Bill Jennings: Skis getting better for average skiers on average days
The snow sports industry is notorious for marketing shiny innovations intended to maintain sales figures more than increase performance for the average consumer. But a visit to Spokane Alpine Haus on Monday afternoon dispelled a lot of my cynicism. If you’re ready to update your gear this year, the options will help you have more fun and enjoy longer days on the snow.
After years of waistlines that seemed to match the growing girth of the average American, ski manufacturers are realizing very few of us find ourselves in waist-deep powder on a regular basis.
Crude advances such as ever-fatter waists and more massive rockers are being replaced by nuanced changes. Skis are getting better for average skiers on average days. You used to see a lot of cap construction, but now more skis are being made with vertical sidewalls. Single-camber shapes with flatter tails are coming back – a boon for the majority of skiers who don’t land switch all day long.
“Vertical sidewalls give you more power and grip on firm snow and groomers,” said Rick Dahmen, an industry consultant who works the floor at Spokane Alpine Haus. “Tails slightly turned up make it easier to release the tails into the next turn.”
Not too long ago, a ski core was foam or wood. Today, in addition to dozens of different kinds of wood, you will find: steel, titanal (an aerospace-grade aluminum alloy), carbon fiber, kevlar, hemp and flax seed. Yes, flax seed.
Dahmen showed me a Saloman ski with a combination carbon fiber/flaxseed weave core. So that the innovation did not go unnoticed, a transparent window in the top sheet revealed the braided textile below.
Despite the window gimmick, flax seed and a growing diversity of cores are resulting in skis that are stiff and powerful without being heavy – a combination that enhances stability and playfulness for the average skier.
On the outside, the skis you see on the wall now might make you think you woke up in 2006. Ski manufacturers have learned that the sweet spot of their market share has been getting a lot of aches and pains in the knees trying to generate the torque necessary for putting pontoons on edge.
“Our biggest selling skis are 88 to 100 centimeters under waist,” Dahmen said. “A couple of years ago that would have been 98 to 108. For a guy like me with five knee surgeries who skis with a brace, my one ski quiver is 88 at the waist.”
Snowboards are also getting more user-friendly, as the modality has matured to become more democratic across the age spectrum. Shapes are shorter and fatter.
“The trend is volume redistribution – less nose and less tail without sacrificing surface area,” said Evan George, a sales rep at Alpine Haus. “The board is a little bit flippier, with a wider base that still floats in deep snow. It makes them a bit more maneuverable, and a bit more fun.”
Most skiers agree the boot has always been the worst part of the ski experience. Those lucky enough to find one tend to stay with one brand of boot for a lifetime. Now it’s more likely you could be wearing a different brand.
You will find more anatomical designs for different types of feet. Shells are more malleable and transfer power more efficiently. Aspects such as canting and lean are easier to deal with on your own. Plus it’s possible for a good fit nearly right out of the box – or shortly after. Your favorite shop can custom fit a shell that is molded to your feet in a matter of minutes.
Dahmen showed me new technology that targets specific areas of the shell with infrared heat. Once the plastic is softened, a vacuum cup placed over the site sucks out the shell to accommodate any hot spots or pain points. Pack the shell in ice or stick in the snow and the boot is cured.
“It’s so easy now,” Dahmen said. “Just heat up the plastic and suck it out. People don’t have to wait to have the shell ground. We can give people happy feet and get them out on the slopes fast.”