Returning for 2020, the Secret 92 brings a wealth of experience and power to the table. With the Titanal Frame construction, the skis have a ton of precise energy, especially over the edges. As opposed to the Aura of years past, the Secret 92 is narrower and more accessible. Additionally, the tip and tail rocker make it a more confidence-inspiring ski for more skiers. While not the powder hound the Aura used to be, the Secret is more than capable of floating through the fresh and busting through the crud. It now sits in the middle of Volkl’s Titanal Frame line, in between the Secret 102 and the Kenja 88. Our testers made special note of how much this ski rips, and we love hearing all about it!
Kristi Brown makes special note of how big the sweet spot is on the Secret 92. She skied the 170 and found it to be the appropriate size. All of her scores were in the 4+ range out of 5, with stability and torsional stiffness scoring true 5’s. “The Secret 92 is an awesome front-side pleaser. They love big groomer high-speed turns. They have the traditional Volkl confident feel with the ski hugging the snow and a big sweet spot.” Great info from Kristi, here, especially in terms of the skis being a fantastic carving ski and possessing a high-speed limit.
Ariel Aidala skied the 163 and thought it was the appropriate size. She scored the skis 5’s out of 5 for stability, quickness, and torsional stiffness. We think this Titanal Frame build might be worth something after all! Her low score of 3 out of 5 for flotation is interesting to note, especially for skiers looking for a soft snow ski. We must keep in mind that the Secret 92 is just that, a 92 mm waisted ski, so if you’re looking for pure powder performance, there are certainly better options out there. She calls it “sturdy, resilient. It’s a high-performance, elite advanced women’s ski that rips. The ski is stiff, but once you make them work for you, they’re awesome.” Nice of Ariel to point out that experts and properly-balanced skiers will glean the best performance out of the Secret 92.
Also skiing the 163, Jana Ross made fast friends with the Secret 92. “This was an easy to enjoy ski. Long turns, quick turns, coming down the mountain all with a smile on my face. All-mountain joy!” Jana’s scores of all 5’s echo her quotes to be sure.
Annie MacDonald ripped a few runs on the 170 and found it to be just about right. She was all 5’s across the board with the exception of a 4 for flotation. Again, for a 92 mm underfoot ski, it’s not meant to float like a wider ski, although we get the sense that many skiers get that impression. Ann calls it a “great one-ski quiver. Quick turning but stable at speed and bigger GS turns. Can hold its own in crust, crud, and powder. Great for aggressive women, but also for women trying to up their game!” Great analysis, Annie, and a strong argument for the Secret 92 as a sublimely versatile tool.
Danielle Nichols loved the 170, scoring it top marks for stability and edge hold. Her low score of 2 out of 5 for forgiveness implies that she found it to be quite stiff. “These are great freight train-like skis. Very solid underfoot. You can really push against the ski and direct it wherever you want adjusting radius as you want.” Great feedback there from Danielle as to the strength and power of the Secret 92.
The overall impression of the Secret is the same as it was last year. These things are fun, stiff, stable, and versatile. They’re capable of holding many different characteristics at the same time, which is a hallmark virtue of a true all-mountain ski.
