A backcountry specific ski had been an idea floating around in heads over at Amalgam since 2018, and the 2019/2020 season got to see this project take on a real physical form. Amalgams website cited the time in isolation as a time for innovation, which brings us to where we are today.
Amalgam will be sourcing the wood for their cores from native Maine grown spruce, which is known for its incredibly light and stiff properties. Every plank is to be hand selected based on the structure of its grain, then worked into the ski’s core to give it the unique feel that Amalgam is chasing. The profile of Amalgam's new prototype seeks to take that of their Artifact models and refine it with the intent for use in the backcountry. “We added a little length and reshaped the rocker transitions to be more gradual and consistent throughout. Further smoothing and quickening the edge-to-edge transitions in tight terrain” - Taisey. The layup of the ski is to be composed of carbon and structural glass set in a way that will balance the flex along the profile. The final weight of the 178cm version of the ski comes in at just under 1550 grams.
On their website, Amalgam describes their inspiration for this project, and goes on to publish testimonials from those lucky enough to have had a chance to demo the new prototypes, including NS's own @1337 . In general, the feedback was extremely positive, and the reviews made note of the greatly balanced nature of the ski for both up and downhill travel.
To start, Amalgam will be offering their new backcountry ski in two lengths, 165cm and 178cm, and your choice on the color of your bases. At the moment they are planing on one production run this year, so preorders are only being taken from now until the end of July.
You can read more about the project and testimonials on their website here, and be sure to follow them on Instagram @amalgam_skis for more updates.
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