Concept Ski

Praxis Skis has strived to create skis thinking outside the box, designing skis that stand out and are revolutionary within an increasingly competitive industry. One such idea has been in our discussions for the last few years but it wasn’t until this year that the rationale behind the idea started to make sense in “concept” so we tested the theory.

At first glance the ski is easily questioned. Let me explain more how we came about the design. A little background info…..here at Praxis Skis we love our Powderboards a full reverse sidecut ski! Mostly because of the power of driving the ski is transferred to the underfoot area of the ski. Allowing the skier to surf the MTN in a new way but also gain edge hold and ability to kill speed faster, all this incomparable to any other design we’ve tried. The combination of power and pivot underfoot and lack of tip and tail catch or hang ups make the Powderboards exceptional.

As most ski companies have done over the past few years one of our first projects was to create the hybrid reverse sidecut/ regular sidecut ski. The result is a ski with sidecut underfoot and tip and tail reverse sidecut or early taper. Trying to “fix” the “problems” many have well skiing on a full reverse sidecut ski. Today you see many ski manufactures making these types of skis and they are very popular. And, without a doubt this is a huge advancement in powder skiing designs. Our ProTest design is an example and in my opinion one of the better designs offered on the market today.

BUT. The reality of making a reverse sidecut hybrid design comes with some sacrifice from the performance offered in soft snow by the full reverse sidecut. The hybrid type design gives up some of that point specific power underfoot and MTN surf experience, loosing pivot, maybe gaining control in some conditions but loosing pivot and edge slip ability. So this new idea sat in the back of my mind for the last 3+ years and I just couldn’t rationalize it…until now…..

I always wanted to design the hybrid ski with reverse sidecut underfoot…..why? So I could slip my edge. YES, slide the edge! Trying to draw this ski I had failed to complete a drawing I liked. Until this year, it clicked! I’m not making a hybrid design…. It’s something new… I need to draw a 3 point sidecut. This is the answer. Many drawings later I finally had something that made sense. Finally…time to cut a full size template with the CNC. I cut it and looked at the MDF template for a few hrs, talked about it with anyone that would listen, threw the template into the dumpster and went back to the drawing board. Repeated this cycle for a week or two and finally came up with something I felt I could ski. So I made a pair.

OK. To the point. The Ski. The basics; it has tip and tail taper. It has reverse sidecut underfoot! This transfers to a very complex design. The rationale that clicked to decide this ski design would work was the fact that the reverse sidecut underfoot would not make the ski turn in the opposite direction when driven/edged like a reverse sidecut ski does. NO! It would not make the ski carve funky at all. When the ski was put on edge and engaged into a turn on hard snow it would create 3 contact points tip, underfoot, and tail points. A 3 point sidecut radius.!!! In-between these contact points are 2 alternative sidecut radius. With a perceived sidecut radius when the ski is fully engaged on the 3 points (making sense???)

Why is this better? Well. It completes what I was looking for in this hybrid type design. A ski that would ride an edge on groomers and ski well around the resort. A ski that follows the “fatter underfoot theory of weight distribution”, a ski that has the ability to carve and slarve! Pivot or slip or hold an edge. But when I tested it I realized the ski offered more. Something I have never experienced. Edge power underfoot….

After completing the design and making the ski I was more than excited to try this concept, I felt it had enormous potential and was an entirely new concept to the ski industry. A rush to the ski shop, quick stone gride edge wax and binding mount. It was Friday afternoon and I had plans of working the weekend away well the warriors had their way with the local mtns. But I couldn’t wait to try this design! I wanted to see what would happen when the ski was put on edge. What is this thing going to do? I really didn’t know but the concept had consumed me for week’s maybe years so it was time to find out. I, being the owner of a ski manufacturing company, of course; have no ski pass, so a quick text to a buddy at Squaw. You working? ….. YES… sweet can I poach some night skiing? Yeah. Stoked….

Standing at the top of the MTN run at squaw on a cold icy night I knew this would be good test. Would the ski carve? Or would it just get all sketchy on edge, would it even turn?!?! I was excited to ski it, but also nervous because I knew design failure would show very quickly. I kicked off got speed (takes a bit on mtn run) slowly rolled my ankle and put the ski on edge…..it carved…. again. and again and again. It worked! Still so much testing to do but test one was a success.

Over the next month more testing was done and a lot was learned. Design modifications were made. The concept ski for 2011 was created, and we quickly realized for so many reasons something great was created. I want others to try this new design as well so it’s being initially offered at the lowest price possible….try a pair!