The reason the return of the MX83 ought to interest experts everywhere is because it responds so intuitively to technical commands. All you have to do is look where you want to go, and you’re there. Its fully cambered baseline feels super-glued to the snow, inviting speeds that would cause lesser lights to shake loose. Most skis this torsionally rigid don’t flow over and around moguls too well, but the MX83 has an almost liquid flow bred into its bones.
One of the best indicators of a great ski is how well it performs in conditions for which it wasn’t made. By this measure, the MX83 remains an all-time great. Sure, it’s a gas to make deep trenches in corduroy at speeds that on another ski would be terrifying, but the MX83 adopts the same attitude towards all terrain. It doesn’t care where you point it because it’s confident in its abilities, a self-assurance that invariably rubs off on its pilot.
If it sounds like the MX83 is too much ski for you, in one sense you’re right and in another you’re dead wrong. You’re right in that you may never live up to the capabilities of this extraordinary ski; it’s ceiling will forever be above you. But you’re wrong to think the average skier can’t savor its delights. The MX83’s size range is skewed short so that lighter or less talented skiers can experience perfection without necessarily being able to epitomize it.
The new Kanjo 84’s 3D Radius Sidecut is like an onboard coaching tool: the better the skier’s technique, the more often he’ll activate the Kanjo 84’s tighter turning center section. The more the skier can load the ski at the turn’s apex, the greater the rebound off the edge and across the fall line.
This level of performance “would not disappoint an advanced skier,” observes ski coach and tuning technician extraordinaire Theron Lee. “Smooth and easy turning, it’s able to carve with technique but just as happy to slarve into turns. Its fairly big sweet spot allows for a wide range of abilities, from solid intermediate level on up.”
Almost any model priced at the Kanjo 84’s $700 MSRP will satisfy the low-bar demands of intermediates. The beauty of the Kanjo 84 is it won’t overwhelm the first-time ski buyer yet has the performance ceiling of a much more expensive model. For a skier who can only get out a few times a year and is likely to spend that time on groomers, the Kanjo 84 is an outstanding value.
Tester: Jennifer Simpson
I’ve had the chance to ski the Dynastar Intense 4X4 in a variety of conditions and found it to be a versatile Frontside adventure ski. Face it, at most resorts the powder does not last all day and having a ski that performs well in a variety of conditions is key. These skis are great for days when you are likely to encounter a variety of snow conditions, or when you plan to ski a variety of terrain. In my experience, they’re nimble enough for moguls, stable at speed on the groomers, and provide enough float for forays into frontside powder stashes in the trees or beside the trail. This ski is fun, fun, fun on the groomers, and while they’re wider than my go-to carving skis, they’re quick edge-to-edge and will leave satisfying deep grooves in the corduroy. I’ve found it to be nimble enough for moguls, and especially enjoyable when there is powder or soft crud snow in the bumps. 82mm is a great width for light powder days, where this traditional feeling ski provides some extra float and smoothes out the ride compared to narrower Frontside skis. These skis perform very well up to medium-fast speeds in powder, bumps, and crud. If you like to go on the faster side, or are a more powerful skier, you might consider going up one size from your usual length to keep the tip stable and feel confident when plowing through piled up snow.
