The Best Women’s Frontside Skis of 2022: Völkl Kenja 88

It’s hard to beat a Völkl in the Hard-Snow Integrity and Stability at Speed departments, and that’s why testers continue to love the Völkl Kenja 88 for frontside carving. With 88mm underfoot and Völkl’s 3D Radius technology—which makes it easy to switch up turn shapes and sizes—the Kenja 88 was designed to be a frontside all-rounder. But testers found that this ski really excels on hardpack thanks to its bomber Titanal frame construction.

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“This ski is damp but I could still ski lots of turns shapes cleanly,” explains tester Marina Knight. “I also like that I could ski it easy and it still felt smooth and not chattery. It’s a really well-balanced ski for an advanced intermediate to expert charger.”

Other testers agree that the Völkl Kenja 88 is pretty versatile in the turn shape department, but that doesn’t necessarily translate to playfulness or quickness. Its stiff construction and long effective edge make the Kenja 88 a little stubborn at times, especially in crud and bumps, where testers say the ski doesn’t always want to be told where and when to turn. Testers scored the Kenja 88 low in the Forgiveness category for this reason.

Strong skiers can coax some playfulness and personality out of this ski, but as a general rule, the Kenja 88 just wants to impress advanced skiers with her stability on the groomers. This isn’t to say that intermediate skiers wouldn’t enjoy this ski. Anyone in search of a no-nonsense frontside tool that will boost confidence on hard snow is likely to dig the Völkl Kenja 88. Intermediates may just not be able to tap into all that the Kenja is capable of.

Says tester Tracy Gibbons: “Great high performance frontside ski for the technical skier. Rewards the good skier but doesn’t overpower the moderate skier who wants to improve.”

• Strengths: Stability at Speed (4th in category), Hard-Snow Integrity (5th)
• Weaknesses: Forgiveness (10th), Crud Performance (4th)

Shop for the Völkl Kenja 88 online: evo | skis.com

Learn More

See how this ski compares to the best women’s frontside skis of the year
Learn more about Völkl and its ski lineup
How to find skis that are right for you

Völkl Kenja 88 – 2021 Women’s Frontside Ski Review

If “frontside” is synonymous with “high-angle carving” in your dictionary, you’ll also find “Kenja” listed under “fun.” The Kenja 88 features the same construction as the Secret 102—3D Radius Sidecut, multi-layer wood core, and Titanal frame—but in a slimmer package, meaning she’s better suited to slicing up the frontside and inspiring confidence at speed. She’s also more agile than her bigger sister, though that agility doesn’t necessarily translate to forgiveness or playfulness. But strong skiers will appreciate the damp ride. Says tester Jessi Hackett: “Balanced feel and stable as heck.”

• Strengths: Stability at Speed, Hard-Snow Integrity
• Weaknesses: Forgiveness, Playfulness