Volkl Kendo Review

Without a doubt the Volkl Kendo has been my favorite ski for the past three seasons. Our Volkl Representative gave us a pair in February of 2010 before they hit the ski racks so I know this ski quite well. The Kendo's construction mimics that of the Racetiger series of skis, so, it is fast, stiff, and extremely precise. For an 88mm waisted ski, the Kendo is surprisingly quick edge to edge, but is so only when brought up to speed. The edge hold of the Kendo is unparalleled. Simply put, the more it's pushed the more it digs. Despite its width it takes a strong experienced skier to figure out how to ski it in deeper snow and/or mixed conditions. There are 3 reasons for this, and it's exactly why I have come to love this ski: it's stiff, it has metal, and it's cambered.

Bottom line is that in a market that is dominated by integrated systems and "rockered" skis, the Kendo remains simplistic and tried and true in its construction. It is among a small percentage of skis that requires drilling and comes priced without a binding. The Kendo proves that the only ingredients necessary to make an exceptional pair of skis is a laminated woodcore, a vertical sidewall, 2 sheets of metal, an 88mm waist, and, most importantly, a classic cambered flex pattern. Don't get me wrong, rockered skis are relevant and have there place in the market, but they're not for everybody. While they are fantastic for most beginners to intermediates, western skiing (in general), and deeper/softer snow, you will never see anyone on the World Cup circuit racing on a pair of rockered skis. Not to compare my skiing ability to the likes of these athletes, but I am always skeptical of changes in ski equipment technology that does not stem from (or trickle down from) racers. Case in point..soft boots. VH1 where are they now?

Check out the Kendo on our website. Click HereThanks for reading,

Ryan

Ski Haus, Inc.

1611 Route 22

Brewster, NY 10509

Ph. 845-279-3100

Email : Info@SkiHausOnline.com

Elan Amphibio Review

For 2011/2012 Elan has answered the question, what is better to have in a ski, traditional camber or rocker? To which they have answered…both. How did they do it? Well, before I get into the how, let me first start with the why. “Straight” skis were skied very differently than shape skis in that most of the skier’s weight was on the downhill ski. You can always spot an old schooler because they pick up their uphill ski when making a turn. That’s because straight skis had little to no sidecut and a person had to put all their weight on one ski to make it bend. Shape skis, on the other hand, allow the skier to put more weight on the uphill ski because they are wider in the tip and tail then they are in the waist. My percentages may not be spot on, but on a shaped ski I’d say it’s pretty close to 60% on the downhill ski and 40% on the uphill ski. While boots have become laterally stiffer, no company has integrated anything into the skis that reflects this change in skiing technique…until now.

For 2011/2012 the Elan Amphibio series integrates the power, energy, and stability of a cambered ski with the ease of a rockered ski. So, how did they do it? Each pair of Elan Amphibios has a designated left and right ski. That’s because while the inside of both skis have traditional camber, the outside of each ski is rockered in the tip and tail. Additionally, the topsheet on the inside of both skis is heavily reinforced while the outside is softer and more forgiving. This way a skier can get great edge hold on the downhill ski while at the same time allowing them to get over more easily onto the uphill ski. Being that the outside of the left and right ski are both rockered in the shovel and tail, it is much easier for the skier to put more weight on the uphill ski. With weight distributed more evenly to the uphill and downhill ski there is more power, more energy, and more stability in every turn.

Ski Haus has two pairs of these in two different widths and there is no doubt that this construction will be here to stay for quite some time. I personally think that Elan should ditch the left and right labels because the reality is that people are going to switch them anyhow. It was one of the first things I did. With the skis reversed I feel they ski better in spring conditions and in powder. Additionally, with the name “Amphibio”, it only makes sense that Elan would want you to be able to do that without someone thinking or saying that your skis were on the wrong feet. Having the rocker on the inside edges allows the ski to initiate into the turn quickly and it gives the turn a nice smooth finish. I’ll put it in print that I foresee the “left” and “right” going away at some point. Who knows, we may even see this construction in snowboards in years to come. Imagine your toe side edge being cambered and your heel side edge being rockered in the tip and tail. Of course it would have to be a twin. We’ll see.

Thanks for reading,
Ryan

www.SkiHausOnline.com