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Expert Comparison: Völkl Kendo 88 Skis · 2024 vs Blizzard Brahma 82 Skis · 2024

Published on 02/06/2024 · 6 min readCompare Völkl Kendo 88 Skis · 2024 and Blizzard Brahma 82 Skis · 2024. Get expert insight below!
Josh Pugmire, Ski Expert
Henry Kvietok, Ski Expert
Hayden Wright, Ski Expert
Contributed By Ski Expert Josh Pugmire, Henry Kvietok, Hayden Wright, Rob G., Fiona Orel and others

VS

 

Side by side comparison

Out of stock
Völkl Kendo 88 Skis · 2024
Out of stock
Blizzard Brahma 82 Skis · 2024
Price
$419.99
40% off
from:$324.98
50% off
User rating
5(1)
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The Curated Take

Best for experienced skiers looking for a versatile all-mountain ski that excels in various conditions.

Best for experienced skiers who love high speed, carving, and groomer terrain on icy and hardpack conditions.

Ski type
Freeride, Carving, All Mountain
All Mountain
Skill level
Expert, Advanced
Intermediate, Advanced
Rocker profile
Rocker/Camber/Rocker
Rocker/Camber/Rocker

In the world of skiing, the Völkl Kendo 88 Skis and the Blizzard Brahma 82 Skis are two top contenders for the title of best all-mountain ski. Both skis are designed for high-speed, carving, and groomer terrain, making them ideal for experienced skiers who enjoy powerful turns on any terrain. However, they each have their unique strengths and weaknesses that make them suitable for different types of skiers. The Völkl Kendo 88 Skis are known for their versatility, agility, and quick edge-to-edge transition, making them great for moguls and groomers. On the other hand, the Blizzard Brahma 82 Skis are praised for their stiffness and stability, making them perfect for high-speed carving and hardpack conditions. In the end, the choice between the two comes down to personal preference and skiing style.

The Völkl Kendo 88 Skis are a versatile all-mountain ski that is perfect for experienced skiers who enjoy powerful turns on any terrain. With its revised geometry and 3D Radius Sidecut, this ski offers three different radii in one, making it incredibly versatile for cornering. The new 16m radius in the middle adds even more variability to its turning capabilities.

With an 88 waist, these skis are ready to carve up groomers, but they still have a wider shovel up front with a bit of rocker to handle some boot top powder if there's an unexpected storm. They are agile and quick edge-to-edge, but if you want to arc them fast down wide open groomers, they'll stay stable and confident. These skis have Volkl's "3D turn radii", meaning that you have 3 different turn radii packed into one ski. So you can make short quick turns, or long GS style turns. They're also really great for moguls given how quick edge to edge and nimble they are!

The Völkl Kendo 88 Skis are built with a multilayer wood core, carbon fiber weave, and a titanal frame, so you're getting a strong and relatively stiffer ski that's still pretty light and maneuverable. This makes them a great option for advanced skiers who stick mainly to on-piste skiing and want a carving/all-mountain ski.

The best ski for everything on the mountain. This ski delivers ultimate versatility, carves with ease, rips up the moguls, and handles crud and chunk like no other. At just 88 mm underfoot, this ski really engages with the snow, having a daily high engagement edge. It also floats in the pow and loves to dolphin dive from the deep pow to the surface with a sense of playfulness that leaves me wanting endless runs. Having just bought the ski last year, I would happily buy another pair if I need to. If I had to choose only one ski for the rest of my life, this would be it.

Josh Pugmire
Ski Expert

The Blizzard Brahma 82 Skis are a great fit for skiers who love high speed, carving, and groomer terrain. These skis excel on icy and hardpack conditions, providing stability and a quick edge-to-edge transition. They are not designed for off-piste skiing, but are perfect for those who want a fast and engaging ride.

The Brahma 82 is an awesome all-mountain tool from Blizzard. It's definitely on the more narrow side with an 82 mm waist, but don't let that fool you; this is still a sturdy ski, with a sheet of Titanal metal over the wood core for strong edge grip and a strong, consistent flex. What's so great about the Brahma 82 is its versatility; it's approachable for a newer skier who wants something confident and is looking to progress quickly, but it's also a great option for advanced skiers who stick mainly to on-piste skiing and want a carving/all-mountain ski.

The Blizzard Brahma 82 Skis are stiff and burly, making them ideal for strong and experienced skiers who enjoy a fast and engaged ride. They are versatile, suitable for both newer skiers looking to progress quickly and advanced skiers who primarily ski on-piste. With a Flipcore design and Trueblend woodcore, these skis offer confidence and performance all over the mountain.

If you are looking for a high speed, stiff, and burly ski to really lay down some deep carves and speed records then look no further. This ski is best for icy, hardpack, and groomer terrain. Don't expect to take this one off piste much as the 82 underfoot and heavily cambered ski is not designed for that. Instead, get ready to strap in and hang on for a fun ride. This ski really does like to go fast and it feels most engaged when at speed. It's a bit too stiff to be gingerly skied at slower paces.

Henry Kvietok
Ski Expert

Similarities

Both the Völkl Kendo 88 Skis and the Blizzard Brahma 82 Skis are designed for high-speed, carving, and groomer terrain, making them ideal for experienced skiers who enjoy powerful turns on any terrain. They both excel on icy and hardpack conditions, providing stability and a quick edge-to-edge transition.

Both skis are also versatile, making them suitable for both newer skiers looking to progress quickly and advanced skiers who primarily ski on-piste. They both have a strong and consistent flex, offering confidence and performance all over the mountain.

In terms of construction, both skis are built with a wood core and a sheet of Titanal metal for strong edge grip. This makes them sturdy and relatively stiff skis that are still pretty light and maneuverable.

Differences and Who They're Good For

While both skis are designed for high-speed, carving, and groomer terrain, they each have their unique strengths and weaknesses that make them suitable for different types of skiers.

The Völkl Kendo 88 Skis are known for their versatility, agility, and quick edge-to-edge transition, making them great for moguls and groomers. They are also more forgiving, making them a great option for intermediate skiers looking to progress quickly.

On the other hand, the Blizzard Brahma 82 Skis are praised for their stiffness and stability, making them perfect for high-speed carving and hardpack conditions. They are more demanding, making them ideal for advanced skiers who stick mainly to on-piste skiing and want a carving/all-mountain ski.

In terms of construction, the Völkl Kendo 88 Skis are built with a multilayer wood core and a carbon fiber weave, while the Blizzard Brahma 82 Skis have a Flipcore design and Trueblend woodcore.

Analysis on Who’s the Winner

When it comes to versatility, the Völkl Kendo 88 Skis take the lead. Their 3D Radius Sidecut offers three different radii in one, making them incredibly versatile for cornering. They are also more forgiving, making them a great option for intermediate skiers looking to progress quickly.

In terms of speed and stability, the Blizzard Brahma 82 Skis come out on top. They are stiff and burly, making them perfect for high-speed carving and hardpack conditions. They are more demanding, making them ideal for advanced skiers who stick mainly to on-piste skiing and want a carving/all-mountain ski.

For construction, both skis are built with a wood core and a sheet of Titanal metal for strong edge grip. However, the Völkl Kendo 88 Skis have a carbon fiber weave, making them lighter and more maneuverable.

Finally, for edge-to-edge transition, both skis are agile and quick. However, the Völkl Kendo 88 Skis are known for their quick edge-to-edge transition, making them great for moguls and groomers.

Conclusions

In conclusion, both the Völkl Kendo 88 Skis and the Blizzard Brahma 82 Skis are top contenders in the world of all-mountain skiing. They both excel in high-speed, carving, and groomer terrain, making them ideal for experienced skiers who enjoy powerful turns on any terrain. However, they each have their unique strengths and weaknesses that make them suitable for different types of skiers.

The Völkl Kendo 88 Skis are known for their versatility, agility, and quick edge-to-edge transition, making them great for moguls and groomers. On the other hand, the Blizzard Brahma 82 Skis are praised for their stiffness and stability, making them perfect for high-speed carving and hardpack conditions.

In the end, the choice between the two comes down to personal preference and skiing style. Whether you're a newer skier looking to progress quickly or an advanced skier who sticks mainly to on-piste skiing, both skis offer confidence and performance all over the mountain. So strap in, hang on, and get ready for a fun ride!

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