Kenjas vs yumi

[Am716]

okay I posted once before and since then I got to demo some skis (Blizzard BPs, Volkl Yumi, Rossi temptations, and wild belles). The Yumis were by far my favorite. Turned beautifully, good control, fun, light...

I am an average, intermediate skier. Wanting a pair of skis I can use now but also grow into. I ski in Michigan on groomed trails. I currently have some Head skis (74 wide).

So long story, short. I bought the Yumis online but the site made a mistake and no longer have them in stock. They offered me the Kenjas for the same price. But is 90 too wide for groomed/front sided skiing? Would they be too stiff? Too much ski for an intermediate skier?

Any advice? Personal experience? Thoughts?

Thanks so much!

And Boyne I believe has the Kenjas to demo but I didn't demo them just because in my head I thought they were more for advanced skiers but researching it more it looks like they are sort of on par with the Yumis but wider and stiffer. But I won't get back to Boyne before I need to let this site know my decision.

 

[tinymoose]

What are your stats? Height? Weight? That will probably factor into them too. Kenjas are definitely much stiffer than the Yumis.

I've owned both, and while I enjoyed the Kenjas (didn't find them difficult to ski and acquired them as an Intermediate - Adv. Intermediate)... I finally had an ahah moment a couple years ago that at 5'1" and 95 lbs they were keeping me from really being able to work/flex the ski. Went to the Yumis. Same basic Volkl feel, just less stiff and as a result less damp.

 

[contesstant]

Very different skis. If you liked the Yumis, keep looking for a pair. I'm sure you can hunt some down out there in internet land!

 

[Fluffy Kitty]

Yumis are available here: https://www.evo.com/skis/volkl-yumi-womens.aspx

People's reactions to Kenjas seem to be love-them-or-hate-them. I've tried an earlier version as an advanced intermediate and found them to be too unforgiving, but a number of intermediates have loved them. I think they are skis that definitely need to be demoed for one to be sure. They could be perfect skis to grow on, or they could teach you some bad habits.

The width of Kenjas as such is not a problem for front-side skiing in the midwest, but not ideal. I suspect you'd prefer something narrower that fits the terrain better.

 

[SallyCat]

I skied Kenjas this season an I'm an intermediate. I really liked them, and the width was no problem. I demoed the Volkl RTM recently though, and realized that that was the type of ski I'd been wanting: grippy, carvy and turny, but wide enough to ski the chopped-up, pushed-around stuff. The RTMs (I think the Flair is the women's version?) might be closer to the Yumi than the Kenja? I defer of course to more knowledgable Divas on that. Definitely, though, don't buy the Kenja without trying it first.

 

[mustski]

contesstant is right. These are very different skis. I am someone who loves all skis Volkl - except the Yumis which left me feeling "meh." This is not to say that they are a bad ski, but rather to point out that they are quite different from other Volkl models.

 

[Am716]

I am 5'3, and am average about 110. The person who emailed me from the site said they would see if they could get a pair of Yumis in but offered the Kenjas as an upgrade for no additional cost. The only thing I didn't like about the Yumis was they didn't handle the mounds of chopped up snow on the mountain very well but I attributed that to the conditions and my skiing more than anything because I felt none of the skis did (perhaps the width though, I didn't take the BPs down those runs because I didn't like them on the simple groomed runs but they only had a longer ski than what I prefer which I think may have been why I hated them so much). So maybe something wider would be better but I usually am on strictly groomed slopes with not so much chopped up snow (warm weather made for different skiing!).

Guess I may have to see if they have the Kenjas to demo. I don't want to get skis I don't like. I was so happy and now I am just confused again. Story of my life!

Thanks for all the replies

 

[MaineSkiLady]

Get what works for you, for the majority of conditions in which you ski. Maybe hold off until you can try the Kenja - but as most here agree, Yumi and Kenja are quite different breeds, if the same brand.

My specs are little taller/heavier than you (but older than dirt), and I found the Kenja's to be hugely tiresome (2 different demos, 2 lengths, 2 model years). Found the first year edition Yumi to be a little blah - but had a blast on the 2017.

Skiing "crud" (the mounds to which you refer) is no easy task, so don't dismiss the Yumis purely on that. I frankly loved the ski. YMMV. Good luck. Try the Kenja, just to make sure.

 

[tinymoose]

Certainly try the Kenjas if you get a chance but at your weight I suspect they may be difficult to bend unless you're super strong and/or skiing super fast so I definitely wouldn't take them without trying them. But if they can get you the Yumis, then great!

As far as the crud busting, yeah... not the Yumi's forte. But that's b/c they're lightweight and not as stiff. That took some adjusting to for me coming from the Kenjas that plowed through a lot. Best thing that has worked for me has been just to try and keep them on edge when I can and keep my legs loose to absorb the crud. You just kinda gotta go with it to a point. And yes, skiing crud, like @MaineSkiLady said, is no easy task.

 

[Am716]

Okay! Thank you. I am neither super strong nor do I ski very fast. Just trying to get better technique wise!

I have only been skiing a couple years so this was my first time skiing in nearly 50 degree weather and this type of crud/snow/mashed potatoes. My current head skis did not like it at all, and I found neither did the Yumis (but I felt so confident during the beginning when it was still nicely groomed and after they groomed mid day) but I am sure like you said it takes some getting used to on the skiers part! I just felt like I lost a decent amount of control in the real bad areas.

I think I will stick with the Yumis and demo the Kenjas when I get a chance and maybe they will be my next ski!

Thanks for all the advice! Very much appreciated (all these questions make me feel like such a newbie to skiing! Haha).

 

[contesstant]

Crud snow just is what it is. It's not easy, period. Just be patient with yourself and enjoy it for what it is. No ski is going to make it suddenly ski like butter. Challenging snow is a good opportunity to improve your overall skills.

 

[Fluffy Kitty]

Crud snow just is what it is. It's not easy, period.

Definitely!

And, when the temperature hits 50ºF, wax starts to matter a lot. I'm a big fan of slathering on some Zardoz NotWax when the snow gets slushy. For $1 per application that lasts about 6-10 miles, you will get better glide, less drag, smoother ride, and thus more control when plowing against those lumps of snow.

 

[contesstant]

Definitely!

And, when the temperature hits 50ºF, wax starts to matter a lot. I'm a big fan of slathering on some Zardoz NotWax when the snow gets slushy. For $1 per application that lasts about 6-10 miles, you will get better glide, less drag, smoother ride, and thus more control when plowing against those lumps of snow.

I still haven't tried that stuff. My plan this season is to put a spring structure on my skis. But, the NotWax would be an easier solution, for sure!

 

[SallyCat]

My plan this season is to put a spring structure on my skis

I'm about to have the shop do that, too. I'm curious to see how it feels.
Fwiw, in spring slush, I use Purl yellow with some of their black graphite mixed in. It lasts pretty much all day and works well.

 

[va_deb]

@Am716 I've demoed both, and I'm in the camp with @mustski. I thought I would love the Yumi and to me it was decidedly "meh." Expected to not get along with the Kenjas and I liked them much better. (FWIW, I'm 5'1", 135, 49, cautious intermediate who likes to cruise.)

I found the Kenjas much more nimble than expected and I didn't feel like they were too wide for me. Demoed on MidA lower-level runs + a couple of blues in mixed conditions -- good amount of chop and crud, scraped down/blown off ice. The Kenjas to me were more stable in all conditions, but for whatever reason I tend to favor more damp skis than others.

YMMV, so that's why demoing is so important. The great news, IMO: you can't go too far wrong with Volkls. Demo the Kenjas if you can, but if not, grab the Yumis and enjoy them as long as they work for you. They have many fans here.

You can always resell later if you want something wider or stiffer. Volkls in good condition always seem to sell quickly. You might also consider looking for some used ones since folks sometimes buy the wrong length.

Good luck, and keep us posted!

 

[Am716]

I ended up going with the Volkl Yumis just in one length up (156 vs the 147). Which I am praying isn't too long for me! But I think the extra length might push me out of my comfort zone just a teensy bit and help me become a better skier.

They arrive today and I am pumped! Need to get out skiing a few more times before the Michigan season ends.

Quick question about boots if anyone sees it. My boots after usually about 3/4 a day of skiing will absolutely kill my shins. I had this problem with my first pair (which were also two sizes too big - don't ask my parents bought them for Christmas without me even trying them on) so then I went to several places here to get fitted for new ones and ended up with my current nordica boots. The best description I can give is that it bruises my shin because the pain lasts for usually almost a week in a very specific spot on my shin.

I am going to go see the guy that helped me pick these boots and see if he can do anything to fix it. But does it sound like it's just not a good bit fit? Or that I have abnormal shins? Lol the pain was so bad after a full day of skiing at the Highlands I barely could get myself to ski Nubs the next day (couldn't walk out the doors in my boots let alone ski with a forward stance). I do wonder sometimes if my boots are a tad big because I sometimes feel like my ankle is almost twisting in the boot when making quicker turns on steep runs...but I tighten the buckles (maybe too tight? Is there such a thing? ) and it helps a little. For reference I wear a US 6.5 and have 23.5 boots.

Any advice would be much appreciated because I feel like it's hindering my skiing. Also does anyone know a good Michigan ski boot fitter if you think it's more the fit than anything?

 

[mustski]

Your ankle should NOT twist. That kind of movement is very dangerous. If the boots are otherwise a proper fit, some padding added can snug up the ankle. The only time I had that problem, the boot was too soft for me and it would expand laterally when I flexed it. That was not fixable.

 

[Lmk92]

I'm certainly not as knowledgeable as these ladies, but I think you absolutely made the right call going with the Yumi's and the length. I think had you gone with the shorter skis, you'd be looking to go a bit longer soon. I think the added length will give you the confidence to go faster - and on those turny blue runs, going faster is definitely so much more fun.

I've skied both, and I'm just not a Volkl girl, sadly. Yet, anyway (I'm way overdue for a lesson or two, and I need some practice with better technique). But I did find the Yumi's to be much more agreeable on normal east coast terrain. Kenjas are much better in powder and slush.

 

[Jilly]

Paging @volklgirl and @Jenny. You need a better boot fitter. Things are not right on many levels here. There should not be any shin bang or twisting of the ankle.

 

[Pequenita]

For reference I wear a US 6.5 and have 23.5 boots.

Sometimes it depends on the manufacturer; however, my foot is US 7 and I'm in 22.5. If you haven't already, check out the sticky on the site that is titled something like "Why you, yes you, need a bootfitting."