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- Nov 13, 2015
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- 986
I'm hoping the same thing.Thanks! This is great! @SkiEssentials - will you also do a ~100 Women's ski comparison?
Thanks! This is great! @SkiEssentials - will you also do a ~100 Women's ski comparison?
Awesome! I found myself nodding in agreement with your ladies' reviews above on all of the skis I also tested for Pugski. I tend to question myself as the "intermediate" tester of the bunch as to whether I'm feeling what I'm feeling or properly conveying what I'm feeling. I'm in the market for a 100mm+- ski so will really pay attention to what your reviewers say for sure. I only skied a couple in that waist width while testing this last winter.Yes! In fact, pending any issues, it will be live tomorrow afternoon!
So, any insight on how the new Kenja and the Secret 92 compare to each other?
I’ll give you my impressions for what they’re worth. Kenja’s are groomer railing machines based on several runs on them during testing. They RIP. Off piste, they were too stiff for MY style, because I tend to smear and skid and put the brakes on in crud. Definitely very stable in crud but I think they’d be a handful in moguls. Secrets I bought last season after two demo days at Targhee in a bunch of powder. They have such a wide tip, they did great in the powder and crud and on the soft groomers. I could smear them more easily, but once I got them home to Snowbasin, with firmer snow, they were stiffer than I care for.So, any insight on how the new Kenja and the Secret 92 compare to each other?
PS, I picked up a pair of Jr Racetigers from you all this spring. Thanks!
You guys are making some great content. (well you have been for a while now!).
There are so many thorough ski reviews on your site it is really a must visit for anyone researching ski gear.
I’ll give you my impressions for what they’re worth. Kenja’s are groomer railing machines based on several runs on them during testing. They RIP. Off piste, they were too stiff for MY style, because I tend to smear and skid and put the brakes on in crud. Definitely very stable in crud but I think they’d be a handful in moguls. Secrets I bought last season after two demo days at Targhee in a bunch of powder. They have such a wide tip, they did great in the powder and crud and on the soft groomers. I could smear them more easily, but once I got them home to Snowbasin, with firmer snow, they were stiffer than I care for.
Kenjas get the slight nod for groomers, Secrets for off piste, but as is typical with Volkl, you’d better bring a send it attitude. That being said, both are really REALLY great skis. I think the Kenjas were a tad stiffer but I could be totally wrong there.
Last iteration of Kenjas were stiffer than Auras, and the generation before that, too.
I am surprised to hear that you find the Kenja stiffer than the Aura.
I have always found the Mantra to be a lot more ski than the Kendo. Most women skiers I skied with also have similar comments when they switch to the Kenja from the Aura.
Couple of women I skied with on a regular basis love the 2019 Secret. It is very similar to my 2019 M5 Mantra. It is a really nice ski on almost anything other than boiler plate. Good energy and rebound but lose its composure on boiler plate. A very un-Volkl characteristic.
One woman purchased a pair of FIS SL to supplement the 2019 Secret for super firm days. The other went for a pair of 2019 Kenja (old construction) as her DD, just in case.
I have a pair of 2020 Kendo (new construction) all mounted up to go but would see snow until December. So the jury is still out.
....but the old Mantra was a lot more ski than the old Aura, IMO. I demoed both, back to back, at Snowbird one year. Loved the Aura, could barely turn the Mantra; it felt like a plank. The Kenja is definitely stiffer than the Secret, which would make sense. I dunno...maybe it was just my perception, and not reality? Wouldn’t be the first time that’s happened.
Were the Aura and Mantra you demo the same size? What gen were they?
What year were the Kenja and Secret demo?
The Kenja/Kendo upgrades generally lagged behind the Aura/Mantra by a year.
Here is a screenshot of a quick spread sheet of the underfoot width for the four skis in the discussion.
View attachment 84189
The gen 2 & gen 3 of the Aura/Mantra differs by 2 mm. A big difference. I had both the gen 1 & gen 2 Mantra. The gen 2 was a lot more ski than the gen 1. The gen 4 wasn’t really a Mantra. It was a good ski and I liked it a lot but not a Mantra. The M5 is a brand new ski design. Completely different. Doesn’t ski like any Mantra that came before.
Going back to the M5 design. When I say lose of composure in the steep boiler plates, basically that is a vote of no confidence on the skis under those circumstances. When I say steep boiler plate, I don’t mean firm. I meant the slick, smooth, glistening in the sun stuff that is well over 30 degrees. Other than steep boiler plates, the Secret/Mantra are delightful skis. Huge sweet spot under most snow and terrain conditions.
TBH, I think the titanal frame construction on those skis is too light for the width of the skis. Not providing sufficient torsional rigidity and dampness when the conditions get really challenging.
I think the titanal frame construction is more suitable for the narrower Kenja/Kendo. The new 3D side cut seems pretty interesting too.