Part 1 of the ISPO Report 2016: You could almost copy the text of last year's ISPO article, because the biggest trend in ski models is still: 15% lighter. Sometimes even 20%, but mostly with the same shapes. Balsa or paulownia wood in combination with carbon or particularly light fiberglass, depending on the price range, promise the same performance with noticeably less weight on the foot. Weight is now being saved on all wider ski models, not just the uphill-oriented ones.
Otherwise, it is noticeable that the classic ski companies are increasingly withdrawing from the freestyle sector and limiting themselves to 1-2 park twin tips. Atomic, for example, still has the Bentchetler in its range, but otherwise only the directional skis of the Backland (formerly Automatic) series are offered. Similarly, Salomon is saying goodbye to the Rocker2 models and limiting itself to the QST series. K2 is keeping the Pinnacle series and sorting out the range on the twin tip side (two models from the popular Shreditor series have been dropped). Instead, there is the new Marksman, a model designed by Pep Fujas, which has an asymmetrical tip shape (inside similar to Shreditor, outside similar to Pinnacle). This is not a revolutionary ski design, as asymmetrical skis have been around for a very long time. Nevertheless, it is a fresh concept for an all-mountain ski, which at first glance is reminiscent of a ski idea like the BBR from Salomon, but could also find fans outside the consumer market. Line is launching a 180cm long swallowtail ski from the pen of Eric Pollard. Line, Armada, Faction and other ski companies that have emerged from the freeski movement are increasingly offering the full range, for example twintips and flattails in every width, but also more and more directional touring or even piste-oriented models. Most of the information and trends from ISPO can be found in the following 90 pictures, divided into three picture galleries: (The photographer apologizes for the poor quality of some of the pictures, it was quite hectic today). Rossignol, Head, Atomic, Salomon, Fischer, BlackDiamond, Nordica, Völkl, Faction, RMU:Line, K2, Elan, Blizzard, Dynastar:4FRNT, Armada, Black Crows, DPS, Kästle, Liberty, Movement, Scott, Dynafit, G3, Black Diamond: Click on "View Album"...
