2023 Volkl Yumi 84

Fun, playful, energetic, and versatile. Sound good? You may be right in line for a 2023 Volkl Yumi 84. These skis just do everything right, and we’re all about it here at SkiEssentials.com. Built as a twin to the men’s Kanjo 84, the Yumi is available in shorter sizes and with a different graphic. The multi-layer wood core is made from a blend of poplar and beech, and provides an excellent base for the ski. There’s a titanal plate underfoot that not only acts as binding retention, but also provides good edge grip and dampness for that central zone. A fiberglass frame extends all the way around the ski and makes it amazingly poppy and energetic, as this has been a hallmark of the Yumi’s personality since they went to the glass frame technology. An excellent short-turner, the Yumi 84 also benefits from Volkl’s 3D Radius sidecut, giving the ski a shorter, 13-meter arc in the 154’s middle portion and 18 and 16 meters when you’re skiing the tips and tails a bit more. This leads to smooth turns at faster speeds and a more slalom-style arc at slower velocities. Again, our testers were very impressed with the performance, composure, and personality of the Yumi 84, as it hits a lot of different levels of skier type and ability. All of our testers were on the 161 cm length.

Carly Monahan felt that while it skied true to size, she’d likely size up to the 168, and that’s a combination of the ski being light and maneuverable, as well as Carly’s preference for longer skis. Her top score of 5 out of 5 was given for forgiveness, while 4’s went to stability, quickness, and maneuverability. 3’s dotted the rest of the card, with Carly noting that the Yumi 84 is “A lightweight, super approachable ski adept at making varied radius turns. This ski is mostly at home on fresh corduroy, making smooth flowy turns or gently skidding the tails for more playful turns in soft snow. Could be a great first ski for an intermediate skier looking to progress beyond rental or lease skis. Also, a great option for a more advanced skier who's looking for something more easy-going than hard-charging, or who just wants/needs to take it easy on their legs and knees. Quick edge to edge, and initiates and releases from turns with ease.” Those comments certainly echo the marketing of the ski from Volkl, and that means that there’s a strong connection between what the manufacturer is trying to accomplish as well as the end result. Alix Klein found the 161 to be “perfect,” with her scores all hovering in the 3-4 range, which is really what we expect to see for a ski like this. The 4’s went to quickness, maneuverability, versatility, and overall impression. Alix calls it like it is: “A great overall ski, this is pretty quick edge-to-edge. Stable at all speeds, this ski gives an impression of confidence and a stable baseline that any skier will be happy to shred.” It’s the range of the ski that has stood out to us in the past, and that continues forward into 2023.

Kerry Douglas Pearce would size up to the 168 for her own liking, but that didn’t stop the high scores from flowing in freely. All 5’s across the board for Kerry, with the lone exception of a 4 in flotation. At 84 mm underfoot and with more of an all-mountain rocker profile, this isn’t terribly surprising. She calls the Yumi 84 “Playful, precise and easy to manipulate any size turn. These skis are a blast and an ideal choice for the intermediate to advanced all-mountain skier. They're easy to initiate and stable enough to hold up in a variety of snow conditions from corduroy to powder (even corn/frozen granular:) The best part about the Yumi's is how versatile they are. Their edge-to-edge maneuverability would make them great in trees and off-piste terrain too.” It’s great to see a tester’s comments line up exactly with their scores, and Kerry nails it on this one. Brooke Mars felt at home on the 161, with top scores of 5 out of 5 for flotation and playfulness. A 4 was given for overall impression, with 3’s going for versatility, forgiveness, stability, quickness, and maneuverability. We see a lone 2 out of 5 in torsional stiffness and edge hold from Brooke. “Once you stop fighting the ski and get used to the fact all it wants to do is shoot out from underneath you, It’s a very fun ski. Definitely not great at holding an edge but it’s going to get you where you want to go quick. Not great on ice but did well with everything else and excelled in the sugary bumps.”

There’s a wide variety of skiers that will truly enjoy the playfulness and fun of the Yumi 84, and these four testers are prime examples of that. Even though they were all on the same size, they all came to pretty similar outcomes in terms of the personality and fun-loving nature of the ski, and you can’t ask for a whole lot more out of a pure all-mountain ski.