Check out what’s new in skis for the 2019-20 season

All kinds of new gear will delight skiers and riders this holiday season. (Handout Photo)

From asymmetrical sidecuts to hybrid cores to carbon builds and varied rocker profiles, ski manufacturers are dialing in design and performance to meet the needs of any and every consumer out there. Here is a sampling of what’s new for the 2019-20 season:

K2 Mindbender

By implementing Torsion Control Design, Titanal Y-Beam and Powerall technologies, K2’s new Mindbender 99TI strives to be the perfect all-mountain, everyday choice whether on the East Coast or the West.

Torsion Control is stiffest in the forebody and center of the ski and eases throughout the tail for consistent turn initiation and smooth release. Y-shaped titanal cut into the length of the ski delivers power and control, and oversized ABS sidewalls deliver precise and quick energy transmission from edge to edge.

Dynastar 4X4

New for this season, Dynastar has launched its 4×4 series with the all-mountain Speedzone for men and Intense for women. The skis, which feature a hybrid core blend of wood with injected polyurethane, are designed to bring the best characteristics of Dynastar’s Legend series to intermediate skiers.

Available in widths of 78 and 82 mm underfoot, the 4X4 incorporates 5-point sidecut, tip and tail rocker, and a lightweight binding system responsiveness. A Pro version adds a sheet of metal for increased shock absorption and energy when exiting turns.

Kästle FX series

Overhauled for 2019-20, Kästle’s “free-cross” lineup available in waist widths of 86, 96, 106 and 116 bring more all-mountain versatility to the brand, performing better in soft and mixed snow. The aggressive 86 is built without metal or carbon, which boosts performance in varied terrain while still providing precision thanks to its narrow width. Built with wood and fiberglass, the core is more forgiving and easy to tip on edge. The 96 and 106 incorporate a carbon build, giving them a light but strong feel. Oversized, hollow-tech tips add quickness and playfulness to turn initiation. 

Salomon QST

Redesigned for 2020, Salomon’s popular intermediate-advanced QST packs all-new technologies in order to increase the ski’s stiffness, improve its dampening qualities and increase maneuverability. Salomon has doubled the amount of carbon in the skis (C/FX tech) for increased power and edge grip, installed a cork insert for better absorption of vibrations, and added more sidecut with a wider tip and tail to make it more maneuverable. 

The QTS range is available in a variety of widths (88, 92, 99, 106 and 118) to dial in performance on firm days to powder days to everything in between.

Elan-Porsche partnership

A partnership between Elan and Porsche Design is taking asymmetrical ski design to the next dimension. With the Porsche Design Elan Amphibio, consumers will find a ski that handles like a racing ski at high speeds or like an all-mountain ski when surface conditions are variable.

The Amphibio accomplishes this with its dedicated right and left asymmetrical design, which gives the ski a cambered inside edge for grip and stability, and a rockered outside edge to provide forgiveness and ease. Through Truline technology, structural material is placed over the full length of the inside ski edge, providing more stability to power the turn, while less material is applied over the outside edge to result in smoother, more forgiving turns.

Völkl Triple Radius

A three-radii sidecut technology is featured in several Völkl models this season, a design that expands versatility and performance by making it easier to shift from short turns to long turns. Available in both the Deacon 80 and 84, the Mantra 102, Kendo 88 and Secret 102, the sidecut radius is 24 m in the tip, 15 m in the center, and 21 m at the tail.

What this does is produce smoothness when making long GS turns at high speeds thanks to longer radii in the tip and tail, while the shorter 15 m radius underfoot makes for much more nimble and playful shorter radius turns.

Blizzard Zero G

For backcountry touring enthusiasts, Blizzard’s all-new Zero G collection combines lightness for the trek up and performance for the ride down. The series combines Carbon Drive 2.0 carbon fiber frame with ultra-lightweight paulownia woodcore construction, giving the ski stability, edge grip and control. The ski’s binding-mounting area is reinforced with carbon fiber to improve binding retention and torsional strength.

Liberty Evolv

Liberty Skis introduced a new line for 2019-20 with the Evolv90 and Evolv100. Descendants from the popular Origin line and V-series, these new skis feature sandwiched core construction, carbon stringers and polyurethane sidewalls. In both the frontside-oriented 90 and the all-mountain, off-piste-oriented 100, the Evolv brings a multi-radius sidecut, flat tail and slightly rockered tip with progressive flex.

Rossignol Hero Master

The all-new, unisex Hero Master DLC race ski is built for racing enthusiasts, whether you’re on the World Cup tour or a recreationalist with an itch for making race turns. Developed and refined over the last three seasons, the Look DLC technology neutralizes and disperses kinetic energy to eliminate counter-flexing of the ski for optimized trajectory and total line control. Oversized sidecut (103-65-85), all-terrain rocker, ash wood core (dense and durable) and titanal construction (stable and rigid for maximum power) makes this heavy ski perfect for laying down committed, high-speed turns.

Nordica Enforcer

Nordica’s award-winning freeride collection adds two new models to the lineup for 2019-20 with the Enforcer 88 and the Enforcer 104. Now the narrowest ski in the collection, the 88 is built with the same full wood core sandwiched with two metal sheets that is both responsive and quick edge to edge. This model is targeted toward the advance skier who prefers frontside turning. The Enforcer 104 adds early rise tip and tail rocker for easier turn initiation and an easier release. This ski is built for the advanced skier who prefers softer, deeper adventures.