I decided to mount my new 184cm Kendos with Attack 13 DEMO bindings so as to try out different mount points.
First day was hot and sunny spring conditions, shorts and tee shirts weather.
Boots: first Lange SX 130 28.5 w/ stiffest Intuition Power Wrap high volume (it's a lot of stiff liner), second Dalbello Panterra 130 27.5 with soft Intuition Power Wrap
Lange on the line first. Rather traditional feel but not radically so. I really don't love thinking about pressuring my forefoot, but skis skied well. I wanted more tail for slinging out of turns.
Lange +1: Skied better for me. A bit more tail support, a little more automatic hook up in the front. Zero lose of stability at speed, if anything a little better to my feel/style. I was worried about forward mount lost stability due to a couple of internet reviews, but not at all a problem. Tail fell longer, which I liked, and had really nice springy kick.
Dalbello on line: Similar to Lange but feels a little more need to consciously pressure tip.
Dalbello +1: skied same as Lange. Very minor reduction in stability at speed compared to Lange +1. Skis got knocked around just a little more by bigger bumps, same stability with the small high frequency stuff. Still quite a smooth stable ski.
Boot compare side jag: My old Lange boots are WAY heavier than the new Dalbellos, and stiffer. Lange shell is thicker less brittle more damp plastic, and liner in the Lange is a dense damp beast. The Langes just mob through heavier bigger chop with more sledge hammer momentum. With the Dalbellos I noticed some bigger texture that with the Langes didn't seem to even exist. The Dalbello Panterras though are very comfortable, less fatiguing, and have a nicer flex pattern, still very responsive and seem to ramp up from comfy to max press quicker. I like them a whole lot! Need different liners though - the OE Intuitions are packing out super fast, and the Panterra is a lot bigger around the heel pocket than the Lange SX. J Bars for sure on my smaller foot, and thick insoles. Zipfit might be the right call in the Panterra for me.
Ski impressions side jag: Based one spring conditions day so far. The 2023 Volkl Kendo is a very good ski. It's smooth and comfortable going fast. My immediate initial impression was that the ski slarves more easily than I expected. I thought it would be more quick on-off railing the edges, but it has a little longer transition zone. Not at all a pivoty, slow to edge ski though. It's reactive and pretty quick. It just doesn't instantly hook up and drive from the tip. Makes all turn shapes well at all speeds. Easy to get back in "control" when you are straight-lining fast. A very good, "normal" feeling, regular ski.
I'm going to put a more acute tune on the Kendos, 3 degrees edge, and definitely not detune the tips. I'd like them to bite a bit more agressively and a bit sooner.
Just fine off piste. They charged around in heavier shallow mank without having the think about them. There's definitely a treu all mountain aspect to the shape and flex.
Didn't like these skis in big moguls. Could get down them okay, but longitudinal stiffness seemed to require pointing it with zipper-line skills to keep the skis oriented to the longer troughs. I don't have this skill set worked out - my mogul game is a more of a mixed salad of different choices, some requiring the ski to get a bit sideways in tighter spaces. My Mindbender 99ti's can do this and other than being wider are better in moguls for me. Twice I was pushing the Kendos very hard to get them where I wanted them and they hooked.
Hit a couple of park jumps and hips. Decent platform for landing, but doesn't conform well to take off transitions and too lively so fear of getting sprung at the wrong moment. Not a park ski, nor an all mountain ski that feel quiet in the park.
Overall I like the Kendos very much. I can push them much harder on edge than my Candide 1.0 90mm's and they are easier off piste. I already know the Kendos will replace the Candides as my hardpack ski.
Truth be told though, all day yesterday my Mindbender 99ti's would have been better everywhere - rail harder with more power, even more stable, as easy to turn, better off piste and (for me) better in moguls, not scary in the park. Better tool for smashing around spring slush. The Kendos were fun and just fine, won't really be "tested" until I get them out on a hardpack day. If they perform well and are confident and fun on hardpack then I'll know if they are a fit in my quiver.
First day was hot and sunny spring conditions, shorts and tee shirts weather.
Boots: first Lange SX 130 28.5 w/ stiffest Intuition Power Wrap high volume (it's a lot of stiff liner), second Dalbello Panterra 130 27.5 with soft Intuition Power Wrap
Lange on the line first. Rather traditional feel but not radically so. I really don't love thinking about pressuring my forefoot, but skis skied well. I wanted more tail for slinging out of turns.
Lange +1: Skied better for me. A bit more tail support, a little more automatic hook up in the front. Zero lose of stability at speed, if anything a little better to my feel/style. I was worried about forward mount lost stability due to a couple of internet reviews, but not at all a problem. Tail fell longer, which I liked, and had really nice springy kick.
Dalbello on line: Similar to Lange but feels a little more need to consciously pressure tip.
Dalbello +1: skied same as Lange. Very minor reduction in stability at speed compared to Lange +1. Skis got knocked around just a little more by bigger bumps, same stability with the small high frequency stuff. Still quite a smooth stable ski.
Boot compare side jag: My old Lange boots are WAY heavier than the new Dalbellos, and stiffer. Lange shell is thicker less brittle more damp plastic, and liner in the Lange is a dense damp beast. The Langes just mob through heavier bigger chop with more sledge hammer momentum. With the Dalbellos I noticed some bigger texture that with the Langes didn't seem to even exist. The Dalbello Panterras though are very comfortable, less fatiguing, and have a nicer flex pattern, still very responsive and seem to ramp up from comfy to max press quicker. I like them a whole lot! Need different liners though - the OE Intuitions are packing out super fast, and the Panterra is a lot bigger around the heel pocket than the Lange SX. J Bars for sure on my smaller foot, and thick insoles. Zipfit might be the right call in the Panterra for me.
Ski impressions side jag: Based one spring conditions day so far. The 2023 Volkl Kendo is a very good ski. It's smooth and comfortable going fast. My immediate initial impression was that the ski slarves more easily than I expected. I thought it would be more quick on-off railing the edges, but it has a little longer transition zone. Not at all a pivoty, slow to edge ski though. It's reactive and pretty quick. It just doesn't instantly hook up and drive from the tip. Makes all turn shapes well at all speeds. Easy to get back in "control" when you are straight-lining fast. A very good, "normal" feeling, regular ski.
I'm going to put a more acute tune on the Kendos, 3 degrees edge, and definitely not detune the tips. I'd like them to bite a bit more agressively and a bit sooner.
Just fine off piste. They charged around in heavier shallow mank without having the think about them. There's definitely a treu all mountain aspect to the shape and flex.
Didn't like these skis in big moguls. Could get down them okay, but longitudinal stiffness seemed to require pointing it with zipper-line skills to keep the skis oriented to the longer troughs. I don't have this skill set worked out - my mogul game is a more of a mixed salad of different choices, some requiring the ski to get a bit sideways in tighter spaces. My Mindbender 99ti's can do this and other than being wider are better in moguls for me. Twice I was pushing the Kendos very hard to get them where I wanted them and they hooked.
Hit a couple of park jumps and hips. Decent platform for landing, but doesn't conform well to take off transitions and too lively so fear of getting sprung at the wrong moment. Not a park ski, nor an all mountain ski that feel quiet in the park.
Overall I like the Kendos very much. I can push them much harder on edge than my Candide 1.0 90mm's and they are easier off piste. I already know the Kendos will replace the Candides as my hardpack ski.
Truth be told though, all day yesterday my Mindbender 99ti's would have been better everywhere - rail harder with more power, even more stable, as easy to turn, better off piste and (for me) better in moguls, not scary in the park. Better tool for smashing around spring slush. The Kendos were fun and just fine, won't really be "tested" until I get them out on a hardpack day. If they perform well and are confident and fun on hardpack then I'll know if they are a fit in my quiver.
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