We tend toward hyperbole and humor here at GoBlog, because it helps distract readers from the bad writing and lack of substance we generally provide. Yet, strangely, we're one of the largest outdoor blogs around, so what does that say about you, gentle readers? But we digress. If you read about the world's most expensive ski boots we posted about a few weeks ago, and decided you must have a pair, why not add a pair of the world's lightest powder skis to your shopping list? Weighing in at 2000 grams (4.3lbs) for a pair of 175s, the Black Powder aim to be the GoBlog of mountaineering skis: fast, light, good in the sack on the mountain. Wooo. From their press release:
-
Is ultra-light so that the energy saved on the way up
leaves you the strength to enjoy the descent
- Is not too long in order to facilitate kick turns while
climbing, to be maneuverable during the descent
and to move easily around obstacles (narrow
corridors, trees)
- Its width at the waist is compatible with all
crampons
- The width at the tip allows easy lift off of powder,
while remaining reasonably narrow to break trail on
the way up
How did they accomplish this feat of engineering marvel? Again, we defer to their press release:
The BLACK POWDER is a ski with a "partial core"
(AlpControl patent) which is shorter than the ski, so that
the upper and lower layers of carbon sandwich come
together to form carbon/epoxy composite monoblocs at
the tail and spatula.
Because a ski should remain flexible, we ruled out fibers
too rigid (high modulus) and instead selected the strongest "high tensile" fiber: the Toray T700S. The T700S is one of the rare fibers in the world with a rate of elongation before break well above 2%, ensuring a high tolerance to shock.
The catch is you need to use their binding it appears, the Mountain Spring, which secure your plastics to the skis. Alright, enough shop talk. Suffice it to say they were a finalist for an ISPO this year. Read about them yourself on the AlpsControl website. Download their the Black Powder techncial spec doc and press release here (pdf).
