Ski Grphics Like its 1987

If you got to pick what goes on your top sheet of your skis, what would you choose? I think there are some great graphics out there and others that just stink. However someone may hate what you like and vice versa. I am sure some people will find my graphics disappointing. It seems the older I get, the COOLER the 80’s get. The 80’s had some great movies and TV shows, great music, and my favorite colors of all time: NEON. For me, there was also the great Town and Country Surf design. My uncle was a rep for them back in the day and I had my share of their merchandise. I loved the characters and bright colors of the surf themed designs. I thought I was so cool in those shirts…and let’s face it…I was! If you don’t remember them, take a look at this link: http://stevenazar.com/tcsurfdesigns4higherres.html . Those characters were drawn by Steven Nazar. If you don’t recognize these characters you can check out his website. He had some other well known and great t-shirt graphics out there back in the day. I am excited about my graphics and I will post a picture of the final graphics once it is all put together. I want to give a shout out to my co-worker and graphic designer Kenzie Morris for helping me put my vision together. You rock Kenzie!
The length of my ski will be 186 with dimensions of 140-115-131. Tip rocker and small tail kick. The flex should be a medium tip and medium/stiff underfoot with a stiff tail. I want a Dynastar XXl type ski with a bit more side cut, tip rocker and a similar flex (maybe a touch softer). The building process should start next week and I hope to be cruising down the mountain on these skis by the end of the month. Can’t wait to see the finish product.

Materials and more Materials.

The second ski class was based around materials and what goes into a ski. They asked us to watch videos of skis being made before class to get a idea of how the process works.  The style of construction used is called sandwich construction. You literally build the ski layer by layer. You start with the base and edges then run rubber strips along the edges and add fiber glass. Then you follow that by adding the core and more fiber glass and carbon fibers if that is what you choose.  You then add side walls, tip and tail spacers and more fiber glass over the mounting area and then the top sheet.  I am not sure this is the exact order but its close.  We also discussed the weight of skis and how each material affects the weight of the skis. The types of materials we will be using are Poplar core,  2.0 mm edges durasurf bases, UHMW top sheets and sidewalls, Carbon fiber and Fiber glass.

The most interesting part of class to me was talking about core profiles. I just figured the flex of the ski was determined by how much fiber glass you used rather than the core profile. We were shown on a graph 2 core profiles.  One was a symmetrical core that had a buildup in the middle of the ski, giving it more of an equal tip and tail flex. The second was a traditional core where the buildup was moved back from the center of the core giving the ski a more traditional feel.  We also talked about how milling just a fraction of the tip or tail or waist will change the flex.  The flex can also be altered by the weight of the fiber glass, carbon and how much of each you use in building the ski.

Overall, it was a great class and I’m looking forward to getting started.  I have been trying to decide which type of ski to build. As of now, I think I’m going to build something around 188 cm in length and a 115 mm waist.  This is more of a charger directional ski that will compliment my current quiver of skis quite well.  I have an idea of my graphics, the rocker and camber profile and the flex I want out of this ski. Let’s get started!

Raw Material Pics for skis

Ski Building 101

About 3 weeks ago, I got a email from Jared at Bluehouse Skis telling me they were going to start a ski building class and he asked what I thought. He explained that the class would be 8 weeks long and anyone who did it would get to design a pair skis from start to finish. The first session of classes will be the pilot classes to see how things will work and to see what adjustmens will need to be made for future classes. During the classes, a person will get to design a mold, pick the materials, pick the graphics and chose the rocker and the camber profile of their skis. You get to make two pairs of skis total.  You get to design one mold and then pick one of theirs molds to make the second pair. They will help you build the first pair of skies and if you choose, you can build the 2nd pair on your own. After getting to ski on the 191 Pricint with the new rocker profile, I was sold.  They skied great! So sign me up.  This is something I have always wanted to do.

The first class started last Thursday.  We talked about what kind of skies we would like to design, had a tour of the shop and received a overview of the different equipment and materials we would be using. And so it begins. I have my homework and I have a friend, Kenzie Morris designing my graphics for my skis. I have two ideas I'm trying to decide between.  I am either going to make a all mountain ski with a 110 mm waist, tip rocker and tail kick or a powder ski with 125 mm waist. I just am not sure which to make. I am also interested in making a ski that is similar to the Pricint but I would change the flex and chop 5cm off the tail.  You can comment if you have any opinions. I will be documenting the whole process from start to finish on my blog describing the experience and posting pictures. Should be a great time and a interesting journey.

And we are Back

I tried to start this a year ago, however I started a new job and I didn't end up with a season pass (last season we had record snow and it felt like I missed all the good storms with what day passes I had due to work and other reasons). Overall last season was good though. I got two great cat skiing trips and got to ski at  Snowbird for my birthday (technically the day after which was July 2nd).  After a two year hiatus, I am thrilled to have a season pass again, even if the snow isn't the greatest this year. There is nothing like heading up the canyon to Snowbird with that pass dangling from around my neck. I have a great wife who lets me out the door to ski even with two small kids at home.
Its hard to believe that 15 years ago Bob Woods took me night skiing and that event has forever changed my life. In the last 15 years skiing has influenced my choices in career, friends, spending time and money and how I view life. Its been an amazing journey and the snow conditions this year could dampen my spirits, but I am just grateful to ski.Why waste my time complaining when I could be skiing. There is a lot still to come in this season to look forward to and if all goes well, there will be at least 3 more months of skiing, a 3 day cat skiing trip, new boots to break in, testing skis from a local ski company and maybe even learning how to build a pair of skis myself. So pray for snow and get out there and ride.

History Part One A Awkward Beginning

I still remember my first day of skiing I could not tell you the exact date or month. I know it was January or February of 1988. I was in 7th grade and my parents sighed me up for the ski program. I was excited to learn, it  met you got to miss half a day of school one day a week for 4 weeks. My mom had skied but my dad had not, my mothers favorite memory of skiing was being in the lodge with some friends and getting to meet Robert Redford.  Needless to say most of my friends had skied before and I knew I would not be in lessons with them. The buss ride I remember well I sat next to Mike King and behind us were two of the best looking girls in 7th grade we showed them how to put there passes on the metal wire and we talked to them. I thought this was going to be great. As the bus pulled in to Park West (its now The Canyons) we unloaded and I got my rental skis and met up with my class.  We practiced getting our skis on and then hiked up the small hill to try to ski. I thought this looks easy no problem. I sucked I was the only one in my class that first day that could not do it. It was two hours of pure frustration. I remember going to the lodge and feeling defeated. I went home very upset I even cried because I could skate board better than all my friends but I could not ski. My parents gave me a pep talk and I want back the next week and was able to start skiing. The next few lesson were great and I piked it up and got better each time. The next two years of Jr High I did the ski program it was great and I loved it. I remember asking for skis and getting told no and being told skiing was to expensive.
After 9th grade was over so was the ski program there was not high school equivalent and I want two years with out skiing. I heard other kids talk about skiing but in the back of my mind I believed it was to expensive and it would never really be something I would do. It was the early 90's I spent a lot of time rollerblading I grew up on the East side of Salt Lake. In my parents neighborhood there are a lot of hills. So we would go ride hills and just have fun. In some ways it felt a bit like skiing so that's what I did for the next few years. On week of my Sr Year some friends invited me night skiing. I borrowed skis from a neighbor and some ski pants. It was awesome I skied better than I ever had. As my Sr year ended and I began college I ended up in South Eastern Idaho at Ricks College the kids I became friends with some skiers and snowboarders. My first experience looking at skis was driving my friend Jesse around to every ski shop between Rexburg and Idaho Falls. You would think I would have skied but I did not I left Ricks in December and went home to Utah to finish the year.
As winter moved on and spring broke I got ready to serve a LDS Mission I was going to Scotland. Needless to say I was excited for the opportunity. My parents bought me a journal and in the front I wrote down things I wanted to do when I got home not to be distracted on my mission but just to remember some after mission goals. Some of those were learn to Fly fish, play the guitar and skiing. I will say I have tried fly fishing once and never learned to play the guitar but the goal of skiing was accomplished and to this day is a part of who I am.  

3 seasons

I believe there are only 3 seasons Ski season, Post ski season and Pre ski season. Right now we are sitting in post ski season. You may ask how are there only three seasons let me explain. Ski season begins for me when Snowbird opens (some time in November) and ends when Snowbird closes (this can be any time between May 1st on a bad year all the way to July 4th on a great year). When Snowbird closes Post skis season begins. This season is usually short but feels long because I cant ski and the blue and red boxes wont take me to the top of the mountain any more to ski. This season has become my least favorite its to hot I have to do yard work water my lawn. This season ends Labor day weekend. My favorite non ski weekend of the year. This all began for me with with Snigrab in 1997 when I bought my first pair skis. Today I would not shop at Snigrab its to expensive and they don't have nearly the goods they used to. Now Labor day weekend  is looked forward to because its back to work at Level Nine Sports for the season http://www.levelninesports.com/ . This will be my 6th season with them great shop great deals and great people. As you can guess post skis season is great, the temperature drops ski magazines are on the shelf's, new skis have arived at the ski shops and people are waiting for winter. With this being August I am glad that summer is almost gone there is still a while before ski season starts and there is more Mt Biking to be done but lets just say I wont miss the heat of summer and I cant wait to hear the sound of bindings snapping my boots to my skis.