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Keep or trade in BP 88

skilynn

Diva in Training
Hello! I'm new to ski diva. This is my 3rd skiing season, stated in my mid 40's. I take lessons to keep improving. Last season I demoed skis. I didn't like the Volkl Yumi, don't remember why. I liked the Volkl 90eight. I didn't like Black pearl 78, but tried and ended up buying the BP 88 159.

This season our first trip I had a wonderful instructor, not a crowded day so essentially had a private lesson 2 days. I improved on blues and he said I would be ready for black my next visit. He commented about my skis, that BP in his opinion would not be stiff enough as I start doing blacks and progressing more.

My question is those of you that ski blacks do you like or use BP? The demo place has no BP in stock and would love to have them for a trade in. If I think I may need a stiffer ski, I would want to do it before these have much more use on them. The demo recommended trying out the Volkl Kenja, or Atomic Vantage 90Ti.

A little about me I'm 5'5" 159lb. in my 40's. I don't think I'm overly fast but the instructor felt the more he gives me a steeper run the more I respond and feels I won't like BP going steeper. Any advice? We are skiing this coming week in VT, getting 8-12"
 

tinymoose

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I don't own Black Pearls myself, but I know plenty of skiers here who like them and have skied them on more difficult terrain without issue.
 

diymom

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
You already have the BP, so why not try them out on a black and see what you think. The only way to know if -you- like them on steeper hills is to ski them on steeper hills. A few more days on the skis is not going to change their trade in value.
 

marzNC

Angel Diva
This season our first trip I had a wonderful instructor, not a crowded day so essentially had a private lesson 2 days. I improved on blues and he said I would be ready for black my next visit. He commented about my skis, that BP in his opinion would not be stiff enough as I start doing blacks and progressing more.

My question is those of you that ski blacks do you like or use BP?
What mountain? Trail ratings are only a comparison for a given location. A black at my home mountain in VA is a lot easier than a blue at a destination resort in ski country.

As for the BP88 on challenging terrain, whether steep groomers or ungroomed, I happen to like it a lot. Demo'd the BP88 at Taos last season for a couple days. Can't say they would be my first choice for groomers, especially in the northeast, but they certainly are fun skis for me as a solid advanced skier. Note I'm an older petite skiers and don't happen to like Volkl skis in general. So my impressions may well be completely opposite yours.

Saw plenty of BP88 skis in MA/NH/ME last December, as well as at Taos in the past month.

BP 88 159.
I'm 5'5" 159lb.
Just realized you have the 159cm. Could be a little on the short side given your stats. Last year at Taos, @santacruz skier liked the 152cm and she's a lightweight and 5'1". I was surprised I liked the 145cm, 5'0", 112 lbs because my all-mountain skis are 159cm. Didn't have much chance to check them out on ungroomed terrain though because it was a low snow winter. They did great speeding down groomers. Also own the original Black Pearls @159cm, but those are quite different in design then the current BP88.
 

ski diva

Administrator
Staff member
Yes, what @mustski said. Trust yourself. If you like them, then that's what counts. It's tempting to put a lot of weight on someone else's opinion, particularly if they've been at it longer than you. But the skis you like can be pretty subjective. If you're happy with them and you feel like they're working for you, then don't worry about it.
 

contesstant

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Ditto above, and I'll add that if the BPs were considered a "beginner/low intermediate" ski, then maybe there would be a tad bit of truth to what you were told, but they are definitely not classified as beginner skis. Go have fun!
 

Christy

Angel Diva
Not to beat a dead horse but as someone that has had 2 pair of BPs, the criticism I've usually heard (and experienced) is that they aren't good on ice (I don't like them on hardpack). But I've never heard anyone complain they weren't good on steeper slopes.
 

hamster on skis

Certified Ski Diva
I ski BP88 on all kids of terrain both in the East and on our trips our West. I think it's a great ski for many conditions, they helped me learn to ski bumps better. On icy groomers, I do find that they hold the edge very well *only if* you find a particular sweet spot and they would skid and slip if you go into backseat even a little bit; for icy conditions, a stiffer narrower ski would be better (on truly icy days I get nostalgic about my old skis). But even in the East, it's not all icy all the time, overall I love the BPs. You'll really appreciate them if you get to ski in fresh snow!
 

elemmac

Angel Diva
@skilynn - I do agree with everyone else, if you like the skis you're on, stay on them, no reason to change.

I will add, your instructor *may* have been referring to the length, just as much (or more) than the ski itself. At your height/weight/skill level, I would think that as your skills continue to progress, you might want a longer ski (not necessarily a different one though). If you have a chance to demo, I would demo the BP in a 166...just to see what you think. If you find them too long...go back to your 159s, but you might find them more stable at speed and more enjoyable as you progress.
 

newboots

Angel Diva
Hi @skilynn - when are you coming up? I’m skiing at Killington tomorrow, but probably not this weekend.

I’ll be busy with my darling grand baby and her non-skiing parents!
 

Roseskier

Diva in Training
Hi there!

I have the Volkl Kenjas (163) and Black Pearls (166). The Kenjas are definitely a stiffer/heavier ski than the Black Pearls, but I have a ton of fun on the Black Pearls too! I consider myself an aggressive skier (5'3", ~140 lbs), and I can charge plenty hard on the Black Pearls. They are more playful than the Kenjas, but that doesn't mean I don't ski everything on the mountain with them. It's less about how advanced you want to be, and more about the feeling you want from your skis. A stiffer ski like the Kenja will allow you to plow through crud more predictably, while the BP will give more feedback and is less stable in this scenario.

At your height and weight, a 166 cm BP may be better for you long-term, but I definitely think you can excel with what you have currently too. Hope this is helpful!
 

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