Faction 183 3.Zero 2008

In a 183 the 3.Zero is probably the most versatile ski for big mountain freeride and still being able to hit the park. For most guys they will find the dimensions fantastic in the powder, the sandwich construction will give you stability and silkiness at speed plus you have all the benefits of tough Rockwell steel edges for grinding the rails.
Woodcored, hand made and at the forefront of the latest incarnation of Freeride.

The manufacturer says this about the Faction 183 3.Zero 2008:

We’ve shortened the 3.Zeros a touch to 183cm and fattened them up nearly 2cm to 112mm in the waist making them ideal for the backcountry, however with their silky smooth flex they’re still wicked in the park.

183cm – “3.Zero”:
Tip/waist/tail (mm): 142/112/132
Tip & tail height (mm): 55/50
Radius: 25m

Faction 191 Thirteen 2008

The daddies in the Faction range, the Thirteens are designed for bigger guys along Faction's ethos of making skis for riding the steep and deep in the morning yet remaining versatile enough to ride the park in the afternoons.
The dimensions are all here and floatation in powder with 112 mm underfoot is never going to be an issue. A genuine twip-tip and 28m radius mean you're going to be hucking fast, fakie and high but with such huge dimensions I would have thought they are going to ride pretty quickly through pretty much any terrain.
One for the experts.

The manufacturer says this about the Faction 191 Thirteen 2008:

To cater for all the bigger harder charging guys out there we’ve brought back the Thirteen to the collection – similar to the 3.Zero but with a stiffer flex and a 191cm length this ski will cut through anything at any speed.

191cm – “Thirteen”:
Tip/waist/tail (mm): 142/112/132
Tip & tail height (mm): 55/50
Radius: 28m

Line Shadow 2008

Incredibly stunning pair of skis. The Shadows came out during last year- Line tend to launch skis whenever they make them and often you can pick up pairs in limited numbers towards the middle or end of a season that will be destined for the following years market. The Shadow's are women specific freestyle skis and they look wonderful.
The construction and dimensions are all there and with a full maple woodcore, full-on twin-tip and the correct shaping they should prove very adept in the pipe and park whilst also being useable as an allmountain pair of skis for the majority of jibbers.
Stunning bits of kit for the advanced to expert freestyler.

The manufacturer says this about the Line Shadow 2008:

Hermann Maier joins Head skis for 2008

In Austria earlier today Head announced the stunning news that Hermann Maier has moved to Head Ski equipment for the coming year. Maier who ranks as one of the greatest athletes the sport has ever seen as been the poster boy of Atomic for at least ten years with his incredible on-snow exploits.

Maier's move to Head can be seen as a great endorsement of Head ski equipment and also a need for Maier to inject some new life into his skiing after a tough season in 2006 where equipment issues were often raised.

Another big move is that of slalom star Giorgio Rocca moving to Salomon skis for the coming season and I am sure he will not be the last as the World's top skier continue to test equipment on Europe's glaciers in the off-season.

The manufacturer says this about the Head, Skis, Hermann, Maier, 2007, Austrian Ski Team:

Hermann Maier decides on a material change-over:
Welcome to the strong HEAD Racing Team

Salzburg, 20 June 2007. Following an intense testing and negotiation phase, ÖSV Athlete Hermann Maier has announced today that he will go into the skiing season 2007/08 with HEAD as his official material provider.

Johan Eliasch, CEO HEAD NV, welcomes Herman Maier to the “HEAD Family” and expresses his sincere happiness about the decision of the 33-year-old: “Herman Maier has always been an absolute superstar. When we decided one year ago to give elite sports as the main driver of innovation an absolute priority in the course of the re-positioning of HEAD and to reorganise the team, Herman Maier was on top of my wishlist – he simply is a phenomenal skiing athlete.”

Maier perfectly represents the brand HEAD – as Miller, Cuche & Co.

Klaus Hotter, Executive Vice President HEAD Skiing Division, is also convinced that the exceptional athlete from Salzburg with an outstanding personality is a perfect fit for the existing strong team, which assembles such charismatic athletes like Bode Miller, Didier Cuche and Marco Büchel. Like them, Herman Maier embodies the character of the brand HEAD. “Apart from a clear claim to leadership regarding technology and innovation, HEAD stands for the emotion and passion for sports. This is 100% true for Herman Maier, who has become an almost supernatural figure due to his exceptional skills and unique career.”

Atomic Big Daddy 2008

Huge. The daddies are amongst the largest of big mountain skis. 190cm and a massive 125mm underfoot. The Big daddies will take some getting used to and also a helicopter would be useful. As with most skis of this nature they will perform impeccably given the right conditions. The Big Daddy''s for 2008 are redesigned and have a bit more girth around the middle so they have a 41m radius which is ok off in the backcountry with lots of snow but will be a huge handful for mixed European conditions unless you have legs like Maier.

Very much a 100% powder ski for those with heli-access.

The manufacturer says this about the Atomic, Big Daddy, 2008:

Solid 125mm under the binding! Our freeride top models in a new design are a lot fatter around the hips! For even better floatation during radical turns in hip-deep snow!

Atomic Blackeye 2008

Next to the top-of -the-line Nomad, the Blackeye is a little stiffer, a touch more aggressive and better suited to sporty intermediate and advanced skiers. With adequate dampening and grip for quick red run skiing the Blackeyes look sleeker and feel the most solid in the range- in fact I think for most men the graphics alone will instill a bit more performance in you than the rather wishy-washy graphics on some of the lower models.

The Nomad Blackeye, a good ski for the intermediate to advanced skier.

The manufacturer says this about the Atomic, Blackeye, 2008:

Make a mark in the unending white snow. The superior futuristic Nomad model for athletic, demanding ski design purists. With six TFC sectors in the tip and four in the tail of the ski, the technology is also some of the finest on the slopes. For perfect enjoyment all over the world.

Atomic Blue Moon 2008

The second tier up in the Nomad range but it remains a versatile allmountain ski for those who are looking to potter along on the groomed runs after a few years of skiing or those who are looking for their first pair of skis but desire a real allterrain beast.
With a tame flex and very progressive sidecut the Blue Moons (what an odd name for a pair of skis) they are very forgiving and easy to use for the green to red run skier.

The manufacturer says this about the Atomic, Blue Moon, 2008:

Light and easy to ride. For all comfort-orientated all-round skiers who refuse to accept its limits on any type of terrain.

Atomic Cool Minx 2008

Ideal for beginner and intermediate skiers the short to medium turning Cool Minx are cute skis with a very easy-going personality for women who want a positive and friendly easy to use pair of skis. There are five sizes available with the first being a tiny 132cm, the only issue with skis for adults at this size is that they can be difficult to skid and all they want to do is carve- so go with a chin height length for most of you to give you a nice easy turning ski.
Whether you are just setting off on the greens or have skied for a couple of years but are slightly reserved then the Cool Minx would be perfect.

The manufacturer says this about the Atomic, Cool Minx, 2008:

Cool Minx- easy to handle, cool design. The ideal ski for effortless, easy drifting and turns on the groomed piste. Tolerant and energy saving.

Atomic Nomad Crimson 2008

A great little ski. They do not feel as large ass their 86mm underfoot would suggest and I really enjoyed their surprising level of agility, loightness, grip and fun- not to mention the excellent price for this level of ski.
The Nomad range is topped by the Crimson and I was very impressed by all aspects of this ski for the advanced skier as aa one ski does it all package. The only downside to the inexpensive price was the feel of the bindings that were fitted to my test pair but looking at the range for 2008 they should come with the Neox system which although aesthetically challenged is more than up to the job.

The manufacturer says this about the Atomic, Nomad, Crimson, 2008:

This wointer's crimson "must have". this very light, high-quality all mountain ski is the top model in the Nomad series. Six TFC sectors in the tip and four in the tail of the ski ensure a soft flex, while the reinforcement built with nano-technology positioned in the middle of the ski between the TFC sectors provides the necessary torsional rigidity. Dynamic, stable and with optimal edge grip. the technical highlight for all demanding ski nomads.

Atomic GS 12pb 2008

Fabulous silky, grippy and fast GS skis from Atomic. Not the full-on race version that FIS racers or serious club skiers in the Alps or Rockies will be looking for but wonderfully addictive, fast and responsive GS skis that drive you to go faster, take more angle and risks and whether in or out of the gates to play around with your line and play with the terrain and your ability. A ski like the GS 12pb which allows you to enjoy skiing and forget about your equipments limits and just enjoy the ride is a great feeling and I really enjoyed my time on the GS 12's.

The limits to GS skis come when the terrain or conditions aren't particularly great, as skis such as these have longer lengths, slimmer profiles and stiffer flexes they are not overly comfortable when things get bumpy, foggy or the snow soft. So they do make a great pair of second skis for the expert skier with a need for speed or those that are just getting into racing.

Excellent and highly recommended for early morning runs when you have the pistes for yourself and they are groomed to perfection.

The manufacturer says this about the Atomic, GS 12pb, 2008:

Top World Cup racing ski with Powerbridge technology for the most exacting requirements in the most technically demanding discipline: the giant slalom.
Unadulterating pleasure for all highly athletic fans of medium and large radii.
Excellent ski control in all phases of a turn, precise turn control, dorect transmission of power and perfect edge grip at even high speeds.

Atomic SL 12pb 2008

Fabulous. Atomic have always made excellent slalom skis and the SL 12's are no exceptions. They are quite easy to use and are suitable for advanced skiers as well as experts. think of them as a supersports motorbike or Lotus Elise car, they are really nippy, great fun, can carve any turn and have fantastic levels of power in most situations.
Compared tomany of the their predeccessors I would say these are the easiest pair to ski. The flex at the tail feels relatively soft, the tip is also quite forgiving and turns in easily- compared to the full-on World Cup skis that I also tried they are domestic cats in comparison to a pair of starved lions.
As a pair of allround slalom ski for day to day skiing they are excellent although your legs will burn after a couple of hours cruising around. As a race ski for most club skiers they will be adequate and quite quick but for the experienced racer then they will want to seek out the FIS version which is considerably quicker from edge to edge, stiffer, quicker and far less tolerant.
in all an excellent advanced to expert ski for all mountain short to medium radius turns with a load of Atomic's race experience to boot.

The manufacturer says this about the Atomic, SL 12pb, 2008:

Dynamic, agile, full of power: the slalom racing ski for all top athletes and lovers of short radii with high level of physical fitness. In a new red and white outfit.
Optimum edge grip and direct transmission of power for the straightest line down the mountain. Innovative developments such as Power-bridge technology guarantee optimal race performance for rapid turns and those crusial fractions of a second to put you into the lead across the finishing line.

Line Celebrity 2008

Beautiful looking yet very practicle womens freeride skis. The dimensions aren't too massive to put off the mere mortals amongst you. At 90mm underfoot you can ride pretty much the whole mountain although they would still be a handful in the bumps- the Celebrity's mainstay is mixing it up in the backcountry with some quick adventurous lines, hitting powder fields, nailing it through the trees and laying down some lines on the steep.
A fantastic loking pair of skis with all the benefits of Line's wood core constructions, tough Fatty bases and edges and a look to die for.

The manufacturer says this about the Line, Celebrity, 2008:

The Celebrity just received a major face lift that that includes a whole new freeride geometry and a powerful new Carbon Matrix construction. The result is un-matched power and precision not often found on women's freeride skis while maintaining a very light and agile feel. The Celebrity is a real freeride ski for aggressive female skiers ready to conquer the entire mountain.

Line Chronic 2008

The Chronics are legendary freestyle skis with an almost traditional 80mm underfoot for park agility and landings. They are slightly mounted rear of centre like a normal ski so they are better for the intermediate to advanced freestyler as opposed to the outright experts amongst you but that also allows you to use them as a much more versatile allmountain ski.
Line have always pushed their use of wood-cores and the Chronic features a strong Maple Macroblock core for lots of power and stability.

The manufacturer says this about the Line, Chronic, 2008:

The legend is back with it's solid flex that will practically stomp your landings for you. The 80mm waist provides edge-to-edge quickness to destroy the gnarliest of technical rails and heightens control out of the biggest of super pipes. The Chronic dominates every aspect of freestyle skiing with strength & power not found in other brands of freestyle skis. It's the Chronic!

Line Elizabeth 2008

Although the Elizabeths have massive dimensions they come in a quite short length- only 172cm. For this you get a ski that can still be spun, skidded, turned and generally played around with even though they are 139 at the tip and 110mm underfoot. In effect you have a couple of snowboards strapped to your feet and they are good fun but do take a little getting used to- they really ain't for ripping carves into firm European or East Coast snows.
Line have again furnished us with a stunning graphic and the Elizabeths look the part even off the snow but for fun loving, thrill seeking and an alternative perspective on skiing the Elizabeths will be hard to beat.
Expert riders to Pros.

The manufacturer says this about the Line, Elizabeth, 2008:

Upon her introduction two seasons ago Elizabeth established a completely new standard for freestyle performance in the backcountry. Entirely designed by Eric Pollard, from the shape to the graphics the Elizabeth's is a super fun ski, with a snowboard-like feel and agility that simply doesn't exist in any other ski. This is Eric's ski of choice for riding everything from the backcountry to the park. Soon it will be yours too.

Line Invader 2008

The Invaders are pure pipe and park skis. Freestyle heaven. Reasonable 83mm width underfoot in the mid-length 171cm gives enough stability underfoot when landing anywhere in the park or pipe or even on backcountry kickers. Centrally mounted for ultimate agility, flex tuned to give you both enough pop off the kickers or appropriate softness to butter the Invaders are very reasonably priced and great for chilling and hittin' it in da park.

The manufacturer says this about the Line, Invader, 2008:

The Invader continues with its one-of-a kind jib-specific features. Just when you thought it wasn't possible to get more for your money though, we've created a whole level of tip and tail durability for this year. We've laminated a layer of eurethane into the tips which enables them to flex during big impact instead of separate, for bombproof durability. No other ski gets you more for your money. Butter in control, ride fakie as comfortable as forward, and spin like there's nothing on your feet. Let the invasion begin!

Line Shadow 2008

Incredibly stunning pair of skis. The Shadows came out during last year- Line tend to launch skis whenever they make them and often you can pick up pairs in limited numbers towards the middle or end of a season that will be destined for the following years amrket. The Shadow's are women specific freestyle skis and they look wonderful.
The construction and dimensions are all there and with a full maple woodcore, full-on twin-tip and the correct shaping they should prove very adept in the pipe and park whislt also being useable as an allmountain pair of skis for the majority of jibbers.
Stunning bits of kit for the advanced to expert freestyler.

The manufacturer says this about the Line, Shadow, 2008:

We put all ten year's of our freestyle ski building experience and knowledge into the Shadow. From its ultra durable, yet light-weight construction, to the fine details in the graphics, this ski is designed and developed to be the most progressive, freestyle-specific female ski in the world.

Line Prophet 90 2008

Now in its second year the prophet 90 is a more versatile allrounder than the two very fat Prophets at the top of their family tree.
With a medium turning radius and large twin-tip they are surprisingly agile and easy to ski for the expert. 90mm underfoot is great for allround use in the backcountry and will still afford you a good deal of float with grip when required in steep couloirs.
the refreshed graphics look great and Line's fabulous range of wood cores go a long way to adding longevity to their products and feel to the snow.
Available in four lengths the Prophet 90's are ideal for the adventurous backcountry skier who wants to put some turns in and ski with more variety.

The manufacturer says this about the Line, Prophet, 90, 2008:

The Prophet 90 is a true go-anywhere, ski-anything, all-mountain arsenal of one. It features the same geometry and construction as the 100 but in a 90mm width that makes all-mountain versatility an understatement. Drop into the back bowls, navigate the trees and air back on to the groomers laying out F1-like turns on the way to the chair. Like you, this ski cannot be stopped

Line Prophet 130 2008

155-130-148, these are dimensions that would probably scare you to take up rollerblading and listening to Cliff Richards if your girlfriend had them but in the Prophet 130's they are going to give you lots of float on champagne powder rather than let you sink you into the depths of a supersized depression.
The graphic is fantastic as on many of the this years Line skis and the 130's are fantastic big mountain skis for when the conditions are right- I just don't like being on skis like these when the conditions are firm. A great pure powder pair of skis for the dedicated few.

The manufacturer says this about the Line, Prophet, 130, 2008:

The Prophet 130 literally redefines the way we are able to ride powder. Its 130mm waist and fat tips eliminate the need to sit back in the deep stuff. Instead you are able to pressure the tongues of your boots which enhances control & responsiveness over the ski. The result is incredible strength, power, float and stability, while maintaining an extremely light and agile feel. This is why the Prophet is considered to be one of today's most progressive big mountain skis.

Line, Prophet 100 2008

The Prophet 100's are 100mm underfoot and are marketed as Line's most versatile allround fat ski when taking in the construction. 100mills remains a lot underfoot and the ski is great off piste and full of pop and life whilst the wood-core and metal-matrix gives lots of grip and power on firmer runs and at speed. So the Prophet 100's have the grip but not really the agility to make them a ski happy on-piste but if you are the type of skier who is on the mountain regularly and want to rip at speed to the next backcountry huck then you will absolutely love the the smaller Prophets. They are perfect in the mixed backcountry conditions that you would find in most of Europes bigger resorts with lots of varying snow conditions and lots of ridges and cliffs to toy with.
Again a ski for the expert really although if you are advanced and are heading off to ski a season then you may really grow into a pair of skis like the Prophet 100.

The manufacturer says this about the Line, Prophet, 100, 2008:

The Prophet 100 is one of the most versatile fat skis on the market. The 100mm waist width floats in the deep backcountry powder yet maintains plenty of agility, edge hold and responsiveness when ripping up the groomers on the way to the lift. The secret ingredient lies in its Metal Matrix technology that provides extra power, edge-grip, stability and torsional responsiveness where you need it while reducing weight where you don't. Enjoy.

Line Sir Francis Bacon 2008

The Sir Francis Bacon is an amazing looking pair of skis and as innovative as one would expect from Line. With huge dimensions, 142-115-139, and a relatively short length of 182cm should prove the Bacon's very useable and agile in the way that their snowboard inspired ethos would have you believe.
The tip and tail are softer and easier to "butter", essentially to skid and slide over terrain features, the ski is going to be torsionally less stiff so that you can make more backcountry freestyle manoeuvres.
Aimed at the specialist the bacon is going to be best in the hands of an expert or aspiring Pro skier. If you wanna go big, spin high, and get yourself into the celluloid then a pair of bacon's could be for you.

The manufacturer says this about the Line, Sir Francis Bacon, 2008:

Eric Pollard never stops progressing his riding, nor the design of the skis that support him. This year he took his successful Elizabeth design, a few steps further in the form of Sir Francis Bacon. Sir Francis was given 10cm more length, 5mm more width and extended tip transitions for the best freestyle performance in the powder to date. Slash wind lips, butter off cornices, throw zero spins off cliffs, and stomp it all in fresh powder like it ain't no thing. This is how Eric Pollard rides, and this is his ski.

Eric is not only a sick skier; he's an artist, a visionary and most of all an incredible inventor. Most people will tell you they wish a ski was a little softer or stiffer, with more or less sidecut. When Eric wants to change a ski, he doesn't change it, he invents a new one. Read the PROPHET DEVELOPMENT STORY to understand what we're talking about. The Elizabeth and Sir Francis Bacon is one of those skis that many don't understand the first year because its so damn ahead of its time, (like many of our new models) but those that get on it can never go back.

Eric was spending 20 or more days a year snowboarding and was always frustrated when he went back to his skis that he couldn't get the same performance out of them. After months of thinking about it, he sent us some designs for a ski that had snowboard like features for snowboard like performance. He wanted a deep sidecut that was super quick at the tips and bigger in the waist so that he could carve easily off the lips of jumps to get corked and carve effortlessly once put on edge like a snowboard. He asked for a very soft flex so that he could butter on them in control like a snowboard instead of fighting the stiff flex. He made the geometry and stance slightly set back only about 1.5” but made the flex symmetric so that it would respond equally over terrain when riding forward or backwards. He insisted on sidewall construction for not only cool looks but a very forgiving snowboard-like feel when on edge. Then of course he wanted it to be wide for stomping fakie landing in pow and he strongly believes you should never ride anything narrower than your sneaker even on hard-pack. Ask him about it.

The result was the Elizabeth, possibly the most fun freestyle ski ever created. Most people think of this as a powder specific freestyle ski but Eric actually uses it mostly for park and insists that over time, others will as well. When he's exclusively in the powder he actually uses a 140-150mm waist version of the Elizabeth that we build for him only…for now. We made Elizabeth in a 172cm length only because that's what Eric rides for reduced swing-weight and light, optimal maneuverability while doing tricks. As you now know the ski was a huge success with the few that purchased the limited quantity produced the first year. Many skiers asked for a longer version so we listened and built the Sir Francis Bacon. While we were building a new length, Eric thought it would be a good bonus to go 5mm wider and adjust the tip transition too for even better float.

Eric painted the Elizabeth on canvas then we scanned it in the computer to print the top. The Sir Francis Bacon he drew on the computer using Adobe Illustrator. Eric named each of these skis . . . he's a creative guy. The Sir Francis Bacon was a famous dude who, coincidentally, was around in Queen Elizabeth's time. Google him or read the stories we found.