Skis sure look different these days, one look at our ski wall will solidify that statement. I remember a decade or more ago the ski publications were lamenting the death of skiing. Snowboarding was rocketing in popularity and ski sales were in the tank. Back then the technology was race based, make it go faster. Then the carvers came along, all of a sudden the non-race side of skiing became more fun. Beginners picked it up faster. Next came twin tips which allowed quick edge transitions, and of course the ability to ski backwards. With these changes skiing received an injection of enthusiasm, snowboarders were learning to ski, terrain parks gained popularity. Next came rocker, again making it easier for the beginner/intermediate, and let the progress quicker. That brings us about up to speed, but there are still companies out there pushing designs further.
This year we have a new entry to the ski wall, DPS. Started in 2005 by Stephen Drake and Peter Turner. Drake had been chasing powder skiing on other brands that he was modifying to get them to ski the way he wanted. Imagine buying a new ski and bending it, this idea came about purely by accident, Drake had launched a big drop and bent the tips of his Atomic Powder Pluses. At first bummed the more he skied them the more he liked them.
Drake rides a chairlift with Turner and they start talking skis and ski design. Drake wants a ski that is lighter then his stock/modified models. Together they form DPS and the legend is born.
The Wailer 112 was released winter 2010/2011to much fanfare. This is a big ski (141/112/128), with an outside-the-box design. Lots of rocker (450mm tip/400mm tail) and sidecut. Similar to the Rossi S7 but lighter.
We are carrying both versions the Pure Carbons and the Hybrids. The Hybrids have upped the ante by taking taking the industry standard fiberglass construction and adding two beefy carbon stringers, boosted the core with bamboo, added urethane dampening, and maintained the fastest, hardest graphite bases made. While the Carbons are a ski that is truly unique and that feels unlike anything else made; a ski that actually makes you rip harder because it produces more power, is more reactive, and weighs less than traditional skis. Pure skis also have a practically infinite flex life, and don’t break down like normal glass skis- endowing them with immense value.
Come down today and see where technology is headed!