I thought it would be a fun day to try out some skis since I was on my own and wouldn't hold anyone up. And popping in and out of the shop to switch models seemed like a good strategy in the bitter cold.
So here's what I tried and what I thought. Keep in mind, I'm a noob and don't really know how to talk about skis. (All I can ever say is "I liked these, so they might be worth trying because maybe you'll like them, too.")
Volkl Kanjo, 168cm.
I liked these! Maybe you'll like them, too!
Kanjos would be redundant alongside the Vantge 90ctis, because they are the same type of ski as far as I can tell, but boy I had fun on them. They are playful but strong, with good edge hold and a stable feel.(A "playful" Volkl!? It seems true!). I think the Kanjos are sort of a men's version of the Yumi, with some metal? I reckon if you liked the Yumi but found it a bit underpowered, the Kanjo may be worth a test drive. And if you're looking at the Vantage, maybe look at the Kanjo?
Icelantic Nomad 171cm
It was an absurd day to ski these 105-waisted freeride skis and I don't have the skills to be on a cool-guy ski like the Nomad anyway. But they were beautiful skis and I've never been on anything that wide, so I thought it might be interesting just to see what they felt like. They were surprisingly nimble and easy to get on edge. I mean, I'm not saying they were an amazing carving ski, more that my reaction was "Hey, I can actually ski these like real skis! Look, I'm skiing them!" I only did one run, you know ... because if the absurdity. So this is the silliest, least-informative review ever. But I'm glad I tried them because they were fun to goof around on.
Volkl RTM 84 172
I'm always recommending the RTM because I just love it on East coast groomers. But I actually sold my 2017 RTMs because I realized that 177cm was too long and unwieldy for me and they were hard to stay "over." I was 20 pounds heavier when I first demoed the 177, so maybe that made a difference? I dunno. Anyway, I thought I'd try this year's RTM 84 in a 172 just for kicks. Boy, I'm glad I did. Again, I don't need new skis and don't plan on buying any, but next time I do I imagine I will purchase a pair of these if they're still around. They're just so stable and grip so well, and they want to go fast in a way that makes me want to go fast, too. And I don't usually want to go fast. Whatever the alchemy is that resulted in this ski, it definitely works for me. Maybe they'll work for you!
And it did turn out to be helpful to warm up in the shop while the guys adjusted the various skis.
I'm not skiing again until this cold snap lets up!
But yesterday was crowded and cold and the snow was less than ideal (hard and scrapey in places). I didn't exactly want to quit skiing, but the mountain's demo program caught my eye and I thought it would be a fun day to try out some skis since I was on my own and wouldn't hold anyone up. And popping in and out of the shop to switch models seemed like a good strategy in the bitter cold.
So here's what I tried and what I thought. Keep in mind, I'm a noob and don't really know how to talk about skis. (All I can ever say is "I liked these, so they might be worth trying because maybe you'll like them, too.")
Volkl Kanjo, 168cm.
I liked these! Maybe you'll like them, too!
Kanjos would be redundant alongside the Vantge 90ctis, because they are the same type of ski as far as I can tell, but boy I had fun on them. They are playful but strong, with good edge hold and a stable feel.(A "playful" Volkl!? It seems true!). I think the Kanjos are sort of a men's version of the Yumi, with some metal? I reckon if you liked the Yumi but found it a bit underpowered, the Kanjo may be worth a test drive. And if you're looking at the Vantage, maybe look at the Kanjo?
Icelantic Nomad 171cm
It was an absurd day to ski these 105-waisted freeride skis and I don't have the skills to be on a cool-guy ski like the Nomad anyway. But they were beautiful skis and I've never been on anything that wide, so I thought it might be interesting just to see what they felt like. They were surprisingly nimble and easy to get on edge. I mean, I'm not saying they were an amazing carving ski, more that my reaction was "Hey, I can actually ski these like real skis! Look, I'm skiing them!" I only did one run, you know ... because if the absurdity. So this is the silliest, least-informative review ever. But I'm glad I tried them because they were fun to goof around on.
Volkl RTM 84 172
I'm always recommending the RTM because I just love it on East coast groomers. But I actually sold my 2017 RTMs because I realized that 177cm was too long and unwieldy for me and they were hard to stay "over." I was 20 pounds heavier when I first demoed the 177, so maybe that made a difference? I dunno. Anyway, I thought I'd try this year's RTM 84 in a 172 just for kicks. Boy, I'm glad I did. Again, I don't need new skis and don't plan on buying any, but next time I do I imagine I will purchase a pair of these if they're still around. They're just so stable and grip so well, and they want to go fast in a way that makes me want to go fast, too. And I don't usually want to go fast. Whatever the alchemy is that resulted in this ski, it definitely works for me. Maybe they'll work for you!
And it did turn out to be helpful to warm up in the shop while the guys adjusted the various skis.
I'm not skiing again until this cold snap lets up!
My 84s so very, very much!! I'll even be racing on them this year. 
