Volkl Mantra Review

The Volkl Mantra is the mature big brother to my favorite ski...the Volkl Kendo. By mature I mean that it is touch more forgiving and relaxed than the Kendo. The Mantra still possesses the same silky, powerful, and stable ride as the Kendo, but it is a little more laid back and not as hard charging. Construction wise, both the Mantra and Kendo have 2 sheets of metal, a CNC milled Sensorwood core made from poplar and beech, camber under the foot, and a full vertical side wall. While the Mantra features the same construction as the Kendo, they are two different animals. The Mantra skis a bit differently for four reasons; it is 10 mm wider, it has a softer tail, a more mellow sidecut, and early rise in the shovel. While a 98mm waisted ski is the perfect dimension for skiing both coasts, the subtleties in the difference of their flex patterns make the Mantra a bit more suitable than the Kendo for left coast conditions. The Mantra is pretty much right at what I consider to be the cutoff point for a waist width that can be used on a regular basis on the east coast conditions. Anything over 100mm in the east, like a fine bottle of champagne, should only be brought out on special occasions.

Historically, the Mantra has been the type of ski you could ski both on the east and west, but with the softer tail and the addition of the "rocker" (or whatever you want to call it) this ski is really best out west. Prior to its evolution I called the Mantra a great 50-50 ski. Meaning... 50 % east and 50% west. With the facelift to the 2012 Mantra I think the percentages are more like 65% west and 35% east. Disagree with me all you'd like, but ask yourself this. Do you think the introduction of the 2011 Kendo had anything to do with the changes made to the Mantra which has been relatively untouched since its inception?


Thanks for reading,

Ryan

Ski Haus, Inc.
1611 Route 22
Brewster, NY 10509
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