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In Part 3 of our series on the Best Skis of the Century, Luke Koppa and I discuss some of the great answers from our BLISTER+ members and Digital Access Pass subscribers, as well as the selections from various ski designers, pro skiers, and folks from some of our Blister Recommended Shops.
Note: We Want to Hear From You!
Please let us know if there’s a topic you’d like us to cover or a guest you’d like us to have on GEAR:30. Or if you’d like to nominate yourself for a ‘Gear Therapy’ episode, let us know that, too! You can email us here.
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TOPICS & TIMES:
New BLISTER+ Members (3:04)
Your Answers (BLISTER+ & DAP Subscribers) (4:27)
Industry Answers (26:29)
Request: Please Send Us Some BBRs (46:24)
Preview of Part 4: Best Skis of the Century (48:53)
CHECK OUT OUR OTHER PODCASTS (click each to learn more):
Tom is right about the Scratch BC/FS. The 1080 got the ball rolling, but the Scratch BC/FS and the team of riders on it really made it happen. Let’s not forget a younger Candide on the Scratch BC.
The Scratch FS IS the reason I ski today. I spent a week demoing a pair after a few years having switched to snowboarding. That week ignited a lifelong attachment to skiing. I’m not biased….
Also people fundamental is creative ski development:
Jason levinthal
Julian Regnier (sp?)
Candide thovex
Chris benchetler
Eric pollard
Thank you for sneaking in the trouble maker. Bravo. I think I saw a leaked photo of an M-Free 112 with an OG troublemaker graphic. If that becomes available, it’s a must buy for me.
Maybe I missed it but, the last few seasons I’ve been loving the Elan Ripstick 96 and 106. They have change the way I ski. Awesome all mountain tools.
I gravitate toward thinking of best as most influential and everything we’re skiing now traces back to four skis in my mind… but as was mentioned snowboarding probably had the greatest influence especially in creating these influencers.
Atomic Powder Magic: The first fat ski everyone said was for old people. Note: the name was changed to Powder Plus… I think due to a lawsuit from Kneissl.
Elan SCX: The first short, sidecut-heavy carver. So ugly.
Salomon 1080: Twin tips for the masses kept kids from switching to snowboarding.
Volant Spatula: full mad-scientist mode — rocker and reverse sidecut.
I draw a straight line from those four to basically every shape on the wall today.
Respect to the innovators and the ancestors.
If yall like wooden sidewalls, check out Skevik skis from B.C.!! Definitely B.C. skis, but they’re bomber and I’m a huge fan
Can we get some commentary/review on Lib Tech skis? I’ve had more of them than any other company’s skis and I want a baseline to know if I’m missing out on something.
I think of the Salomon 1080 as a turning point in freestyle skis. I remember going to a quarterpipe contest at Brohm Ridge in 1998 and seeing a crew of skiers (Canadian Airforce??) on 1080s and having a new appreciation for what freestyle skiing was. Line Prophet 100s stand out to me as a wide twin tip ski that made skiing at Baker easier. More recently I think Chris Benchetler has had a huge influence on ski design and a positive impact on a lot of skiers.
I just leave this here for all to enjoy:
Samples Used On Public Enemy’s “It Takes A Nation of Millions To Hold Us Back”
https://youtu.be/s5ThsaETsJk?si=BBy3_pMXBdhLCQUS
While the JJ is certainly Armada’s most influential ski from a design perspective, it’s hard to deny the impact the original AR5 and ARV had on park/freestyle skiing culture. The iconic imagery of T-Hall winning X-Games gold during the peak of his powers, standing on the podium, while the crowd raised their AR5s is hard to forget. The release of those original Armada skis also corresponded with the release of Session 1242, in my view, the most iconic freestyle film of all time. In that film, T-Hall and J.P Auclair had the two opening segments where they were both skiing on AR5’s and V’s. The graphic on that original ARV was duplicated on the original E-Dollo model as was the original AR5 graphic on later AR models. To me, as an impressionable 13 year old at the time, those skis were the epitome of cool and marked a definitive shift away from the new Canadian air force/1080 era towards a style of freeskiing that was more in line with snowboarding.
Really enjoying this series. Great to hear the Volkl Kikku mentioned, my partner and friend still ski theirs and love them. Any ideas on a modern equivalent?
To Luke’s point about Candide skis, there have been a few clips on social media of the updated line and the website seems to be up and running again.
Love my Moment Meridians so was good to hear Max’s call out, though agree it has to be Bibby/Wildcat or even Deathwish over the Meridian. I love that the wider 117 is back, but sadly cannot justify adding another ski to my quiver (back to the wrestle between need and want!)
All this line blade talk got me thinking – If all your skiing was resort uphilling, due to 5am-7am weekdays being your main time with no other obligations, how crazy would it be to throw a tech binding on this guy to maximize #groomerfun on the way back down.