Spats: feedback wanted

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Fortunately now you can use your Spatula to dish out a good spanking to that Unstable Hooker and Pool Cover. The reverse side cut of the Spatulas immediately sets you afloat on top of the snow allowing you to initiate turns and negotiate everything you encounter much more easily without having to labor through it. Reverse side cut also eliminates the instabilities commonly encountered with “shaped” skis in the soft snow. You will notice little or no Unstable Hookers and you will be able to enjoy a much more relaxed stance in variable snow and at high speeds.



You will also notice that the Spatulas feel much lighter while on your feet than other skis of similar surface area. Try swinging them from side to side while on the lift. This effect is created by the reverse side cut. It gives them a very light swing weight. Normal skis with side cut have a weight distribution which puts the bulk of the skis at the tips and tails. The Spatulas are the opposite. The bulk is at the waist. The Spatulas are a lot of ski and there is a lot down there stuck to your feet. However, they will feel much lighter and more maneuverable than you can imagine.





Decamber



On normal skis camber is used to add power and extra pressure to the tip and tail of the ski. This gives the ski stability, strength and helps it initiate a turn. It also and adds power through the arc of the turn. This is true, ON HARD SNOW!

In soft snow camber has these negative effects:



“The Sunken Plow” – Tips and tails are constantly trying to dive down into the snow. No matter how much you load up the skis with pressure or how soft the skis are the tips still always want to dive lower than the waist of your skis. This causes excessive unweighting or bouncing and leaning back onto your tails. It puts you in an unbalanced position. The point is to get up out of the snow not down in it.

“Franz” - Skis will only ever turn by carving. Skis will not in any way be made to slide. Tips and tails during unweighting are always lower than the center of the skis prohibiting any attempt at a slide. Throwing the skis sideways in anyway will end in a caught outside edge followed by a quick whiplash onto your side.



The Spatula’s decamber will prevent most Sunken Plow situations depending on the skiers weight. (The lighter you are the more you will reap the benefits of the decamber.) You will notice that you will not need to lean back on your skis in the powder nearly as much as you would on normal skis. This will allow you to stand upright and attack the mountain much more efficiently.

Having the option to eliminate the Franz carve from your powder skiing will open up a whole new world for you. Try sliding a bit sideways as you finish your turn. Remember to stand on both feet. Try doing a long slide instead of doing a turn at all. Skiers constantly link one turn to the next in powder because in the past we lacked the ability and technology to slide. It also has traditionally been considered proper style to make identical, consecutive linked turns down a powder slope. Now you have the option to carve, slide, crab sideways, hockey stop (If your really good) and basically use the slope in many creative ways instead of such a limited, traditional style.



How to ski your Spatulas on hard snow
These skis are not versatile. I will make no attempts to fool you (as all ski manufacturers typically do) into thinking that you can use these skis in all kinds of snow conditions. They are made specifically for the many types of soft snow. Powder, sun crust, wind affect, deep, shallow, light and heavy. They are not designed to be primarily skied on ice or most types of hard snow. Of course you will frequently find yourself skiing on some sort of hard snow even on a powder day. It may be on the groomer going back to the lift or you may hit a hard patch or a mogul along the way. Not to worry. They can be easily managed in any situation. You just have to know how to do it.

The first question that absolutely everyone always asks me is: “Yea, but how well do they work on the groomer?” The most accurate analogy I have come up with is that they work about as well on the groomer as a pair of GS skis work in the powder. Manageable but not great. However, I am confident that the satisfaction and pleasure which you will receive from the powder intended qualities of these skis will soon make the issue of Spatula performance on hard snow nonexistent. When the situation demands that you ski your Spatulas on the groomer or hard snow it is very important that you remember two things:

1. Stand on both feet.

2. Initiate turns by sliding.

Think of it this way. When initiating a turn using skis with side cut you simply roll the ski on edge and the tip of the ski catches the snow and depending on how much pressure you give it the ski either carves around fast or slowly. No matter what, the ski will turn. This is not so with the Spatula. They have the opposite shape. They were not designed to carve on hard snow. They were designed to slide and carve in soft snow. You will need to train your mind to think slide not carve especially when on the groomer. A ski with reverse side cut if forced to carve on hard snow will perform exactly the opposite task as a ski with side cut. Try it, you’ll see. Start the turn like you normally would. Weight forward shifting to the downhill ski, add pressure to the tip of the downhill ski, follow through with more pressure on the downhill ski through the turn and……..your downhill ski tracks off in the wrong direction and you fall onto your uphill ski! It won’t work! You must initiate your turns on both feet and by sliding them around! After you have begun your turn by sliding you will notice that you can actually finish the turn by carving once you are on your tails if you want. The tails of the Spatulas will catch and you can carve the end of the turn. It all sounds weird I know, but just remember this and try it a couple times on the groomed and you will probably get the hang of it in one run. Remember! You’re a slider now not a carver!

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How the Spatula was born.



Back in 1996 the ski industry was just beginning to go through two revolutionary discoveries. The invention of “shaped” skis and the popularization of fat skis for soft snow. As we all know now fat skis have totally changed the way we ski powder and shaped skis have totally changed skiing on harder snow. As manufacturers began to experiment with massive side cuts for carving the groomer and the race course it was only natural for people to want to test out these new shaped skis. At the same time skiers were also just beginning to realize the benefits of fat skis in powder. Back then I had also recently made the switch from skiing on traditional skis to the very fat (at the time) Volant Chubb. I was spending my time marveling over the benefits of fat skis in most sow conditions. Then I decided to try out the new shaped skis in the soft snow. Since the qualities of fat skis were so fresh on my mind all the time I was immediately able to recognize how horrible side cut is for soft snow. If I had been skiing on traditional skis all year like most everyone else this revelation may not even have happened.



During the summer of 96 at a bar in Las Lenas Argentina while hanging out with some friends I quickly sketched a picture of some fat skis with reverse side cut onto a beer napkin. We all spoke about it and of course some even laughed at the idea. I took the napkin home and kept it in my “Cool and funny stuff” file in my file cabinet for about 2 years never really expecting that any ski company would bite on the idea. In the mean time as ski companies started making their shaped fat skis with all this side cut I remained skiing on fat skis with minimal side cut trying to milk as much flotation and control as possible from them.



Then in 1998 the Volant design engineers came out to Squaw Valley. The plan was to test out some new shaped fat skis that they wanted to make with a bunch of my friends and knowledgeable skiers. These new skis were basically a Volant Chubb with more side cut. We tested them against many skis including our old, used for a year Chubbs. Yes, they were more versatile and could be used to carve easier turns on the groomed but in the powder they still were more work than skis with minimal side cut. Then Scott Gaffney, who was one of the testers, decided to open his mouth and suggest a concept which is probably the most important yet now seeming so obvious discovery in powder ski technology. He said, “I think my old, dead, decambered Chubbs float much better in the powder than those ones with new ski life or camber.” And then the light bulb flashed on. I dug up my old beer napkin and began pondering the concept. I thought about hard snow and soft snow and began comparing the similarities of powder to water. I realized that the effects of riding on powder snow would be very similar to riding on water. Water skis have reverse side cut. So do surf boards. And they both have decamber or rocker.



Over the course of the next two years I would talk to people about how cool it would be to have skis with decamber and reverse side cut specifically for powder. Almost everyone I mentioned the idea to would either laugh or politely smile. All except for Scott and JT Holmes and a few others. I never really pushed the idea to Volant very hard because I assumed that no one would listen. Nobody buys powder only skis. The industry already lost on that bet. The skis that sell are the all mountain carver that are so versatile right? Right. No one wants to buy more than one pair of skis. So why even attempt to make something that a ski shop can’t even sell? So nothing happened for 2 years. Finally after stewing over it for too long I began talking to the design engineers at Volant about just gong for it and jury rigging a pair or two together in the shop in their spare time. If it wasn’t for the hard work and extra after hours put in by Ryan Carroll and Peter Turner in the Volant factory the first and only four pairs would never have been made in the summer of 2001.



The first prototype arrived at my doorstep in August. Soon afterwards I packed up my beautiful, shimmering, new, steel Spatulas and flew down to New Zealand to work on a film project. As I am a very spoiled professional skier we were heli skiing the whole time and I got to test them out. They immediately blew my mind! Everything was so easy! No more leaning back to prevent tip diving. No more excessive body movements to force the skis around. No more big GS turns or body smears to slow down. No more boot sink. I couldn’t believe it! I ran straight to the phone and called Volant over seas and spewed my guts raving for 45 minutes about how great they are.



Unfortunately when I got home I got the news that Volant was going to be sold to another company and that everyone was getting canned. No one was going to be able to put any time into making more Spatulas. There were four pairs in existence on the planet with no foreseeable solution. I held on to three of them and Ryan Carroll held on to one single ski of the remaining pair. The other single ski went on tour with the new Volant to help promote the Spatula concept if and when we ever got it together enough to start making them again.



Luckily as time would tell Volant got back up on its feet and contracted the Atomic factory in Austria to make all its skis. Perfect! Atomic makes great skis and their standards are nothing short of excellent. They also happen to be the company who first made super fat powder skis back in the 80s. The Atomic Powder Plus or “Fat Boy” is today still considered on of the best powder skis ever made by many western skiers.

Peter Turner and I then pushed for some budget money to be spent on creating around 300 pairs of Spatulas to be made in the Atomic factory.



The powers that be thought it over. Powder specific skis? They won’t sell very fast. If we are lucky we will break even with these skis. But they are revolutionary. They will change the way people think about skiing powder, the most enjoyable type of skiing. They will open up a whole new world for people. It’s a big risk, but what great idea isn’t? Everyone said yes and the project was a go. Now as I sit here and write this its October 2002 and Volant is making the first batch of the greatest powder skis ever. I can’t wait for it to start snowing and for a small part of 300 people’s lives to change! Have fun on your new Spatulas! And remember, if someone makes fun of them, there are no friends on a powder day! You don’t have to wait for their slow ass! Good luck!



Shane McConkey

[Arty50]

arty, do the guys @ granite chief in squaw still do the special spats binding mount? i think you posted about this recently...

As far as I know. I had mine mounted in March or April. I didn't even have to ask for it. As soon as they saw the Spatulas in my hand, they told me just to come back in an hour with a 12 pack.

Even if they charged up the ass, I'd only take it to them. From what I could gather, they were the only shop at the Lake that's ever mounted Spats. It's really hard to find a shop willing, much less capable, of freehanding a binding mount. Plus they've done a ton of them.

[freshies]

As far as I know. I had mine mounted in March or April. I didn't even have to ask for it. As soon as they saw the Spatulas in my hand, they told me just to come back in an hour with a 12 pack.

Even if they charged up the ass, I'd only take it to them. From what I could gather, they were the only shop at the Lake that's ever mounted Spats. It's really hard to find a shop willing, much less capable, of freehanding a binding mount. Plus they've done a ton of them.

trigger was pulled, they should be MINE, ALL MINE (cue insane laughter) soon...

OK, so if I stroll in there w/the Spats and some Solly 912's and a 12 pak, they will know what's up?

Oh, and 11's, thx for posting that Spats overview/manual! just printed it off....

[comish]

Arty,

So when do you use your Gotama's and when the Spatula's??? They both seem like soft snow leaning skis so I'm just curious what makes you pick one over the other in the morning.

[summit]

SPATULAS FOR $350 NEW!

Cheap shipping ($15-$25 including insurance)

PM ME

[freshies]

the spats just arrived via UPS to brighten up my Friday
OK, more inane questions/thoughts:

traversing: i ski alpine, which means i traverse a lot, side step/skate all over the mtn to get to the goods in and outta bounds, etc. how are the spats in these situations? are they scary on long traverses? squirlley? do tell....

[Evil E]

They kind of suck for traverses, catwalks, skating etc. but its doable. these skis are wierd on any kind of packed snow, but you figure it out and you put up with the quirky performance on stuff like that because once youre where you want to be...youre so stoked to be on a spatula.

[freshies]

They kind of suck for traverses, catwalks, skating etc. but its doable. these skis are wierd on any kind of packed snow, but you figure it out and you put up with the quirky performance on stuff like that because once youre where you want to be...youre so stoked to be on a spatula.

thanks eveil-e, i figured as much. like anything else, after a few days on them (hopefully), it shouldn't be a big deal. but ya know what my biggest fear is? that first really big day, and i come hauling off summit 6 like i usually do, w/no real days under my belt yet on the spats, and i crash like some gaper, total yard sale on the traverse, whil people are flying past me gettign the goods, laughing...had a nightmare about that

[Evil E]

If the nightmares keep repeating you can ship your spatulas to me... I will give them a good home.

[freshies]

i think i will be just fine.....man, these are awfully nice lookin' sticks...just sitting here on my office floor.....can't wait to mount 'em and ride 'em...whoo hoo!

thx for all the feedback, much apprecriated.

[Darkside]

As far as I know. I had mine mounted in March or April. I didn't even have to ask for it. As soon as they saw the Spatulas in my hand, they told me just to come back in an hour with a 12 pack.

Even if they charged up the ass, I'd only take it to them. From what I could gather, they were the only shop at the Lake that's ever mounted Spats. It's really hard to find a shop willing, much less capable, of freehanding a binding mount. Plus they've done a ton of them.

The only shop at the Lake that ever mounted Spatulas? Why don't you think about that for a second. I bought mine at Squaw Valley Sports, do you think they tell everyone who comes there to go somewhere else to get it mounted? I'm sure they do a good job, but you should think before you type.

[Arty50]

The only shop at the Lake that ever mounted Spatulas? Why don't you think about that for a second. I bought mine at Squaw Valley Sports, do you think they tell everyone who comes there to go somewhere else to get it mounted? I'm sure they do a good job, but you should think before you type.

Yes, I apologize. I took mine into LTD and they didn't want to touch them. They even told me to take them to Granite Chief. Just in case, I called another shop in South Lake and they said forget it too. The problem with the Spats is you have to freehand them, and there aren't too many people who can do that well anymore. Most places won't touch a pair of skis if they can't use a jig.

So add Squaw Valley Sports to the short list. I apologize again for the poor assumption.

[Darkside]

Yes, I apologize. I took mine into LTD and they didn't want to touch them. They even told me to take them to Granite Chief. Just in case, I called another shop in South Lake and they said forget it too. The problem with the Spats is you have to freehand them, and there aren't too many people who can do that well anymore. Most places won't touch a pair of skis if they can't use a jig.

So add Squaw Valley Sports to the short list. I apologize again for the poor assumption.

Yeah, I wasn't trying to disrespect you, even if it sounded like that.

Someone I'm going to be working with at Porter's has a pair of Spats, and I think a lot of people there have them. I'm going to see how they got theirs mounted up and go from there.

[Arty50]

Yeah, I wasn't trying to disrespect you, even if it sounded like that.

No, no. You made a good point. Don't worry about it.

[freshies]

i think i will try GC first....i know Shane himself has had his mounted there, so makes sense. if this second storm materializes next week, i just might be sporting the spats @ kirkwood next Sat. whoo hoo!

[onehotchili]

well i just jumped on the bandwagon and picked up a pair. they should be here by Friday (thanks to Summit for the referral!) now my next question is to mount them to be locked in or free heelin'? i am leaning towards putting a pair of Salomon binders on them, but skiing on Sunday at Alpine Meadows and watching Hilary Larkin and Mark Sanders playing around on their Spats is making me think twice about throwing some G3s on them....

anyone out there who has skiied them both free-heel or locked down that can give pros vs cons on either? comments or thoughts would be much appreciated.

[Darkside]

well i just jumped on the bandwagon and picked up a pair. they should be here by Friday (thanks to Summit for the referral!) now my next question is to mount them to be locked in or free heelin'? i am leaning towards putting a pair of Salomon binders on them, but skiing on Sunday at Alpine Meadows and watching Hilary Larkin and Mark Sanders playing around on their Spats is making me think twice about throwing some G3s on them....

anyone out there who has skiied them both free-heel or locked down that can give pros vs cons on either? comments or thoughts would be much appreciated.

You even spelled Hilary's name right. Do I know you? I was skiing with them, well for 1 run until I buggered myself.

[basom]

The problem with the Spats is you have to freehand them, and there aren't too many people who can do that well anymore. Most places won't touch a pair of skis if they can't use a jig.

i used a jig to mount mine.

fat solly jig will fit on there if you take the lill rubber feet off. no wories, no problem.

the only reason mounting spats is a bitch is because they are fucking volants and you burn through bits drilling them. they smell like total shit when drilling, and its hard to tell when you punch through and its easy to fuck up and drill into the base, cause they are thin as fuck.

maybe takes a little longer to mount them, but i didn't think it was too big a deal. If i can do it i'd say most any tech in the country could do it too.

[Spicoli]

These sound like using a pair of waterskis without the boat

[glademaster]

The heel peice on one of my Spat's (mounted with P14's) is drilled so there are slight bumps in the base material. I didn't punch through and you can only see it if the light is right. On a ski like this it doesn't bother me, but be sure to take your time and be careful mounting them.

I'm assuming that is the first part of the binding the guy at shop mounted, because all the others are fine.

[onehotchili]

You even spelled Hilary's name right. Do I know you?

hmmm... prolly not if you're a fixed heel skier. if you are a freeheeler, then maybe, since i run with a lot of the local telemark skiers/climbers crowd who are more low profile than the local freeheelin' rock stars of N. Tahoe. it sounds like we prolly know a bunch of same folks...