KENDO 88 FLAT 22/23 184

The Kendo 88 is back and remains at the top of our list for frontside oriented all-mountain skis. Last year, Volkl introduced its Tailored Carbon Tip technology into the Mantra M6, and this year they expanded that tech to more skis in the collection, including the Kendo 88. Marked by its spider-web appearance, these carbon tips tailor the stiffness and torsional strength of every model to seamlessly match the terrain and skiing style it's built for. The carbon in the Kendo, for instance, extends further into the body of the ski from the tips down than something like the Mantra 102, to prioritize more frontside prowess and stability. The tailored carbon pairs with tailored titanal to optimize the skis for skiers in every size. So, the 163cm will have less metal than the 184cm, tailoring the smaller sizes to smaller skiers. The bottom line? You get precise performance depending on what you need and where you need it. According to one Volkl rep: "The skis still reward aggression, but they don't require it." In other words, drive this ski as hard as you want, but don't get punished if you don't have perfect technique all the time. Sounds good to us. Similar skis: Stockli Stormrider 88, Nordica Enforcer 88, Blizzard Brahma 88.