2012 Skis

[gozips]

I had the chance to try out a bunch of next year's skis last weekend - found some good stuff. I'm curious...has anyone else tried the new K2 "Impact" ski? I guess it's based on the Rictor, but with a wood core (but still skis as stiff).

 

[thetrailboss]

Is K2 still using foam in its skis?

 

[wa-loaf]

I had the chance to try out a bunch of next year's skis last weekend - found some good stuff. I'm curious...has anyone else tried the new K2 "Impact" ski? I guess it's based on the Rictor, but with a wood core (but still skis as stiff).

The Richtor is a woodcore ski.

Is K2 still using foam in its skis?

I don't know if they've used it since the 80's.

 

[marcski]

Aren't most manufacturers back to using mostly wood cores these days after all the Rossi debacle about 10 yrs ago?

 

[thetrailboss]

I know that several manufacturers *may* use foam in their entry level skis and that Salomon did as recently as 5 years ago or so.

 

[wa-loaf]

Salomon did as recently as 5 years ago or so.

Yeah, and they got a bad rap for it. They're back though with the Enduro! Not so sure about that BBR ...

 

[thetrailboss]

It's the wood that makes it good.

Anyone skied on a ski with bamboo or another non-traditional wood core?

 

[gmcunni]

Anyone skied on a ski with bamboo or another non-traditional wood core?

no, but i do have a bamboo softball bat, the thing is awesome. bamboo is some hard freakin' wood!

 

[thetrailboss]

no, but i do have a bamboo softball bat, the thing is awesome. bamboo is some hard freakin' wood!

I know that bamboo grows faster than other kinds of wood, but I was a bit wary when I saw some skis this season with bamboo cores.

 

[gmcunni]

I know that bamboo grows faster than other kinds of wood, but I was a bit wary when I saw some skis this season with bamboo cores.

i don't know jack about ski or bat construction but i was really shocked when i got this bat. the ball flies off it and goes 20+ yards further. i had a chart showing the properties of a few woods and metals and the bamboo was up there with metal in terms of "hardness". no idea how that translates to skiing, i'd think it would be a stiff ski.

 

[Puck it]

 

[wa-loaf]

Wow, what a terrible chart.

 

[gmcunni]

the info i found was -

A viable replacement for wood. Bamboo is one of the strongest building materials. Bamboo's tensile strength is 28,000 per square inch versus 23,000
for steel.

 

[Puck it]

Wow, what a terrible chart.

Better one, but it protected.

http://www.findanyfloor.com/hardwood/JankaHardnessRatings.xhtml

 

[hammer]

no, but i do have a bamboo softball bat, the thing is awesome. bamboo is some hard freakin' wood!

I took an Arnis (Filipino martial art using two bamboo sticks) class a number of years back. Some of the drills we did involved a lot of hard hits between the sticks. I did end up splitting one set of sticks but it took several weeks to do so.

I also have a bamboo floor in one room of my house. It's not bulletproof (it does have a few dents) but I'd say that it's holding up at least as well as the oak floors I have.

BTW, I think bamboo is considered a grass and not a wood...but in any case it's pretty hard.

 

[Puck it]

the info i found was -

This is a good chart.

http://www-materials.eng.cam.ac.uk/mpsite/interactive_charts/strength-density/IEChart.html

 

[Puck it]

the info i found was -

Depends on the steel spec. For some structural steels, it is equivalent.

 

[thetrailboss]

BTW, I think bamboo is considered a grass and not a wood...but in any case it's pretty hard.

Good catch. I think that is the case.

And IIRC I saw some Black Diamond skis on Steep and Cheap recently that were bamboo.

 

[wa-loaf]

Better one, but it protected.

http://www.findanyfloor.com/hardwood/JankaHardnessRatings.xhtml

Brazillian Walnut would be some pretty stiff skis ...

I think the bamboo probably has a good combo of strength, flexibility and light weight. The weight certainly is an advantage for backcountry skiing.

 

[wa-loaf]

So what else did you ski? Where did you ski them?