PartnerNews | Valhalla Skis

OS: What does Valhalla stand for in three key words?

FA: Sustainability. Lightness. Fun.

How would you describe the market niche you serve with your skis? The market already offers almost everything...

In general, I can see a trend in part of society towards owning and consuming less, but with correspondingly high quality. In contrast to short-lived mass products, people are placing more value on durability and sustainability, coupled with a passion for the product or a passion for their own skis. It's about the personal value associated with it.

Look to the past. The ski store used to put completely new bases on your used skis. Now it's no longer worth it. New skis are cheaper than repairs. That's not what I want - it's kind of stupid, isn't it? I've also noticed at various test festivals that there are still many people who don't know any lightweight, wide powder skis that are suitable for touring.

So your skis are relatively expensive but also particularly durable. Isn't it uneconomical for you to build skis for eternity?

Such a small company doesn't need huge numbers of customers. I'm more interested in reaching and convincing buyers who want to ride my skis for a long time. And if something does break, there's an amazing amount that can be repaired.

And people pay for the quality?

In fact, I was initially met with a lot of surprise when I mentioned the price to interested buyers in the testimonials. Now that my skis have been out in the mountains for several years, I believe that the added value has been recognized. Buyers support local craftsmanship, sustainability, stability and the philosophy behind Valhalla. I would even say there is a certain enthusiasm among customers!

How do you see the future in terms of current trends in the ski market and the impact of coronavirus?

I think that the big players in the ski business will certainly feel a significant slump. They have to remain profitable with incredibly high volumes. Of course, this also applies to Valhalla - just to a much lesser extent. We are a small company and therefore very adaptable. I even believe that we could benefit. Our core products fit very well in these times of social distancing. In addition to all the challenges that are hitting society out there, people are moving out. They want to take care of their mental health and recharge their batteries while ski touring. That's exactly what our ski is for.

Do you think you're helping to shape a new trend?

Ski touring is booming, even if the alpine ski industry is probably on the decline in general. Many people are fed up with the whole ski circus. More and more are discovering ski touring for themselves. Many of them don't come from alpinism, where there is a strong focus on summits, but from freeriding. They want to go up as relaxed as possible and want the perfect slope instead of the most famous summit. In my opinion, there is also a trend towards preferring small local brands to large mass products. So I think so!

What do you personally like most about skiing? Presumably your skis match your preferences?

I love being outdoors, surrounded by fresh powder with my buddies. There's nothing better. And then a perfect descent... So I definitely come from an alpine skiing background and my focus is definitely on having fun downhill. It's perfect when you've earned it yourself. Which doesn't mean that I don't also go freeriding in the area or sometimes do a summit. I'm flexible in that respect. Even if the conditions aren't ideal, I still want to have the best possible ski with me that guarantees me fun. I have achieved this perfectly with the SMOC 104. I can strap it on every day and be sure that I have the right ski under my feet. And I'm proud of that too.

A few impressions from the Valhalla workshop in the video:

On the next page you will find my impressions of SMOC 115 --->

Short test Valhalla SMOC 115

My first impression: As soon as Freddi put the ski in my hand, I noticed the low weight for the not insignificant width. In 178cm length, one ski weighs 1650g. When flexing the ski by hand, it feels rather soft in the shovel area. As it is supposed to be a surfy, ascent-oriented powder weapon, this feels right for me. With a radius of 17.5m, an early starting rocker and a slightly offset center of radius, the ski also seems to be equipped for maneuverable action in dense forest. What's more, my need for high-speed turns has long since adapted to my ageing bones, so I don't need a ski for speed records.

Let's go

Snow has been announced in the Engadin - we're off to the Maloja Pass, Forno hut! What awaits us is not the dream of a Plaisier ski tour - but it couldn't be more perfect for a ski test. The first day we have (broken) hard snow, ice, sastrugi deserts and rutted snow. Then comes the Big Dump. A day of the finest powder. We leave the basin a few days later and head to the Lenzerheide ski resort. The sun and high temperatures quickly turn the snow into heavy wet snow. With just a few meters of slopes, the ski test snow menu is complete and I was able to test the ski described above in pretty much all conditions: from fat powder turns to icy slopes, everything was included.

On the piste, you first have to get 115mm under the binding onto the edge. Once it is on the edge, the ski holds bombastically at (medium) large radii. It stays on track very well. Even though it's not an 80mm piste ski, I can make short turns just as smoothly as medium and large radii. Even at high speeds, the SMOC is quite stable for an off-piste/touring ski.

In powder: lean back and enjoy. This is where the ski is at home and shows its core competence. I haven't skied a better powder ski in the corresponding width - and that as a lightweight ski. Fat!

So: To all ski touring, powder and off-piste freaks who want to ascend quickly and with little weight and at the same time aim for racy, steep descents. To all those who fall in love anew every winter and are also a bit 'crazy' and appreciate collector's items in terms of price: Go for it!

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