Ski Advice: Intermediate Skier in CO (Head Absolut Joy v. Blizzard Pearl 78/88)

[kfly]

Hi, all I am new to the forum. I too am looking for a new pair of skis. I am an advanced skier but a bit older, and I find I do not ski quite as aggressively as I used to. I can ski anything but do fewer bumps than when I was younger. My current ski is a K2 Burnin Luv. I am looking for a new ski, which is not quite as stiff. It has been recommended to me that the BP88, Head Absolute joy or the Nordica Santa Ana. Does anyone have some insight or recommendations? Also, I live in Michigan, when I travel west I tend to rent based on conditions. But I ski locally or in the east with my skis.

 

[marzNC]

Hi, all I am new to the forum. I too am looking for a new pair of skis. I am an advanced skier but a bit older, and I find I do not ski quite as aggressively as I used to. I can ski anything but do fewer bumps than when I was younger. My current ski is a K2 Burnin Luv. I am looking for a new ski, which is not quite as stiff. It has been recommended to me that the BP88, Head Absolute joy or the Nordica Santa Ana. Does anyone have some insight or recommendations? Also, I live in Michigan, when I travel west I tend to rent based on conditions. But I ski locally or in the east with my skis.

Welcome! There are other Divas in the midwest around. Did you notice the regional thread? Hasn't gotten that active yet.

https://www.theskidiva.com/forums/index.php?threads/midwest-2019-20-season-for-michigan-mn-wi.24050/

As for your question, I own the Absolut Joy. My first good skis when I started skiing more regularly after age 50 was a K2 Luv model. I use the AJs at my home mountain in northern VA and have also skied them in the northeast. I also demo'd the Total Joy, which is a bit wider so somewhat more versatile off the groomers. However Head has come out with new lines, called Mindbender and Kore. So finding Joy line skis to demo is probably not possible.

As for the BP88, I like the current version a lot for skiing out west when there isn't a lot of fresh powder. After the BP line was reworked a few years ago, I saw quite a few women in the northeast with them who were clearly advanced skiers. I bought the original version as an all-mountain ski for trips out west and the new design is much better.

The Santa Ana is very popular among Divas who demo often. Are you thinking about the SA 88?

 

[bsskier]

What I love about BP 88 is no matter where I ski, I can find them, rent them, and they’ll take me effortlessly through everything the mountain throws at me. They truly are an everything ski for a skier of abilities. Welcome to the forum!

 

[diymom]

However Head has come out with new lines, called Mindbender and Kore. So finding Joy line skis to demo is probably not possible

Mindbender is the new line by K2. Head has revamped the Joy line a bit for this year from what I’ve heard. A friend demoed both last year and had a strong preference for the newer ones.

 

[Jilly]

I rented a pair of the Absolute Joy's last week when in Lake Louise, last years model and didn't find them stiff enough for the packed powder. My suggestion would be try to find a demo that these manufacturer's are at. Paging @volklgirl for some input here.

 

[Analisa]

@kfly - how wide are you looking to go? The BP/Santa Ana, etc. are all pretty great all mountain skis, but are substantially wider than the Burnin Luvs.

If you're looking for a little bit softer/advanced-intermediate flex, I'd look at the Super Joy (Absolute is pretty soft, great for light intermediates or a first ski after rentals), Vantage 77 CTI or TI, Cloud 9, new K2 Anthem line (probably the 76) that are more of a true piste ski. I'm sure there's also something from the Blizzard Alight and Volkl Flair line as well.

 

[kfly]

Welcome! There are other Divas in the midwest around. Did you notice the regional thread? Hasn't gotten that active yet.

https://www.theskidiva.com/forums/index.php?threads/midwest-2019-20-season-for-michigan-mn-wi.24050/

As for your question, I own the Absolut Joy. My first good skis when I started skiing more regularly after age 50 was a K2 Luv model. I use the AJs at my home mountain in northern VA and have also skied them in the northeast. I also demo'd the Total Joy, which is a bit wider so somewhat more versatile off the groomers. However Head has come out with new lines, called Mindbender and Kore. So finding Joy line skis to demo is probably not possible.

As for the BP88, I like the current version a lot for skiing out west when there isn't a lot of fresh powder. After the BP line was reworked a few years ago, I saw quite a few women in the northeast with them who were clearly advanced skiers. I bought the original version as an all-mountain ski for trips out west and the new design is much better.

The Santa Ana is very popular among Divas who demo often. Are you thinking about the SA 88?

@kfly - how wide are you looking to go? The BP/Santa Ana, etc. are all pretty great all mountain skis, but are substantially wider than the Burnin Luvs.

If you're looking for a little bit softer/advanced-intermediate flex, I'd look at the Super Joy (Absolute is pretty soft, great for light intermediates or a first ski after rentals), Vantage 77 CTI or TI, Cloud 9, new K2 Anthem line (probably the 76) that are more of a true piste ski. I'm sure there's also something from the Blizzard Alight and Volkl Flair line as well.

Thank you for the link to the Michigan forum and thank you for your suggestions. !!
Interesting about the BP88's I have been to 3 stores -- to just talk to people about the new lines of skis and all 3 pulled out the BP88. I agree that from the Burnin Luv to the BP88 seems like a big change. I would be completely bummed if I purchased a ski and it didn't perform.

 

[Bookworm]

I have BP 88s. I live in IL, but ski mostly the west. For me, they’ve been great. Not to exciting. They really dial in when you are in front of your skis (not sure what the technical term is, but opposite of back seat) and as I’ve progressed they’ve kept up.