ExoticSkis.Com

The innovative guys at DPS Skis have leaked some information about next year's technology for their already-exotic "Pure" lineup of prepeg carbon fiber laminate/nanotech resin skis. As some people already know, DPS skis have a unique "feel" due to their prepeg carbon fiber/woodcore sandwich construction (some people love it, others can't get used to it).  This advance in core technology might be the way to get the damp, silky smoothness from a metal-layered ski into a highly responsive and quick-handling ski without the weight and flex side effects. Prices are rumored to stay around $1,200 usd for the Pure models with this new technology.

From a post at TetonGravity:

 
"Cross Section With The SS"

"DPS S.S.- the next level

Straight from the SIA booth…

The skinny on the S.S. technology- new to DPS Pure Skis for 10/11. It's a game changer. With a Patent app in hand… the cat can now come out of the bag…meow.

The three basic goals in ski construction are:
1. Lightweight: skis move across your body instantly, quick changes, playful, and powerful creative skiing. less fatigue.
2. Power: reactivity, energy transfer, and responsiveness.
3. Vibration Dampening; better ride quality and stability at speed. silky smooth sensations and reduced deflection.

Pure Carbon unquestionably ramps and nails the first 2 over anything else built. However, in chopped, harder snow jazz, the reactivity of carbon for #2 can also work as detriment to #3.

Over the last year, we have been testing and building what we call the "S.S"- the special sauce.

The S.S. is a series of vertically laminated metal ribs built into the core that tie the upper and lower pre-preg carbon laminates together, and tune the ride into the silky smooth feel of a metal ski - without adding any weight or detracting from the sheer power of the carbon. It is the sweetness. We have toyed with different levels of metal and tuned it into an alchemy of metal dampening. The S.S. is Pure: Carbon+ Nano- now taken to 11. Super light, more powerful than anything built, and now silky smooth- ok, enjoy."

"Torsion tester showing a a well endowed physical specimen: Pure versus a double metal laminate sled. 30% torsionally stiffer, 30% lighter."

Andy David at Storm Skis has expanded their lineup to 12 models to cover nearly any market segment in 2010-2011, including the introduction of an early-rise tip/tail spatula/pintail powder ski ("Twisted Sista").  Andy sent their new catalog to us. Click HERE to view the new Storm Skis catalog (11mb PDF).  They continue their woodcore, sandwich construction throughout the lineup. We tested a couple models of their skis last season.  They will be at ISPO and SIA for 2010.

Click image for slightly larger version.

We bought a pair of Edelwiser Speed 172cm carving skis (€690 retail) and supplied our own graphics to see how the second-generation topsheets are coming along (and to get a fun frontside ski).  The graphics were laid out exactly as planned and submitted electronically, although we messed up by not figuring in the binding heelpiece demo track length (we ordered demo bindings for testers to use...the tracks are longer than standard), so a small piece of the tail graphic is covered....but no big deal.

The old trend of trying for glossy topsheets for many custom graphic ski companies has yielded to the reality that a matte surface is often more durable and less prone to showing nicks, cuts and scrapes.  The Edelwisers came in a matte finish custom topsheet, with perfect pressing and trimming all around the perimeter of the ski. Very nice work.  Black is a notoriously difficult topsheet color to produce well and be durable. The black  is not as deep and rich as, let's say, a Kingswood gloss black topsheet (think highly polished, glossy piano BLACK)....but it will definitely not show the wear and tear as quickly as the glossy topsheet skis.   Below is an image of the original graphic file (low res), and the photos of the resulting skis.

Original Graphic Layout (low res)
(note tail graphic not covered by binding track)

Tail View
(Note graphics slightly covered by heelpiece track..oh well)

Forebody Pic

Forebody with dimensions text we added.
(yes, they list the dims that precisely...German/Austrian engineering mindset)

It's about time...hand it to the guys from New Zealand to finally realize kids want big-mountain, fat skis too!  Kingswood, the maker of premium bamboo-core powder boards, has announced 3 models of fat skis for kids. All have the lively, lightweight, vertically-laminated bamboo cores.  They are not inexpensive, but you get the Kingswood handmade quality you really can't find in kids' skis anywhere else.  Good move Kingswood!

The Grub (95-70-87 r=7 @ 88cm) NZ$499:

The Sprog: (107-80-94 r=11 @ 110cm) NZ$599
(Early-rise twin tip)

The Takka: (126-100-117 r=16 @ 130cm) NZ$699

Wow...Bonnier Corp's Skiing Magazine published a little artlcle about us in the December 2009 on-line issue. Cool....

See:
http://www.skinet.com/skiing/gear/2009/12/welcome-to-the-small-ski-company-white-pages