Horror Bases from Park Skiers

[dean_spirito]

So I got this pic today. If you look closely you can see the damage to the tip of my right ski. Pretty typical for any park ski with more than 50 days on them.

Rail1

• dean_spirito
• Jan 2, 2017

 

[Doug Briggs]

Some park skis have 'edges' in the middle of the base under foot. They don't go on the stone grinder. ;-) I tried to find photos of them but no luck. @dean_spirito , do you recall what brand/model they are?

As I recall Dean, when we met we had a damaged ski face off. You won hands down and mine were pretty bad. ;-)

 

[dean_spirito]

Some park skis have 'edges' in the middle of the base under foot. They don't go on the stone grinder. ;-) I tried to find photos of them but no luck. @dean_spirito , do you recall what brand/model they are?

As I recall Dean, when we met we had a damaged ski face off. You won hands down and mine were pretty bad. ;-)

Hmmmm....not sure about the skis you are describing. It must not have been a successful design because I've never seen anything like that. I do recall the ski damage face off however. Pretty sure it was a landslide victory! Nobody destroys skis like me.....nobody!! In fact, you inspired me to take a walk out to my garage to see what beaters I've got sitting around.

The first 2 pics show a very common delamination in the tip. This happens from nose butters and jumping. Front flips are particularly damaging to tips.

Busted Ski 2

• dean_spirito
• Jan 3, 2017

Busted Ski 1

• dean_spirito
• Jan 3, 2017

Here is a more extreme example. Believe it or not, I skied on these today. I also retired them today.....

Busted Ski 3

• dean_spirito
• Jan 3, 2017

If you are daring enough to ski a delaminated tip long enough, the core will rot out and the ski will eventually break.....

Busted Ski 4

• dean_spirito
• Jan 3, 2017

But if you are truly a park rat, your edges will bust out long before you break a ski. It usually starts underfoot, but it can happen in the tip and tail as well.

Busted Ski 6

• dean_spirito
• Jan 3, 2017

Busted Ski 7

• dean_spirito
• Jan 3, 2017

This isn't a terribly uncommon sight in the park world. Just break them off and carry on with your day. Seriously, who uses edges anyway?

Busted Ski 5

• dean_spirito
• Jan 3, 2017

I'll have to dig deep in the archives to find some other examples. These pictures show very average damage. Like I said above, I actually skied on a pair of these today. A few years ago, I pulled off a full core separation on a pair of Rossignols. Now that was a day ender!!!

 

[Tricia]

HOLY CRAP DEAN!!!

 

[dean_spirito]

HOLY CRAP DEAN!!!

You know how I roll Trish.

 

[Tricia]

You know how I roll Trish.

Yeah, on your tips.

 

[Doug Briggs]

Hmmmm....not sure about the skis you are describing. It must not have been a successful design because I've never seen anything like that. I do recall the ski damage face off however. Pretty sure it was a landslide victory! Nobody destroys skis like me.....nobody!! In fact, you inspired me to take a walk out to my garage to see what beaters I've got sitting around.

Yes, you humbled me. ;-) Enjoy your day. I'm going to work in the office and make it out tomorrow. I hope.

 

[cantunamunch]

Some park skis have 'edges' in the middle of the base under foot. They don't go on the stone grinder. ;-) I tried to find photos of them but no luck. @dean_spirito , do you recall what brand/model they are?

Elan MO2 green/black tribal graphic similar in flex and shape to the old M666 but directionally twin has one central edge
and Elan MO2.2 black topsheet gothic lettering pierced heart graphic is fatter and softer than the MO2 has two central edges.

Still have a pair of MO2s somewhere, will take a pic when I find them.

There was also that silly Kneissl Power Glide system, I expect you don't put those on the grinder either.

 

[Doug Briggs]

Here is a before and after shot of a Bent Chettler that came through the shop. A bit surprisingly, while the edge was bent a bit, it was not damaged badly or detached from the core.

I neglected to get a picture before I started the repair. Lets just say the p-tex was highly modified. You can see a piece of the rock he hit about an inch right of the left most damage. I used a patch guide to cut part of the p-tex out and then tapered the remaining cut back from that.

Cleaned up and ready to flood the cavity with epoxy to fill the hole from missing wood and cover the edge tabs ever so slightly. We use West System epoxy with 'medium' hardener which takes 5 - 6 hours to cure. It is placed in the utility room which maintains about 80 - 85 degrees to first help the epoxy flow thinner and then bump the cure time down.

The final part of the repair was to put down clear metal grip on the entire surface, which was essentially all epoxy, then p-tex over that. The 'visible ski'. You can really look into the core through the clear layers. The transition from repair to original base is very smooth without any voids. The edge is slightly recessed but nearly straight along the side edge. The repair is flush with the edge to it should be able to withstand skidding without catching.

I believe the repair will last, at least the epoxy part. I've not used metal grip with such a large area of epoxy so time will tell. I asked the customer to keep me posted. I attached the removed p-tex and the rock to his ski as a memento.

 

[dean_spirito]

@Doug Briggs I've got a project for you if you choose to accept it. I majorly compressed an edge on my powder skis whilst having too much fun skiing waist deep snow at the Basin on Thursday. I've also got my RMU Apostles that could use some serious love. Can you pencil me in sometime?

 

[Doug Briggs]

This week I'm at the shop Tu and Wed, 4 until close. You can drop them off and ask for me to do the work. Pictures for the sake of this thread, please. If you need them quickly, maybe bring them to the house.

 

[markojp]

Pfft.. And stone grinding race training skis every three or four days wears the bases and edges down to nothing in a couple months. Pot, meet kettle!

You're talking out your behind. No one does base grinds every three or four days. Hyperbole is unbecoming, cr. Yes, park skiers have high boo boo rates. Yes, they trash their skis, but they don't need a ski tuned for ripping piste... They aren't jibbing on .5/4 FIS raceroom SL skis, but whatever. It's their narrative and their path. Nothing to be offended by.

 

[cantunamunch]

Hah found them

 

[Doug Briggs]

Nice.That's the sort of thing I was talking about. The pair I've had my hands on had three down the middle.

 

[Mothertucker]

Skied these Friday in mix of blower pow and rocks. Zoom in if you dare. A rock induced crash broke the arm on one brake.

 

[LiquidFeet]

Very impressive.