This top-shelf women’s all-mountain ski has been one of our tester favorites for quite some time. We’ve tried to tell skiers not to sleep on the Yumi 84 for years. This is one of the top-performing mid-80's all-mountain skis on the planet, and for good reason. It benefits from all of Volkl’s design and construction technologies and puts them in a relatively friendly and easy to use package. For most skiers, anything over 84 mm underfoot could be considered overkill in terms of width. If we’re being honest with ourselves as skiers, most skiers spend most of their time on groomed terrain. By having something easy to ski that is also crisp and versatile, Volkl has a winning combination on their hands with the Yumi. From steeps and trees to bumps and groomers, the Yumi has a whole lot going for it, and the fact that it’s affordable and high-end makes it all the more attractive. 

Built with Volkl’s Multilayer wood core, the Yumi 84 benefits from the lighter weight of poplar and the sturdiness of beech. It’s got a very similar build to the wider skis in the line like Kenja and Secret but uses slightly different materials to get there. The Yumi, unchanged structurally from last year, contains a titanal binding platform, very similar to the one we see in the wider Kendo, but instead of using a titanal frame, the Yumi uses a fiberglass one. This is a weight saver as well as an energy booster. While you won’t get the exact same stability and edge grip as the metal frame, the glass does a great job at making the ski poppy and snappy. We’re constantly amazed at how quick and agile this ski is, while keeping the chatter to a minimum. In the 154,we’re getting a weight of 1380 grams, so these skis do fall on the lighter side of the spectrum. That makes them manageable and a lot of fun.

At 84 mm underfoot, most skiers will find a lot to like about this well-rounded shape. The skis benefit from Volkl’s 3D Radius Sidecut that creates a 13-meter arc underfoot with longer 18 and 16-meter shapes in the tips and tails, respectively. This turn shape technology allows skiers to dictate the duration and style of turn at any point in the run with ease and confidence. From quick, skidded turns to longer, more drawn-out arcs, the Yumi handles these differences with simplicity and grace. There’s not a ton of rocker or taper to discuss here, as this ski follows a more traditional and directional footprint. Great for bumps, trees, and other quick-turning areas, the Yumi’s shape allows for quick edge to edge transitions as well as a moderate amount of tip splay to help with softer snow, crud, or chop.

This is one of those skis that if you’re looking to progress from intermediate to advanced and just don’t know what to get, this one is totally automatic. You’ll find yourself on a ski with a very high-performance ceiling but is also willing to adapt to more moderate speeds as well as varying terrain and snow conditions. It’s a no-brainer type of ski that is super versatile, combining clean lines with a sophisticated build, making it accessible and approachable to a huge range of skiers.