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February, 2025

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Has ski gear hit a plateau?

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Good_Deed
Posts: 1260 - Karma: 1,321
Checking out all the new gear in the SIA forums and nothing is jumping out at me, and I think the ski industry knows it too. That is why Atmoic is hyping up the new bent so much, but thing is it isn't new other companies have been doing it soon as rocker came out. The cam gogs are kind of cool but way to much money and you can only use them for skiing. It really looks like new tech and new shapes is slowing down.
Jan 31 2014 10:22PM
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S.J.W
Posts: 7609 - Karma: 31,172
that's what people said about the straight ski cause they didn't really change for ages, it will just take some bright spark to change the game again
Feb 1 2014 12:20AM
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Mr.LemonPie
Posts: 4100 - Karma: 1,625
What else do you want from your ski? What is it not doing now that you want it to do?

There really isn't that much wrong with the shapes of skis today, they are skiing great. Look at downhill skis, they've been the same for ages because there is nothing to make better.
Feb 1 2014 12:27AM
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NinetyFour
Posts: 8650 - Karma: 13,410
Ski's themselves are still in their infancy, trust me on this one. Shit like Volkl's V-Werks technology will definitely be the future:

http://vimeo.com/74486848

And wood is great, but at some point I think we'll see a shift away from it to some form of engineered material. If the right kind of foam comes along, something that's extraordinarily pliable yet relatively stiff, that would be a game changer. Foam is sick stuff despite the bad rep it gets.

Edge's have a long way to come as well. They're great for what they are right now but there's definitely a need for edges that bond into the ski better.
Feb 1 2014 12:46AM
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DIPED_IN_SAUCE
Posts: 858 - Karma: 2,256
I think in terms of shape we have pretty much tried everything. the next big developments are going to be weight, durability, and flex. Or somebody totally changes skiing and invents something no one sees coming.
Feb 1 2014 12:56AM
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Ryanvdonk
Posts: 12811 - Karma: 1,971
boots are probably where we will see the next improvement.
Feb 1 2014 2:34AM
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Static
Posts: 8588 - Karma: 4,095
pole tech is going off; bamboo, screw drivers in the tips, grab tabs, what will they think of next....
Feb 1 2014 2:57AM
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nine50seven
Posts: 576 - Karma: 686
No no no I hope the day never comes. Like jibberish. I dont own any jibberish stuff but it seems like they are more of a fashion company than a ski company
Feb 1 2014 3:08AM
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tomPietrowski
Posts: 7271 - Karma: 18,576
Your not thinking about it from a business point of view. The reason ski development has slowed was partly down to the global recession. Most skis will take 2-3 seasons to develop. 3 years ago we were right in the middle of the recession. Because of this companies did not want to invest a ton of money so ski development slowed. You are just seeing that this year. Ispo and sia have mainly just been graphic updates no real big releases. But this season we have the Olympics and things are picking up financially so hopefully manufacturers will be spending money on development an the next few years should have some new skis.
Feb 1 2014 3:43AM
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McLS
Posts: 1985 - Karma: 6,454
Skis and ski gear in general has evolved so much in the past 20 years, just cos you're not seeing incredibly new stuff this year doesnt mean it s hit a plateau. There is so much room for improvement in weight, flexibility while being super strong...
Feb 1 2014 8:49AM
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wasatch_rat
Posts: 1772 - Karma: 2,952
really? i feel like we are in a golden age of ski design. lots of different companies popping up onto the scene and everyone is willing to try anything. it used to be a bold move to put out a ski more than 100mm underfoot, nevermind how hesitant most companies were about rockered skis. now we have rocker, early rise, flat camber, camber underfoot then early rise, different styles of sidecut, so much crazy stuff that 10 years ago nobody would be willing to risk trying. now there are so many companies experimenting and playing with ski design that nothing is off limits, you can get so specific with the style of ski that you are looking for now its insane.
Feb 1 2014 9:55AM
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neutralzombie
Posts: 8629 - Karma: 606
plus the overall aesthetics of the designs are finally nailing it. i've never seen ski boots look so sexy.
Feb 1 2014 8:56PM
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Errl
Posts: 2082 - Karma: 451
Convex bases are a pretty sweet thought.
Feb 1 2014 8:57PM
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Ron.Burgundy
Posts: 353 - Karma: 1,072
I dunno but im just sitting here waiting for someone to make me some fucking rocket skis..
Feb 1 2014 11:42PM
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jason...
Posts: 9006 - Karma: 780
there's gotta be so many improvements that can be made regarding boots and bindings. better insoles? skating has a bunch of shoe insole options. correct me if such a thing exists, but some gel or high density foam or whatever fancy technology insoles to help with the icy and flat landings would be sweet. footbeds are one thing, but something specifically designed to cushion landings while still being responsive, could be doable, would be sweet.

and bindings, i mean the best design (fks) is like what, 15+ years old? i have no ideas for this shit, but somebody must be thinking of something better.
Feb 1 2014 11:54PM
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louie.mirags
Posts: 6015 - Karma: 5,027
Are you agreeing or disagreeing with OP? you're furthering his point by saying ski equipment is at it's prime and there isn't much room for improvement.

Until the day comes when gear last forever, there will be improvements to be had..
Feb 2 2014 4:21AM
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tomPietrowski
Posts: 7271 - Karma: 18,576
Yep footbeds like that which can help cushion impacts already exist. You don't want to be using soft foams or gels as cushioning as they give very little impact resistance. Where thing are going is using the hard impact foams used in back protectors ect. You can make some awesome footbeds these days which give so much surport comfort and protection.
Feb 2 2014 5:36AM
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onenerdykid
Posts: 6731 - Karma: 11,641
Exactly. Compare what you see at this year's SIA with what you saw in 2006. Things look, feel, flex and ski completely differently. It is an incredibly different ski world between now and then, only 8 years ago. Furthermore, these changes take time to envision, test, produce, and re-evaluate. If you (OP) expect a ski mold to change every year you are greatly misunderstanding the effort and cost involved with bringing a product to market.
Feb 2 2014 6:23AM
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GayWolf420
Posts: 37894 - Karma: 126,987
if anything it's the golden era for new ski technology.
Feb 2 2014 10:37AM
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Ghini
Posts: 2263 - Karma: 3,003
There is a lot going on in the tech binding market.. (also in splitboarding gear btw) and more will come.. I think that we will see a complete new binding system in the next 3 years..
Feb 2 2014 11:17AM
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Smuffy
Posts: 4686 - Karma: 3,408
Have telephones hit a plateau? Absolutely not, there is so much that can, and will be done with ski gear. It just takes the mind of a smarter (wo)man than I to imagine and create it
Feb 2 2014 9:20PM
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Logey.
Posts: 2996 - Karma: 456
Until you have to fucking wax them
Feb 2 2014 9:41PM
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Logey.
Posts: 2996 - Karma: 456
Also, rocker is for pussys
Feb 2 2014 9:46PM
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joelski
Posts: 1014 - Karma: 736
There is tuns of stuff to improve on, there are no skis perfect in all condishons, no ski has horizontal rocker that can still edge, and skis still aren't as durable and light as they could be. There are tuns more flex patterns materials and ski shapes possible have you ever seen a multicambered ski? Neither have i
Feb 2 2014 9:51PM
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NinetyFour
Posts: 8650 - Karma: 13,410
Moment deathwish?

http://www.momentskis.com/shop/product/deathwish/

Click for larger image

Feb 2 2014 9:56PM
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NinetyFour
Posts: 8650 - Karma: 13,410
Apparently I got the wrong picture so here:

Click for larger image
Feb 2 2014 9:58PM
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.nasty
Posts: 10595 - Karma: 11,320
v-weeks being the future. now that's a fucking good one.
Feb 2 2014 10:04PM
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Logey.
Posts: 2996 - Karma: 456
That doesn't even make sense. The two cambered parts would never have any downward pressure, making them useless. It's just a fully rockered ski with touching tips and tails. Stupid
Feb 2 2014 10:09PM
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joelski
Posts: 1014 - Karma: 736
Ya I meant 3 or more contact points
Feb 2 2014 10:27PM
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gravel
Posts: 5524 - Karma: 42,375
lol no. It would be so hard to get an edge, it would make turning a nightmare.
Feb 2 2014 10:36PM
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ilikefood
Posts: 391 - Karma: 769
Almost every ski is already convex.... That's what makes it easy to engage your edges at the beginning of your turns.
Feb 2 2014 10:57PM
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gravel
Posts: 5524 - Karma: 42,375
Bases are almost certainly not convex. Perhaps you are talking about a sidecut or camber/rocker...
Feb 2 2014 11:06PM
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gravel
Posts: 5524 - Karma: 42,375
I mean, I suppose it also depends on the radius of the curve. If it was a really wide radius and it was only slightly concave it might work, but you'd still have to be more on edge to grab a turn. Realistically the only advantages would be that you could have less friction when straightlining, and you could side slip a little more easily (BUT, the texture of most bases is lined tip to tail, so sliding would be going against the grain/cut of the bases). Basically a convex base just lifts the edges off of the snow more, which I suppose you could like for some things, but that seems a lot less stable and skiable/carvable to me.
Feb 2 2014 11:16PM
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Huck_Norris
Posts: 11487 - Karma: 18,627
The concept has its merits in pow application. See DPS's spoon technology if youre curious. I'd pretty much kill for a pair of spooned pure carbon flex3 138s. I hear they absolutely own fresh snow and weird breakable crust becomes a non issue. Sometimes you simply aren't looking to lock and edge in.
Feb 2 2014 11:22PM
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joelski
Posts: 1014 - Karma: 736
Think of a bow and arow, the shape gives it more spring/pop
Feb 2 2014 11:23PM
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Huck_Norris
Posts: 11487 - Karma: 18,627
Ha! EpicSki is ---> that way gaper
Feb 2 2014 11:25PM
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DR.SHRED
Posts: 2134 - Karma: 503
you know how i know you havnt skied on it?

i can see some sort of super light weight kevlar being developed in the future then being used in skis
Feb 2 2014 11:59PM
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ilikefood
Posts: 391 - Karma: 769
Yeah, I may have misinterpreted the word convex. Kind of a bad word to use when talking about ski shape.
Feb 3 2014 12:32AM
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gravel
Posts: 5524 - Karma: 42,375
That's really tight! Didn't know it had been tried. Then again, you're lookin' at a really specific ski that you can realistically only break out during certain conditions for it to perform like it should. Plus imagine how much more easily you'd get core shots when on edge, because the ski would be lying much more on just the base than the metal of the edge.
Feb 3 2014 12:51AM
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catsRjerks
Posts: 291 - Karma: 1,163
I'm still waiting for my hover board
Feb 3 2014 12:53AM
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Sklar
Posts: 8864 - Karma: 31,612
The new bent chetler had a similar tech
Feb 3 2014 12:55AM
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Don.Cartagena
Posts: 159 - Karma: -105
All ski technology nerds are all shit skiers. SIA is a bunch of bull shit for fags.
Feb 3 2014 5:28AM
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Huck_Norris
Posts: 11487 - Karma: 18,627
Well yeah, those are a total quiver ski and would likely never see anything but untracked, bottomless pow so yes it's not ideal for tuning or hitting rocks with (ha!) but in its element they're amazing. The same could be said for carving sticks though I guess. They're ideal for carving round turns on 2D surfaces... Put them in deep fresh and it's another story!
Feb 3 2014 7:17AM
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Twandos
Posts: 259 - Karma: 2,028
most ski's today have the capabilities and the technology to do anything they are faced with. Nothing radical is coming out because there really isn't a need for something different because the skis we have now do everything we ask.

I am not saying we are hitting a tech plateau because there is so much room for improvements with skis.
Skis are great right now but there is always room for improvement.
Feb 3 2014 9:25AM
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John18_6
Posts: 7313 - Karma: 49,168
WE NEED BRAKES THAT DONT KILL YOU WHEN YOU LAND SWITCH
Feb 3 2014 11:05AM
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Huck_Norris
Posts: 11487 - Karma: 18,627
Get Plums, they only kill you when you land forward.
Feb 3 2014 11:08AM
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John18_6
Posts: 7313 - Karma: 49,168
But I'm not Jossi Wells, I don't ski switch 100% of the time.
Feb 3 2014 11:14AM
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Blurst
Posts: 13577 - Karma: 10,169
Look at Batteleons triple base technology it works. Convex works, im surrpised it took this long to make it happen.
Feb 3 2014 11:35AM
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MLB
Posts: 4462 - Karma: 298
In ski design we are far from plateau. The spatula was the spark thst unleashed all sorts of new designs, and we are just at the tip.of.the iceburg. As far as bindings and boots are concerned, well then we have hit a rut. Shit.....the design of full tilt boots are over 30 years old, FKS bindings over 20, and salomon STH over 25.

Even all the new touring bindings are all based off of the marker tech just with different heel pieces. The last big development was the Line reactor binding, and that.didn't go so well until marker refined the basic concept. Stale.as.fuck.
Feb 3 2014 1:04PM
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thehighestllama
Posts: 81 - Karma: 464
I don't think so. There's a lot being done with rocker/camber profiles, 5 point side cut (which I think is gonna be the next big design thing, see the Cham and new NRGy series) which is what we're gonna see within the next 3 years in terms of design. I'm excited for the cost of carbon fiber or other composites to lower significantly so we could see their application in a lot more (skis, boots, bindings, poles, helmets etc). As other people said, foam could come a long way to be a premium material and multi-camber/micro-camber is really promising in the short term
Feb 3 2014 2:21PM
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