For the past few seasons, the intense competition for the high-end ski dollar drove ski makers to maintain a galloping pace of product improvement. Even wildly successful models, such as Rossi’s runaway Big Mountain hit, the Soul 7, underwent annual makeovers. The frantic pace of change seemed out of step with both consumer awareness and commercial requirements.
It appears the rate of model turnover is finally abating. A big-picture view of the 2018/19 ski market reveals that the number of new models infiltrating all recreational ski categories is down significantly. Of the nearly 150 non-race men’s models pending review by Realskiers.com test shops, only 40 are new for next year.
Non-FIS race skis are excluded from this analysis for two reasons: they comprise a relatively tiny slice of the American market and, in contrast to all other ski genres, new 2019 models are the norm rather than the exception. Blizzard, Elan, Head, Nordica, Rossignol, Salomon and Völkl have all rejuvenated their non-FIS race offerings for next year. Now if we could only get more skilled skiers to rediscover the unparalleled joys of skiing a race-caliber rocket.
Pat Doyle doesn’t seem to mind that his skis will still be available next season.
Accounting for a good deal of the model turnover in key recreational categories are three major brands that introduced new technology to cornerstone model families. Atomic’s Profile construction brings a minimalist approach to its revamped Vantage series, building on a bare-bones latticework of Titanal or carbon. Rossignol applies its new Line Control Technology to all the top models of its latest Experience series, so construction and performance are more consistent across the series. Head’s V-Shape uses Karuba, carbon, Graphene and glass in unique core profiles to deliver a full range of lightweight system skis for skiers of every skill level.
A few brands have capitalized on the success of an existing model family by providing a new iteration, such as Head’s Kore 99 or Kästle’s MX99. Neither replaces a current model, but carves out space for a new shape within its series. For the fifth time in the Mantra’s long lifespan, Völkl has retained the venerable model name while changing everything about the ski it adorns. Perhaps Völkl added the “M5” prefix to the latest Mantra so its legion of fans would know that this one was really different. As indeed it is.
Perhaps it’s the result of the off-the-charts success of Blizzard’s Black Pearl franchise, but there are a higher percentage of new 2019 women’s models compared to men’s, as competitors scramble to catch up. K2, Salomon and Atomic turned over a considerable chunk of their women’s models, and Fischer, Line, Rossi and Völkl also made significant changes.
By now the Perspicacious Reader may well wonder, why present such a superficial, unrevealing string of marketing twaddle when what I want are juicy particulars?
First, please realize I’m not going to write anything that isn’t already widely known within the ski trade lest my commentary unduly influence any of the test data I will later receive. Second, the point of this piece isn’t to pick apart particulars about skis of the future, but to draw notice to the fact that nearly 75% of the current unisex ski market won’t change next year. There’s no reason to wait for next year’s incarnation of the perfect ski; most likely, it’s already right in front of you.
Realskiers subscribers often inquire as to when is the best time to buy. The answer is, now would be good. Selection is still excellent. There’s enough snow on the ground at most resorts to demo your top prospects. Pricing is negotiable. Gratification is instant.
To paraphrase the late, very great Warren Miller, “If you don’t buy new skis this year, you’ll be another year older when you do.”
Allow me to digress for a paragraph to honor Warren. As far as I know, I was the first and only writer ever to compose Warren’s narration for one of his features. He could not have been very thrilled with reading an inferior’s tepid drool, but he rose to the occasion and read the voice-over his handlers handed him. I got to know Warren well enough to channel him, but my role would perforce be performed at a distance. I wish that distance had not been so great. Farewell, Warren, there will never be another like you. And we are all the poorer for that.
The next time you’re pondering whether you should invest in a new pair of skis, ask yourself, “What would Warren do?”