Although Völkl plumped up the waist of the RTM 86 UVO to push it into for our All-Mountain East category, this is in all other respects a Frontside carver. “Doctor” Bob Gleason pegged it as a “go-to ski for groomers, quiet and predictable. Smooth at speed and...
Völkl kept the model name and basic construction, but altered just about everything else about the new and noticeably improved Kendo. While the baseline retains a cambered profile underfoot, the tip and tail are now emphatically rockered. The sidecut has been...
Some women’s skis are meant to gently ferry the skier to the bottom without undue stimulation. Then there’s the Allura, which Völkl might consider rechristening the Avanti, for this baby wants to go forward, and fast. Völkl values carving capability on hard snow...
Not every Völkl is made for those who graduated at the head of their class in ski school. The Chiara has no pretensions about an elitist pedigree; it’s more than happy to do charity work among skiers who could use some extra tutoring. Experts should look elsewhere...
One of Völkl’s charming marketing quirks is their preference for keeping a name – such as Charisma – intact while making wholesale changes in the ski’s make-up. The Charisma of 2016 is still a lightweight carver with a passion for short turns, but a year ago it...
