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Alpine Ski Testing
The Shape of Things to Come

Downhill Skiis

Shape: it’s the talk of the ski industry this year. Shaped, super-sidecut, parabolic and hourglass are just a few of the new buzzwords used to describe this season’s skis. Over 50 percent of the skis at the ski shop will be comprised of these new shaped skis.

Less than a year ago, only a few ski companies made a super-sidecut ski. Elan, Kneissl and the S Ski Company have been making them for the last few years, but this season nearly every ski company will produce them. What makes sidecut skis different from the conventional models of the past? To varying degrees the skis are much wider at the tips and tails, with extremely narrow waists. They are built to turn. With a roll of the knee and a little pressure to the tips, skis begin to turn and continue to turn until the tail releases you into the next turn. They follow the side-cut through a true carved turn on the edges, like World Cup racers and expert ski instructors make.

Where does this mobility help the average and first-time skier? It gives more control. The novice will learn to stop and turn more quickly using much less energy. They’ll have more fun while developing skills faster. For the intermediate skier, shaped skis will open up the whole mountain. They will be able to control skier speed better through carved turns. This will allow skiers to ski more terrain and conditions.

Sounds simple, you say. No, not so quick. Shaped skis, just like conventional skis, are not all the same. They come in a variety of shapes, sizes and ability levels. Certain skis carve large radius turns, while others carve only shorter turns.

Some skis perform better at higher speeds. There are shaped skis that prefer lower speeds to initiate turns while they don’t hold and edge as well at the higher end.

What does this mean? It means, just like in the past, you will have to do your homework if you want to find the right ski for you.

Standard Testing Equipment

Boots:

Lange X-Zero 9 - $550

Although the X-Zero 9 is not a top of the line race boot, it is all the boot most skiers will need. They have a moderately stiff forward flex while still remaining smooth and comfortable on the shin. The X-Zero 9 is laterally stiff and responsive. The fit is narrow through the heel and medium in volume at the forefoot. Getting the boot on and off may become a small struggle, but that’s only because the heel pocket provides so much hold-down. After adding my Superfeet Kork footbeds to the liner, the fit was perfect.

Skiing in these boots is a dream. Just think about a turn and you’ve already made it. They perform equally well in all conditions and terrains. They’re as much at home in the moguls and powder as they are on an icy slalom course or a high speed cruise. These are our boots of choice.

Poles:

Kerma Phantom - $99

The Kerman Phantom ski poles have a 100 percent graphite shaft, are light weight and firm yet have comfortable grip; and have a quick swing weight that makes for a ski pole with fast reactions. Skiers almost forget they have them in their hands.

Bindings: ($149-$350)

The skis used throughout testing commonly had a type of demo binding adjustable to all sizes of boots. The following manufacturers have a variety of bindings to choose from. Here is an explanation of the benefits of the major binding brands:

Look

Look continues to offer its classic turntable heel as part of its performance line. The turntable rotates on the natural axis of the tibia for better power transmission and knee protection. The binding is designed to allow the ski to flex more naturally underfoot. The 3DE toe piece releases in all directions while Look also offers a 10mm after-market lifter plate for more leverages to the edges and more clearances for the boot.

Marker

Marker has expanded its Selective Control feature bindings this year. With a flick of a lever Selective Control actually changes the flex of the ski to accommodate different styles of skiing and snow conditions. They also have made the EPS (Edge Pressure System) thicker to 11mm for more clearance on this year’ s super-sidecut skis. The EPS is designed to deliver more energy to the edge of the ski to enhance performance.

Rossingnol

Rossingnol adds its own lifter system to this season’s line. They utilize a heel-piece, similar in design to Looks Turntable, and a toe-piece that also allows for 180 degree releases.

Salomon

Salomon has changed their line the most from last season. They have brought out the Propulse Power Amplifier which increases stability and steering precision by storing energy in the heel during the beginning of a turn. The energy is released to the ski’s edge at the middle and the end of the turn. Salomon claims that this results in a quicker grip and more powerful ski.

Salomon also now offers the Spheric Toe piece to help prevent knee injuries. Spheric technology reduces knee-related injuries due to forward off-axis rolling type falls.

Skis

Olin Breakthrough Series

Catalyst (test length 160cm.) - $450

Catalyst skis are as much at home on the first-time skier as they are with an aspiring intermediate. The ski does it all from lower to moderate speeds. The Catalysts have one of the wider waists of all the super-sidecut skis tested. This makes them stable in all conditions and provides great balance for those getting the feel of their first pair of skis. Catalysts will carve when put on edge and skid when allowed. They are the perfect skis for a novice who wants to invest in a pair of skis to last until their intermediate days.

Kinetic (test length 180cm.) - $500

Olin designs their Breakthrough Series with plenty of width to go along with their deep sidecut. This allows for added stability and versatility for carvers. These traits are evident in the Kinetic skis. They will do it all through varying conditions and full-blown speeds. This ski can carve through crud, crust and fluff. Enough ski for all but the elite.

Radius (test length 200cm.) - $565

You thought you had to have a GS race ski to go this fast — not any longer. The Radius can fly. This ski loves the big radius turn, but this isn’t the only area it excels in. The Radius can cut through the bumps and ice and they don’t want to overturn like some of the super-sidecut skis. They can drop straight down the fall-line or lay out the big carve on the groomed. It’s at home on the corduroy, but with a little ability you can take it anywhere.

Dynastar Max Series

Big Max 2 (test length 180cm.) - $450

Smooth, light and quick: the Max 2. This ski will do it for you. Just roll it on edge and wait. Turns of any shape and size happen only with a flick of the ankle. Just be careful. Don’t try to overpower the Max 2; it wants to finesse into a turn. Lighter weight men and women can definitely learn to lay down a carve on this ski with no trouble at all. In no time you’ll be experiencing turns that used to take years to learn.

Big Max 1 (test length 190cm.) - $525

Here’s a lightweight ski that puts down a heavy weight carve. Put it on edge and it wants to go. It will go through anything that gets in its way. Big Max 1 works well in all conditions. Like all the shaped skis, it loves the groomies but adapts well off the beaten path. It slips through ice and floats well in powder. It’s definitely a great all around ski, just don’t push too hard since it’s not made for the over-aggressive skier.

Elan SCX Series

SCX Monocap (test length 183cm.) - $500

SCX Monocap started it all. Hourglass, parabolic super-sidecut: these terms were first used to describe the SCX. They have the deepest sidecut and narrowest waist of all the shaped skis on the market. Because of this they carve like no other. Once you learn to control your body motion, you’re used to putting into a ski to make it turn and just roll those boots over and wait. You will get the ride of your life.
Top snowboarders have given up their boards to ride the SCXs . They carve the mountain like nothing you’ve ever felt. The only drawback is that they take a good skier to make them work off the groomed. They also take some technique to make them cut through the unpacked or float in the powder. Want to carve? This is the ski.

Comments:

These shaped skis are different than any ski you’ve ever been on. It took us years to learn to make the same beautiful carved turns that we can now make everyday. The sooner you start to make controlled, carved turns, the sooner you’re moving from the blue runs to the black diamonds.
Which skis did we like the best? It depends. I thought the Olin Catalyst is a great learning ski. This is the basic rental many shops because it replaces three levels of skis.

The Dynastar Max 2 was my choice for a ladies carver. The Max 2 is the ultimate finesse ski. It’s perfect for a non-overpowering style of skiing. The Elan SCX Monocap is still the ski for the carver. People have carved through a 720 on a pair of these. Enough said. Our favorite was the Olin Radius. It handles the most terrain and conditions. It smokes down the bumps, tore up the crud and with just a little effort, it buoyed in the fresh stuff. It made the groomed feel like a race course and a race course feel like the groomed. Nothing but fun.

There was a time when a ski test would have covered the market by including 15 pairs of skis. They would all be quite similar except for minor differences in performance that could hardly be noticed unless skied side by side. The real differences were seen in name brand loyalties, color and length.

Things are a changin’. The ski industry has realized that skiers don’t all want to ski the same way, and many skiers are turning to alternative alpine sports. This refined test will include several drastically different skis, telemark skis and snowboards. Although it’s hard to buy a “bad” ski or board these days, it is important to get the set-up that works best for you and, most importantly, allows you that moment of brilliance to really shine when you’re looking straight down an awe-inspiring run.

Telemarking Products

Boots:

Stemming from the advent of the “super boots”, cross country downhill is really making comeback. The Scarpa Terminator stood above the pack, therefore it is our pick for the best telemarking boot on the market. The Terminator is a plastic boot with a tall cuff and three buckles instead of the previous two. The third buckle was added to give better heel hold down, and the concept really works well. A good power strap sits at the top of the boot and a three position adjustable cuff allows for walking mode or 19 -20 degree forward lean. Once you buckle into these powerful and comfortable boots your first turns will be a little awkward due to overturning. This boot does dictate a certain stance because if you stand very low in your telemark turn there can be some serious pinching across the top of your toes as the plastic bellows compress. This problem has been addressed in the year’s latest boot; manufacturers have made the bellows more supple and more roomy. The boot will still dictate a taller stance which can really be used to the skier’s advantage by quickening your lead change. Our overall impression is very simple. If you want to ski cross country style in rolling terrain, get another boot. If you want to ski faster and steeper than you ever imagined, this is the boot!

Poles:

Our choice for a pole was the Leki Lawisond Extreme. These two piece adjustable poles are durable and stiff. The poles adjust from 120cm -150cm by simply untwisting the two halves, sliding them to your desired length and tightening them back up again. We felt that putting a piece of nonskid tape on both halves of the shafts made adjustments a little easier with gloves on. If you plan to go into the backcountry or are unsure about your pole length, these poles are a great tool. If you are a skier who makes turns with your hands waving in the air, then a pair of these poles is just what the doctor ordered.

Bindings:

Telemark bindings come in many shapes and styles. I chose to ski the Voilé CRB with cables because I like a release binding. With big boots and wide skis at higher speeds and wilder terrain, I feel the extra weight of the binding is worth the added safety. Voilé also offers their bindings with or without the 3 pins. My choice is to always keep the pins in the binding. In case of cable failure, you can still ski out. The cable serves multiple functions on today’s bindings in extending the life of your boot and making the whole system more powerful in a turn. Voilé offers a number of options in their extensive binding line and the overall product quality is excellent.

For the ski tests we enlisted the help of PSIA examiner Geoff Clarke from South Lake Tahoe. Clarke helped write the book on today’s telemark teaching progression and probably spends the same amount of time on skis as most people spend in their shoes.

Skis:

Black Diamond Boundary

This ski is at home in a resort, but it is also nice for wild backcountry conditions. The Boundary has the ability to blast through crud and carve big arcs on any snow or ice. This ski has a powerful shovel which gives it a stable feel - the ski “knows” where to go. The width of the Boundary, a 22mm sidecut, is just fat enough to be stable but avoids dragging the wings of the bindings during turns. We also like the Boundary’s blending of old and new technologies with a cap construction top skin over a wood core. The wood core tends to be a little heavier, but it makes for a more durable ski and gives a wonderful feel.
Overall this is a great ski that will never hold you back.

Black Diamond Badlands

If you just can’t deal with all that yo-yo skiing, fashion shows, rules, lines and ski lodge food it’s time to head out to the backcountry. I know if I’m out of bounds working hard, I want the experience to be right. The ski is significant to experience and the Badlands provide for a perfect time! It‘s about time somebody took a backcountry ski and put some new technology into it. What I’m talking about is the cap technology used in this ski. It seems that in the past, a ski was made soft enough for backcountry travel, but it would just wander wherever it wanted. This is not the case for the Badlands. The cap keeps it torsionally stiff enough to go which direction you point it. If you spend an abundance of time in soft or unpredictable snow, this ski works. And if you are going to alpine tour and still want to make some sweet turns, the Badlands are your skis. If you want a quick snappy ski for hardpack, bumps or steep chutes, however, you many want a different ski to accommodate a more aggressive style.

Kazama Couloir

This ski is a good combination for resort or backcountry skiing. We found this ski was great for busting crud and stable speed. The Couloir was also very comfortable on hardpack, nice at ski areas and perfect for the backcountry in late season. This ski is a little narrower than many of today’s telemark skis. This means they are a little lighter than most which makes this ski work well with lighter boots. The one problem you could run into is binding drag in steep terrain. That can be overcome with some lift under the binding. This ski was a little sketchy on ice, however, we felt they were all-around, good skis.