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Expert Comparison: Völkl Kendo 88 Skis · 2023 vs Nordica Enforcer 88 Skis · 2023

Published on 02/11/2024 · 5 min readCompare Völkl Kendo 88 Skis · 2023 and Nordica Enforcer 88 Skis · 2023. Get expert insight below!
Dennis Walton, Ski Expert
Brandon Wachter, Ski Expert
Jake Renner, Ski Expert
Contributed By Ski Expert Dennis Walton, Brandon Wachter, Jake Renner, Gary Neft, Elias Lawson and others

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Side by side comparison

Out of stock
Völkl Kendo 88 Skis · 2023
Out of stock
Nordica Enforcer 88 Skis · 2023
Price
$419.99
40% off
$419.99
40% off
User rating
5(1)
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Ski type
Carving, All Mountain, Freeride
All Mountain
Skill level
Intermediate, Advanced
Intermediate, Advanced
Rocker profile
Rocker/Camber/Rocker
Rocker/Camber/Rocker
Tail profile
Partial twin tip
Partial twin tip

In the world of all-mountain skis, the Völkl Kendo 88 and the Nordica Enforcer 88 are two top contenders for the 2023 season. Both skis are designed for advanced to expert skiers who love to carve up groomers and tackle a variety of terrain. The Kendo 88, with its wood core and titanal metal layers, offers stability, power, and a smooth ride at high speeds. The Enforcer 88, on the other hand, is built with a lightweight carbon chassis and two sheets of metal, providing top-notch power, stability, and responsiveness. Both skis are versatile, but the Kendo 88 shines on groomers and hardpacked snow, while the Enforcer 88 is a bit more adaptable and forgiving. If you're looking for a ski that can handle speed with ease and offer a range of turn styles, either of these skis could be a great fit. However, the Kendo 88 might be the better choice for those who prefer a more aggressive, high-speed ride, while the Enforcer 88 could be a better fit for those who want a bit more versatility and forgiveness.

The Völkl Kendo 88 skis are a versatile all-mountain option that offers a combination of performance and agility on a variety of terrain. With an 88mm waist width, these skis strike a balance between carving on groomed runs and maneuverability in variable conditions. The construction of the Kendo 88 skis incorporates high-quality materials to optimize performance. They feature a wood core combined with layers of titanal metal, which provides stability, dampness, and power transmission. This construction enhances the ski's responsiveness, edge hold, and overall performance.

In terms of on-snow performance, the Kendo 88 skis excel in a variety of conditions with more of an emphasis on groomers and hardpacked snow. Their light amount of camber underfoot provides reliable edge grip and precise carving on firm snow, while the slight rocker in the tip and tail adds maneuverability and helps with turn initiation. This combination makes them effective on groomed runs, moguls, and even lighter amounts of soft snow.

The Kendo 88 skis are known for their stability at higher speeds, offering a smooth and confident ride. Their construction and shape contribute to excellent energy transfer and edge control, allowing for powerful turns and a solid connection with the snow.

These are going to carve like crazy, and still let you hit the fresh snow, Groomers to trees lets do it with these. But these 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 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.

Dennis Walton
Ski Expert

The Nordica Enforcer 88 skis are built with a little race inspiration from Nordica but adapted to be a perfect all-day ski that won't exhaust you when you want to relax. They use a lightweight carbon chassis paired with two sheets of metal to give top-notch power, stability, and responsiveness. To help make all that power more manageable, they reduced the weight in the tips and tails to offer a lower swing weight and easy control when carving or weaving through those tight spots. All of this is built on an all-mountain rocker with tip and tail rockers and camber underfoot, allowing for balanced performance across the whole mountain.

The Enforcer 88 skis are a bit more forgiving than the Kendo 88, making them a great choice for skiers who want a bit more versatility in their ride. They can handle a variety of conditions, from groomers to moguls, and even some fresh powder. Despite their versatility, these skis still offer plenty of power and stability, making them a great choice for advanced to expert skiers.

These are built with a little race inspiration from nordica but adapted to be a perfect all day ski that won't kill you when you want to relax. They use a lightweight carbon chassis paired with two sheets of metal to give top notch power, stability and responsiveness. To help make all that power more manageable they reduced the weight in the tips and tails to offer a lower swing weight and easy control when carving or weaving through those tight spots. All of this built on an all mountain rocker with tip and tail rockers and camber underfoot allow for balanced performance across the whole mountain!

Brandon Wachter
Ski Expert

Similarities

Both the Völkl Kendo 88 and the Nordica Enforcer 88 are designed for advanced to expert skiers who love to carve up groomers and tackle a variety of terrain. They both have an 88mm waist width, which strikes a balance between carving on groomed runs and maneuverability in variable conditions. Both skis are known for their stability at higher speeds, offering a smooth and confident ride. They both have a slight rocker in the tip and tail, which adds maneuverability and helps with turn initiation. Both skis are built with high-quality materials to optimize performance, stability, and responsiveness.

Differences and Who They're Good For

While both skis are designed for advanced to expert skiers, the Völkl Kendo 88 and the Nordica Enforcer 88 have some key differences that make them better suited to different types of skiers. The Kendo 88, with its wood core and titanal metal layers, is a bit more aggressive and high-speed oriented. It's perfect for skiers who love to carve up groomers and hardpacked snow and who prefer a more aggressive, high-speed ride.

On the other hand, the Enforcer 88 is a bit more adaptable and forgiving. It's built with a lightweight carbon chassis and two sheets of metal, providing top-notch power, stability, and responsiveness. This ski is a great choice for skiers who want a bit more versatility in their ride and who appreciate a ski that can handle a variety of conditions, from groomers to moguls, and even some fresh powder.

Analysis on Who’s the Winner

When it comes to performance on groomers and hardpacked snow, the Völkl Kendo 88 takes the lead with its emphasis on these conditions and its ability to provide a smooth and confident ride at high speeds.

In terms of versatility and adaptability, the Nordica Enforcer 88 comes out on top. Its design allows it to handle a variety of conditions, from groomers to moguls, and even some fresh powder.

As for construction and materials, it's a tie. Both skis are built with high-quality materials that optimize performance, stability, and responsiveness. The Kendo 88 features a wood core and titanal metal layers, while the Enforcer 88 uses a lightweight carbon chassis and two sheets of metal.

Finally, in terms of forgiveness, the Nordica Enforcer 88 wins. It's a bit more forgiving than the Kendo 88, making it a great choice for skiers who want a bit more versatility in their ride.

Conclusions

In conclusion, both the Völkl Kendo 88 and the Nordica Enforcer 88 are top-notch all-mountain skis that offer a combination of performance, stability, and versatility. The Kendo 88 is a bit more aggressive and high-speed oriented, making it a great choice for skiers who love to carve up groomers and hardpacked snow. The Enforcer 88, on the other hand, is a bit more adaptable and forgiving, making it a great choice for skiers who want a bit more versatility in their ride. Both skis are built with high-quality materials that optimize performance, stability, and responsiveness. So, whether you're a speed demon or a versatile skier, there's a ski for you in this comparison. Happy skiing!

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