2016 Volkl Kendo

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anemic
Posts: 229
Joined: Fri Feb 28, 2014 4:39 pm

2016 Volkl Kendo

Post by anemic » Wed Jan 03, 2018 9:47 am

Seems many of us focus on being out there on our own or with a buddy away from the chairlifts and crowds but also occasionally find ourselves on the chairlift with an entirely different kit than our bushwackers, eh?

Since stepping forward into telemarking three years ago, I've accumulated quite a quiver, one of which was a complete kit from an angelic Denver Craigslist skier (transitioning to NTN) who hand delivered to me in Keystone (on vacation from Michigan): BD01s (w/tour mode) on 179 cm Karhu Jak 90s and Garmont Energ-G (the ubiquitous red & grey ones). What a thrillride for me to step up from leathers into this. The Jaks were a lot of fun in a snowy cycle in the big mountains and pretty heavy for the dawn patrol but fun on the descent!

However back at home here on the man made icy short slopes the Jaks protested anytime the snow was not soft and fluffy, which is honestly all the time. That Michigan ice WILL rise to the surface. Following my wife on her traditional camber Dynastar Neva 78s which which work very well for her, I could see that her skis were nonplussed over ice and snow whereas mine would misbehave. I honed the Jak's edges and there was no improvement. I even learned to big toe/little and angulate the skis to drive the edges into the snow without effect. I tried some traditional camber 79s from BD (Stigma) and they actually did fine on ice despite the basic Voile cable binding - surprising! So I knew the ski was really a problem for my local chairlifting.

The Volkl Kendo goes way back as an ice slayer. I scored a pair again on Craigs priced for affordability, shipped predrilled for alpine and flat. I repurposed a pair of BD 02s (the blue ones that don't have tour mode) which I'd scored for Project Straight Ski (an entertaining project on 207 cm P9 SLCs from 1990 but largely a step backwards for me, equipment wise).

I honed the edges and let 'em loose last weekend and amazed myself. Enormous difference. My wife was telling me how icy it was. I honestly didn't know and couldn't detect that it was icy. Successful & amazing ice and hardpack performance.

I would have really loved 179s but the "deal pair" was 184 cm with a 22 meter radius! This is a huge ski and would be very happy cruising the largest lift-served ski mountain. Without rocker I was concerned that I might be unable to shorten up the turn radius but I was actually able to slide SL tele turns probably less than 10 m radius just fine even on ice. I was also able to open them up a bit and ride some 22 meter arcs and wow, I have a lot of room to grow into these massively capable skis.

I began to realize that I had been logging onto the telemarking super highway with dial-up technology but snapping into the Kendos was a fully digital broadband experience. I look forward to growing as a telemarker on these finely engineered German weapons of ice destruction.
Call it Nordic Freeride

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fisheater
Posts: 2509
Joined: Fri Feb 19, 2016 8:06 pm
Location: Oakland County, MI
Ski style: All my own, and age doesn't help
Favorite Skis: Gamme 54, Falketind 62, I hope to add a third soon
Favorite boots: Alpina Alaska, Alico Ski March
Occupation: Construction Manager

Re: 2016 Volkl Kendo

Post by fisheater » Thu Jan 04, 2018 10:13 pm

Nice report, I have seen a few of those Kendos, but I never knew why.
Thank you



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Woodserson
Posts: 2967
Joined: Wed Feb 11, 2015 10:25 am
Location: New Hampshire
Ski style: Bumps, trees, steeps and long woodsy XC tours
Occupation: Confused Turn Farmer

Re: 2016 Volkl Kendo

Post by Woodserson » Fri Jan 05, 2018 9:37 pm

I just picked up a pair of Atomic TM:RX in a 180cm. For many of the same reasons you posted... slaying boilerplate and going fast. They are about as stiff as a 2x4. I got an amazing deal on some T2 Eco's. I'm ready to scare myself. I will post a review in the spirit of yours, as soon as we get some good ol' east coast hardback.

We should meet in the middle (PA?) and race! Two intermediate hardback tele extraordinaires!

(just joking I won't go west of the Adirondacks, sorry!)



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anemic
Posts: 229
Joined: Fri Feb 28, 2014 4:39 pm

Re: 2016 Volkl Kendo

Post by anemic » Tue Jan 09, 2018 8:46 am

nice. it would be fun to ski a meet up with Harris someplace. sounds like I'll have to go to Maine for it!
Call it Nordic Freeride



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