Help Needed: Volkl Blaze 94? Or Secret 96? Other ideas?

[Pequenita]

I think for ski width it depends on where we ski also. I ski in Washington state which gets a lot of heavy snow at times. Sometimes powder, sometimes more like wet concrete. From what i've heard, if you ski East Coast a more narrow width is better for less powder, more groomed and some ice. My teenage son is on 90 mm right now and really wants something wider based on the conditions he's mostly in.

I have been skiing in Tahoe for the last 6 seasons all over the two resorts at Palisades and another season at Stevens Pass and Whistler, so I'm somewhat familiar with the type of conditions you ski. The teen probably isn't thinking much about his knees right now, so he might not be the best comparison.

 

[marzNC]

Another ski on my list to try includes the Stockli Nela 88 (mostly to see what the hype is all about).

Given how much I like my Stormrider 85s, I think you would like the Nela 88. The Stormriders were good fun at Wolf Creek a few weeks ago when the new snow was a little on the dense side. I was staying on top on fresh snow that was a foot deep.

 

[Jilly]

I bought the Vantage 93C after renting it out a Whistler. Same length, but that ski was just too wide for my knees. So I sold them and went to the SA 88's. Now I've only had them out once, so no real review on them. I did love the Brahma 82's at Lake Louise on the groomers. Didn't bother my knees at all. Got a great deal on the SA's though. I did have the Temptation 88's, so I knew that really is the widest my knees can take.

 

[Analisa]

Hey @MJo - Stevens Pass skier here too! Going through all stages of grief this winter.

I think the Blaze sounds really up your alley based on everything you've written. It competes against the Pandora 94 and Salomon Lux 92. Traditional, light, accessible flex. Works for intermediates up through light and cautious experts. The only downside is that light weight tends to have less composure in crud and it becomes a game of picking the line of least resistance.

My only question is how much time you spend off piste vs. on. The study with carving and knees and ski width is factual, but it isn't an accurate reflection for everyone. Most groomers are firm, if not solid. Here, we get a mix of solid groomer days, and ones that get a little mushy and end up being slush piles by noon. We don't have as much resistance, so it's less force on the knees. Same goes for skiing off piste when things can feel bottomless, and a lot of turns get surfy, not carved.

If you spend a lot of time off piste (at least on a regular season when it's open), I might look at the Sheeva 10. Really well rounded ski for our area that floats well and carves well. The metal underfoot really quiets out vibrations in chunder. Really likes making quick, tight, low speed turns, which I really loved in the backside trees and when things get moguled out. Stevens has had them for demo the past few seasons, or I know a few spots in Seattle that carry them if you're on the west side of the pass.

If you split time more evenly, Blaze sounds up your alley. Sheeva 9 could also be a contender (the amount of rocker and shape of the tips helps it float just as well despite being a little narrower). The Sheeva also has the partial sheet of metal to help with crud. A friend of mine owns both the Sheeva 9 and Blaze 94 (with a touring binding) and really loves both, so it seems they cater to similar customer profiles.

 

[TNtoTaos]

Has anyone had a chance to ski the Volkl Blaze 94 or 86 and the Yumi 84? I'm here in Taos this wk, trying to Demo skis, but no one has the Blaze available, so I was wondering how they would compare to the Yumi. The Blaze sounds like exactly what I'm interested in, but I really don't want to buy a ski without a demo.

 

[VickiK]

Sometimes the make/model skis are really unisex, so it seems like a worthy effort to see what reviews are out there for the "mens" version, like this one:

 

[Analisa]

@TNtoTaos - super interesting question. They look super similar on paper and the profile is almost identical.

Volkl has a few visual indicators on their site, and they mark the Yumi as a bit more demanding and that it's a good blend between long and short turns. It also has the titanal binding plate to help mute out vibrations a little. It's also marketed for a bit stronger of a skier and less for powder use. Blaze is supposed to be more of a short turn specialist, lighter and a smidgen better in powder and easier to ski. But even still, they look very close in what types of skiers will like them.





The Blaze 94 and Kenja/Secret are drastically different and serve different skiers. Kenja & Secret are a lot stiffer and serve the skier who wants a metal laminate for stability. Blaze 94 is what I call a "vanilla" ski - traditional shape, moderate flex, affordable price point, works for a broad range of ability levels and ski styles. If they don't have the Blaze, a Pandora 94, Lux 92, or Maven 93 all compete in that category and might be worth a try. But a lot of brands push demos for higher price point skis and hope their budget ones sell themselves based on price point, and don't pull as many marketing levers.

 

[TNtoTaos]

Sometimes the make/model skis are really unisex, so it seems like a worthy effort to see what reviews are out there for the "mens" version, like this one:

I'm only 5' tall, so men's versions are not really an option, as they all seem to be way too long. Good thought, though.

 

[TNtoTaos]

I'm set up to demo the Yumi and SA 93 tomorrow; to compare them to the Sheva 9, Atomic Maven 88, and Elan Ripstick 94 I have to go to different shops, so it could get pricey. I have tried the Sheva 9 once (in terrible conditions), and liked it - would want to try it again in good snow (like this week).
Very frustrating.

 

[MissySki]

I'm set up to demo the Yumi and SA 93 tomorrow; to compare them to the Sheva 9, Atomic Maven 88, and Elan Ripstick 94 I have to go to different shops, so it could get pricey. I have tried the Sheva 9 once (in terrible conditions), and liked it - would want to try it again in good snow (like this week).
Very frustrating.

That does sound like a pain. Looking forward to hearing about your demo experience though!

 

[MJo]

Hey @MJo - Stevens Pass skier here too! Going through all stages of grief this winter.

I think the Blaze sounds really up your alley based on everything you've written. It competes against the Pandora 94 and Salomon Lux 92. Traditional, light, accessible flex. Works for intermediates up through light and cautious experts. The only downside is that light weight tends to have less composure in crud and it becomes a game of picking the line of least resistance.

My only question is how much time you spend off piste vs. on. The study with carving and knees and ski width is factual, but it isn't an accurate reflection for everyone. Most groomers are firm, if not solid. Here, we get a mix of solid groomer days, and ones that get a little mushy and end up being slush piles by noon. We don't have as much resistance, so it's less force on the knees. Same goes for skiing off piste when things can feel bottomless, and a lot of turns get surfy, not carved.

If you spend a lot of time off piste (at least on a regular season when it's open), I might look at the Sheeva 10. Really well rounded ski for our area that floats well and carves well. The metal underfoot really quiets out vibrations in chunder. Really likes making quick, tight, low speed turns, which I really loved in the backside trees and when things get moguled out. Stevens has had them for demo the past few seasons, or I know a few spots in Seattle that carry them if you're on the west side of the pass.

If you split time more evenly, Blaze sounds up your alley. Sheeva 9 could also be a contender (the amount of rocker and shape of the tips helps it float just as well despite being a little narrower). The Sheeva also has the partial sheet of metal to help with crud. A friend of mine owns both the Sheeva 9 and Blaze 94 (with a touring binding) and really loves both, so it seems they cater to similar customer profiles.

So much grief and sadness at Stevens this year... so, I may be skiing at Mission Ridge a bit more which is good, but less powder more groomed runs and wind. Normally, I split about 50/50 on-off piste. I've tried but not been able to reach anyone in the rental shop at Stevens to see what they have to demo. I live in Leavenworth so not going to any Seattle area shops. The one Wenatchee shop is great but just doesn't have anything my size worth looking at. Thanks for all your help and insight. It's super helpful.

 

[santacruz skier]

I'm set up to demo the Yumi and SA 93 tomorrow; to compare them to the Sheva 9, Atomic Maven 88, and Elan Ripstick 94 I have to go to different shops, so it could get pricey. I have tried the Sheva 9 once (in terrible conditions), and liked it - would want to try it again in good snow (like this week).
Very frustrating.

I’m bringing my Sheeva 9’s to Taos!

 

[TNtoTaos]

I’m bringing my Sheeva 9’s to Taos!

In February?

 

[santacruz skier]

In February?

Yes

 

[Spark]

I recently demos the Volkl Blaze 94 and really enjoyed skiing them at Whistler. I am thinking of getting them for an all mountain ski. When I looked up the specs I wasn't surprised the 172 length had 15 m radius in the middle. My DPS Yvette also have 15 m radius. These skis were fun and easy to turn, and I could also make long, bigger turn. I was surprised how stable they were charging at high speed because of the weight. A tiny bit of chatter but not too bad.

 

[Jskisthings]

Has anyone had a chance to ski the Volkl Blaze 94 or 86 and the Yumi 84? I'm here in Taos this wk, trying to Demo skis, but no one has the Blaze available, so I was wondering how they would compare to the Yumi. The Blaze sounds like exactly what I'm interested in, but I really don't want to buy a ski without a demo.

Not the exact same, but I demoed the Blaze 86 w vs Yumi 80. 5’4’ 100-105 lbs. intermediate-advanced. I went through the same issue with the Blaze 86 w in the Midwest and was thrilled when a shop drilled a blaze 86 w to let me be the first to demo it! I ski Midwest and the rockies/west mainly. I’m more of a playful skier and not that aggressive with speed. I found the Yumi 80 stiff, fast, and it didn’t turn quite the way I wanted. The blaze 86 w was a perfect contrast. Easier to turn, easy to skid or get on edge when I wanted, more agile. I bought the Blaze 86 W in 152 after a couple hours in the Midwest and took them out to Utah a couple weeks ago. Loved them in the bumps/moguls/ungroomed and gained more confidence in steeper stuff. We also had a true powder day in Alta (24 inches in 24 hours) - I didn’t have the float of some of those in their 102 powder skis but it was wide enough to hang! I’m still advancing and mainly resort but looking to expand and think (hope) these skis will allow for that growth. But keep in mind these are both lighter skis than the Yumi 84 and blaze 94 and that comes with its own trade offs. Hope this helps. It’s subjective, but I’m really happy I pulled the trigger on them!

 

[TNtoTaos]

Not the exact same, but I demoed the Blaze 86 w vs Yumi 80. 5’4’ 100-105 lbs. intermediate-advanced. I went through the same issue with the Blaze 86 w in the Midwest and was thrilled when a shop drilled a blaze 86 w to let me be the first to demo it! I ski Midwest and the rockies/west mainly. I’m more of a playful skier and not that aggressive with speed. I found the Yumi 80 stiff, fast, and it didn’t turn quite the way I wanted. The blaze 86 w was a perfect contrast. Easier to turn, easy to skid or get on edge when I wanted, more agile. I bought the Blaze 86 W in 152 after a couple hours in the Midwest and took them out to Utah a couple weeks ago. Loved them in the bumps/moguls/ungroomed and gained more confidence in steeper stuff. We also had a true powder day in Alta (24 inches in 24 hours) - I didn’t have the float of some of those in their 102 powder skis but it was wide enough to hang! I’m still advancing and mainly resort but looking to expand and think (hope) these skis will allow for that growth. But keep in mind these are both lighter skis than the Yumi 84 and blaze 94 and that comes with its own trade offs. Hope this helps. It’s subjective, but I’m really happy I pulled the trigger on them!

I wasn't able to find anyone that had a Blaze in my size to demo; I ultimately went with the Sheeva 9 -- I think it's going to work well for me.

 

[Spark]

I ended up going with the 2022 Völkl Secret 96 skis and love them!! I thought they should ski short for me at 170 cm but they are fun and playful for me and stable when charging at high speeds