Why come ski technology changed very much?

[Hott Butt Mud]

Look bindings look the same as they did 20 years ago.

So have boots for the most part.

Can any manufacturers comment on why hard goods technology hasn't changed very much in the last 20 years?

[waxman]

Because the LOOK turntable is the greatest alpine binding ever conceived.

Boots? Looks are deceiving, tons of not noticeable changes in boots.

[DHogg]

Skis have changed a lot even in the past few years. Have you seen a boot liner from 20 years ago?

You kind of have a point with bindings. Both look and solly bindings are very similar to those 20 years ago- but then again that's only 2 brands.

I'll let someone else do the honours....

[jon gaper]

Lucky you.
You can outfit yourself with 20 yo skis/boots/bindings for the price of a bottle of tequila.
Try them out and write a review.

[mud]

Because when you achieve perfection in a design not much will change. Just look a bike frames, the same geometry for decades because it works.

[yellowstoner]

Some things have stayed the same - but then we have tech bindings now...

[systemoverblow'd]

Anyone remember those Raichle's that would literally break in half? Yeah, me too.

[I've seen black diamonds!]

Burly touring bindings? Burly touring boots with tech fittings? Touring boots that weigh less than 3lbs, walk like mountaineering boots and ski pretty darn well? None of those things existed 10 years ago.

[splat]

Why come no tech talk, JONG?

[Rossymcg]

you dont piss in your livingroom do you? no you do it in the wc,
same goes for tech talk here you JONG

[TheMessenger]

Because when you achieve perfection in a design not much will change. Just look a bike frames, the same geometry for decades because it works.

This is the most ignorant statement I have ever read.

[raisingarizona13]

I dunno, it sure seems like it's changed a lot since I started skiing in the 80s. If anything it was real stale for a long time until fat skis came around.

[BackCountryNC]

Socks have changed a lot though.

[marshalolson]

Look bindings look the same as they did 20 years ago.
So have boots for the most part.

dude, do you think the modern plastics/nylons (PU, PE, Grilamid, Triax) and carbon (rester, vulcan, dodge) are even REMOTELY similar 1-2 year and done crack-machines from 20 years ago? go try on a salomon sx92 or nordica synergy and try to drive your 110mm everyday skis.

between salomon 747s, look zr's, and dynafit bindings, well, bindings were perfected basically, but expect some really cool binding developments to be actualized in the next 5 years (see trab tr1 as an example).

ski construction is the next frontier. basically sitting on 1957 howard head technology now for high performance skis.

[Njord]

Part of the problem is no one is willing to pay $10,000 for a pair of skis. Thermo formed Contentious Fiber Reinforced Thermoplastics (CFRT) are the future, it's just too bad that raw PEEK is still $100/lbs. When you and 10,000 of your friends are willing to plunk several thousand down for a pair a skis will you see some different technology.

And Marker MRRs were the greatest binding ever made.

[stuckathuntermtn]

Why come you know speaka de ingles?

Sent from my cell phone. no, a cell phone.

[adria33]

I am up to my third (and possibly final) draft of the skis I am planning to have built. They are called speedboards and have some very interesting innovations, which should give them the ability work well (if not great) in powder, groomers, park and pipe. Many of you guys wanted something for the pow...

I am not sure if they're patentable though, need to think it through.

[systemoverblow'd]

No one wants to ski your snowlerblades fagknob!

[stuckathuntermtn]

he's right, you know.

[stuckathuntermtn]

He's right. I told you.

[Scotsman50]

I just don't agree with the OP's premise. Held a pair of Dyanfit Mercury's in my hand to-day and the difference between those and even a 5 year old AT boot is amazing.

I mean a boot is always going to look like a boot...even medieval boots look pretty much the same as modern boots- at least superficially. Form follows function... a boot will always look bootish,
heel, sole and upper.
What we need is personal jet packs or backpack helicopters or jet boots to get us to the goods. Like this.

http://en.memory-alpha.org/wiki/Levitation_boots

[b0ardski]

go spock go in sx70 rentals
rear entry will return in the 23rd century!!!


till then the light weight and flex/adjustability of the latest AT boots are whole different animal than my tr9s


ps learned to ski steeps in sx81s and loved my sx91e house slippers to death

[Hott Butt Mud]

I think all of you need to look at ski technology from a higher perspective. Skis, boots, bindings, poles--all basically the same.

Why have we not created a ski binding hole pattern that is transferable (like snowboard bindings)? I know this has been attempted, but it really should be the norm by now.

Why are boots the way the are? Could they be more reliant upon a binding for connection to the ski?

Also, I'm kind of wondering why ski poles have been essentially the same? I completely understand the purpose of the ski pole, but because it is there with the skier at all times, why not incorporate some other added benefits?

[BrianH]

Wow a Model T "looks" like a PT Cruiser. They both have 4 tyres and a windshield. How come automotive technology hasn't improved? And what's up with ski poles? They go from your hand to the snow, aid in pushing on flats and balance and give you something to do with your hands when loading the lift. Why haven't they changed? It's still the same basic design!

We live in the golden age of ski technology, you'd have thunk we'd have solved all these problems by now.

[stuckathuntermtn]

The binding thing is annoying. The boot binding interface thing is definitely outdated, imo, because it is still so narrow and lugged/rockered soles can't be used. Although it looks like Tecnica made tech fitting on and alpine norm sole work?

As far as saying skis are still basically the same because they use the same materials, that's like saying cars are the same as they used to be because they're still primarily made out of the same materials.

Sent from my cell phone. no, a cell phone.