The 2020 Kenja 88 (twin to the men's Kendo 88) are newly constructed skis this year in the Volkl womens range. Testing skis in the sunshine in Pila about a week after a recent snow fall meant the terrain was wintery yet firm and predictable, and the Kenja 88s performed just as well on groomed pistes as they did on variable off-piste terrain.
The width of these skis has decreased from 90 to 88mm underfoot since the previous model - only marginally narrower but it results in the ski becoming a little easier to manoeuvre in tight bumps and tree skiing. It also makes the transition from edge to edge slightly quicker which can help on steeper terrain.
Volkl have reduced the amount of metal in the ski from two full sheets of down to just a horseshoe-shaped frame around the edges. This means the swing weight is reduced helping you to change direction quick or allow you to make tighter skidded turns in the bumps. In addition, you get a ski that is lighter and nimbler, which is great for quick spins or grabs off pillows of powder.
The moderate taper in the tip and the tip-n-tail rocker all create more playful handling and both benefit the skis ability to be less twitchy in powder, especially on piste with the rocker.
In our opinion though, the 3D Turn Radius is the most impressive part of the Kenja. With this construction you can change the radius of the ski while you are skiing, depending on which part of the ski you are pressuring. If you stay right in the centre of the ski, the radius is shorter, but if you are forward, it's longer. This is way cool if you are an advanced skier wanting to play around with different turn shapes.
The orange and maroon colour of the skis really stand out in the snow and look great in those powder day shots when you are spraying up snow!
A good looking ski that's suited to skiers who like to tackle the entire mountain, but like to spend most of their time out of the powder.
