BG's thread on Demo Bindings got me thinking on this topic again and it's something I've felt for awhile now. Basically that the technology than can be built into a ski peaked about 5-8 years ago. There really hasn't been anything "revolutionary" introduced in awhile. The models of skis you buy today are really no better than what you could buy 5-8 years ago, they're just different so the manufactures can market a new product. By my read, the last two big game changers in ski design were the introduction of shaped (parabolic - remember that word?) skis around the turn of the century and then rocker skis going mainstream about 8 years ago. Nothing much has changed since.
I think proof of this reality is that some ski companies are revisiting prior "hit" designs that they had moved away from. The two obvious current examples of this are Head with the Monster line and Nordica with Enforcers. The new Monsters and Enforcers aren't quite the same as the originals, but it would seem the two companies went back to those designs because the replacement models for the originals didn't sell nearly as well.
So, having said that, here's a few questions. I'll provide my answers in a follow up post.
1. Do you think there will be some new technology that revolutionizes ski building on the level that shaped or rockered skis have? A real game changer?
2. Absent of a real game changer in question 1, what are some incremental improvements in design you'd like to see?
3. What kind of mass market available ski design doesn't exist today that you wish did and would buy based upon your skiing preferences?
I think proof of this reality is that some ski companies are revisiting prior "hit" designs that they had moved away from. The two obvious current examples of this are Head with the Monster line and Nordica with Enforcers. The new Monsters and Enforcers aren't quite the same as the originals, but it would seem the two companies went back to those designs because the replacement models for the originals didn't sell nearly as well.
So, having said that, here's a few questions. I'll provide my answers in a follow up post.
1. Do you think there will be some new technology that revolutionizes ski building on the level that shaped or rockered skis have? A real game changer?
2. Absent of a real game changer in question 1, what are some incremental improvements in design you'd like to see?
3. What kind of mass market available ski design doesn't exist today that you wish did and would buy based upon your skiing preferences?