Kenja!!!

[EAVL]

Hello!

I am new to Ski Diva. Have been reading threads though about gear reviews and they have been super helpful! am in my fourth season skiing ever. I do it a lot because my oldest daughter is a competative snowboarder so we are in the mountains for her training/comps every weekend and sometimes get even more days in too. Will be here all Spring Break. Anyway, I bought some K2 Superfrees my first season. They have served me well, but I have been so nervous going fast, in certain conditions, etc. This drives my husband and children crazy because I will not venture off groomed blue runs. My husband kept telling me my skis are too short for me, but I had been scared of going longer. I am 5'8" and have been on 153. My local rental shop guy talked me into trying the Head Total joy and then at the last second sent me with the Kenja in 163 at no extra charge. The Total Joy was fun and definitely better than I have now. I felt more confident and they were easy to ski. Tried them at Copper yestaerday. Today I took out the Kenja at Breckenridge. Didn't get to go all day because my youngest was feeling under the weather and I could only push her so far! My first run on the Kenjas I felt like it was much too much ski for me. The car was too far to change then out for he Heads so I kept going and with each run I loved them more and more! They are super stable at speed and make me actually want to ski faster! They worked great on blues pointed downhill and also on easy cruisers. They are so heavy to carry though! I have weak arms and upper body so maybe this will help me get in shape! I weigh 140 lbs so I think my weight was well suited to this ski. My husband is super excited and like the guy at the shop says, "When husbands see their wives on a ski that makes them want to advance they will pay anything for new skis!" I wish there would have been some fresh pow to try them in but that may be on tap for next week. I think I am going to buy these before Spring Break and my husband will think he has died and gone to heaven if I say I want to try a black run! Not sure about venturing into the bowls and the backsides like he likes to do. Baby steps!!!

 

[newboots]

Welcome! Looking forward to hearing more of your adventures!

 

[va_deb]

Might be worth checking out the new Wild Joy as well. 90 underfoot like the Kenja, but possibly lighter and a tighter turning radius. I found that the Joy I skied in a comparable width to a carvier Volkl (high 70s) felt much surfier than the Kenja.

There are lots of Kenja fans here so I'm sure they will weigh in. @snow cat, any thoughts?

 

[EAVL]

Thank you for the suggestion. So I bought the Kenjas after loving them and feeling super confident last weekend. The shop threw in a tune and I don't know if it is that or the slushy snow, but I feel overpowered and dangerous today! Edges keep catching. I have never loved spring conditions anyway - so sticky and so much work. We are also at keystone on a Saturday which isn't my favorite place to be. I usually don't ski here unless it is a weekday (low crowds) and fresh powder. Too many people funneling down two or three runs. Finding it hard to ski slow and take the wide turns these skis seems to want with all the people and the newbies criss crossing in front. I am really not usually this negative! Now I wish I would have tried the Black Pearls or the Atomic Vantage i wanted to try that started this whole new ski thing. The local shop I like to use didn't carry either brand. Hopefully tomorrow will be better!

 

[snow cat]

If you like the dampness and stableness of Kenja, you may not enjoy Black Pearl as much since BP is much softer skis. I have not tried Atomic Vantages yet but in general I found Atomic skis to be softer than Volkls, even the ones with metal/carbon. I ski Kenja in length 156 (can ski 163 also but not as much fun as 156) and BP in length 159 (also 166 but again not as much fun as 159), and my height is 5'3". Funny enough, I love my Kenja (mine is the older version with width being 87) in slush and spring conditions.

Maybe the problem is you dealing with the new, wider, skis in a crowded condition? It takes a bit longer to change edge to edge with wider skis to make the turns, and it may seems like you can't turn/change edges fast enough (like carvers that have width in 70s) so it feels like you can't do smaller sized turns. Perhaps you need a lesson in doing turns of various radius on slope with Kenja to get comfortable with your new skis. In the meantime, I think you should try being more aggressive/forward with your Kenja...in my experience Kenja likes to be driven and does not like you being backseat driver or lax with skiing. And be a little more patient with your turns so you can wait for the skis to be flat before laying them over on the new edge for the next turn. In slush, I would try not to edge too much and stay loose in case the slushy snow grabs your skis unexpectedly. Spring condition has challenges of its own so I hope you have a better time/condition tomorrow with your new skis!

 

[newboots]

It will get batter. Bad conditions + new skis = must be difficult!

 

[Lmk92]

@EAVL, I wish we lived closer so we could ski together - your posts sound like I could have written them! I lose my confidence so quickly, and I hate to hold up my kids. At the very least know you're not alone! Keep a positive outlook and remind yourself you are more badass than you know. ;)

 

[EAVL]

Thanks snow cat and new boots! I think you are both right! My edges were catching a bit and I did feel like I didn't always have the space I needed to make longer turns which I did last weekend. Will be at Copper tomorrow and usually people are more spread out there than keystone in my experience. I felt like last weekend I was able to make short and long turns. Also the edges have just been done so it is prob more grabby than it was last weekend. Makes me want to go run it on some rocks!! Hoping for more fun tomorrow!

 

[EAVL]

@EAVL, I wish we lived closer so we could ski together - your posts sound like I could have written them! I lose my confidence so quickly, and I hate to hold up my kids. At the very least know you're not alone! Keep a positive outlook and remind yourself you are more badass than you know. ;)

Thank you!! Would be fun to ski together!!

 

[Freeski]

Hello!

I am new to Ski Diva. Have been reading threads though about gear reviews and they have been super helpful! am in my fourth season skiing ever. I do it a lot because my oldest daughter is a competative snowboarder so we are in the mountains for her training/comps every weekend and sometimes get even more days in too. Will be here all Spring Break. Anyway, I bought some K2 Superfrees my first season. They have served me well, but I have been so nervous going fast, in certain conditions, etc. This drives my husband and children crazy because I will not venture off groomed blue runs. My husband kept telling me my skis are too short for me, but I had been scared of going longer. I am 5'8" and have been on 153. My local rental shop guy talked me into trying the Head Total joy and then at the last second sent me with the Kenja in 163 at no extra charge. The Total Joy was fun and definitely better than I have now. I felt more confident and they were easy to ski. Tried them at Copper yestaerday. Today I took out the Kenja at Breckenridge. Didn't get to go all day because my youngest was feeling under the weather and I could only push her so far! My first run on the Kenjas I felt like it was much too much ski for me. The car was too far to change then out for he Heads so I kept going and with each run I loved them more and more! They are super stable at speed and make me actually want to ski faster! They worked great on blues pointed downhill and also on easy cruisers. They are so heavy to carry though! I have weak arms and upper body so maybe this will help me get in shape! I weigh 140 lbs so I think my weight was well suited to this ski. My husband is super excited and like the guy at the shop says, "When husbands see their wives on a ski that makes them want to advance they will pay anything for new skis!" I wish there would have been some fresh pow to try them in but that may be on tap for next week. I think I am going to buy these before Spring Break and my husband will think he has died and gone to heaven if I say I want to try a black run! Not sure about venturing into the bowls and the backsides like he likes to do. Baby steps!!!

I am an owner of 2016 Kenna's... this ski needs a a front seat charger!!! I am 5"1' and 101bs and have loved this ski in all conditions except powder over 8 in. This ski will bring you to the next level but you need to push and get on that edge and let them roll.

 

[Freeski]

I am a volkl girl! I own the 2016 kenja. I t does require a hard charging front seat driver to get optimal performance!!!! I am 5"1' 100lbs and ski 148cm and my only regret is I didn't buy longer My 100eights at 165cm are just right... The kenja is a fantastic all mountain ski that rips in ALL terrain except more than 6-8 in of powder. To get the most out of this ski- get in the front, on your edge and let them roll

 

[newboots]

Welcome, @Freeski ! Glad to have you here!

I see you're from Utah. Where do you ski?

Anne