Custom Topsheets?

Kogu

Kogu

Member
Hey all, I'm thinking about maybe looking around for a company to make custom topsheets for a new pair of skis. I like the graphics, in my opinion there's just better to be done with it and honestly I'd be fine moving a design from another ski over if it'd be easier! (Really love the Anthem wolf graphic for example)

Is there any site that would do something like that? The one's I've found say they only do it if you order the ski from them which... I'm not doing. I found a site that does snowboards and asked if they do skis too but is there any other way/site that could do it too?

Thanks a lot ahead of time!
 
You've got a very good memory!

And yes, that's the ski I'm looking at currently, however if I ended up getting swayed another way by the end of the summer/before next season I'd really like to have the knowledge to know if it'd be even possible for me to reskin a ski.

Granted I'm definitely not going to not buy a ski due to its topsheet, if I could I'd like it to be my choosing. If I have an interest and find a sweet design that'll inspire courage/confidence while on them and they add to that effect by being the ski that does exactly what I'm wanting them to do, giving me the feel and look of what I want to be when doing something new, why not? :)

And no actually I like the art on top of the SFBs, not too crazy about the bottom and kinda wish it was a little more vibrant (though I'm sure it will be when not on a computer screen in a dark room), but hey, it's a necessary critisism when I can't find anything else to complain about on such an awesome ski! But yeah, Just would like the option in case I ever was interested. Also I have thought about this extensively before when I wanted to change my old ski's graphics however I didn't have a Newschoolers account or any other way of finding out how/ if I could.
 
there used to be some company that printed huge sticker vinyls with custom graphics but i cant, for the life of me, remember what it was.
 
Its... not that easy. Especially if you want it done well.

Easiest is to paint over the ski, then use a sharpie. TWoods made a fuckin awesome topsheet on a pair of his skis a few years back via this method, check his videos.

Past that, you can print off a full size die cut vinyl and heat gun it to your topsheet. More complicated if your ski is a cap construction, because of the curves, and expect it to be destroyed just as quickly as normals stickers you put on your skis are.

Next, more complicated, would be getting a design shop to sublimate your design onto a nylon topsheet, and then epoxy the new topsheet to your old ski. This is going to add weight, you will need to press the topsheet down with a lot of weight, it'll likely stiffen your ski and after about 30 days it'll probably come off anyways. Oh yeah, and if your skis a cap construction, no way jose.

What some companies can do for you is take a custom request - they will replace a topsheet on a ski they currently make with another skis topsheet. Usually the smaller companies, and not all designs are interchangeable, but theres a chance. And this is all within a company - theres no way ON3P would ever dream of pressing a ski with a Line topsheet. This generally costs extra, but some will even take your design and make a topsheet out of it - but its extra and you gotta ask real nice.

Bases are totally out of the question. Unless you think you can sucessfully delaminate base material, keeping the edges attached to the ski somehow, and then base weld an entire new base, cut to exact shape and with a new design to the old ski (oh, and having that actually hold past, oh, I dunno, the walk from the parking lot to the hill?).... Just. Dont. Bother.

Bases are a bitch when we're making a ski from scratch. Replacing them would be.... uuuuhg.
 
Ha, if only I were an artist........ Honestly I really like the Anthem 07-08 graphic, the wolf one? Thought that was badass when I first saw it. I'd put that on a ski if I could

As far as the base goes, is there anyway of touching up the base with a sharpie to give it some style? Or will that mess with how the base absorbs wax?
 
Yeah that's what I've seen too. I like the topsheet with the trees like the EP's, to be honest I just personally don't like the base pinstripes. Just not black and white that is. Personally I'd prolly tweak it to a blue/black pinstripe. Not to disrespect Eric Pollard because the man is a ski-engineering GENIUS (why I'm so interested in his ski) I've never seen the base on the snow, I've only seen a helmet cam view of it where there was a guy demoing them, but obviously you can't really see the base from that view. I did see though the product vid on his site of the pinstripes and I wasn't let down but not blown away. If it turns out they're better looking in person I'm not touching it :)
 
honestly does it really matter?

you are obsessing over something that is facing down almost all the time, it does not matter
 
No, but it is interesting to me. Graphics in general don't matter but people like them to look pretty anyway. If noone cared then the industry wouldn't ever design bases to look good.
 
You can ask Line, but chances are it wont happen, its a lot of trouble for a manufacturer of that size.

Sharpies on bases... you should go to your local shop and ask the tech back there tuning race skis this question. He'll give you the same look I'm giving my monitor right now.
 
Previously suggested on topsheet, had no clue so I asked. Could've just assumed it was the same and gone with it. Never would know if I didn't ask. Ski shops around are a whole lot of closed for the summer sooo... yup.

And I wasn't thinking that Line would consider manufacturing a ski with that topsheet (hadn't actually thought of that all seeing as it'd be a lot more expensive assuming they agreed at all) I was actually saying contacting one of these custom ski skin companies suggested above with that template. Be easier to apply to a ski than a custom template I would create or a random pic from Google that I say to them "I WANT DIS 1!!!!".
 
Rowen your a smart man thats for sure. I am currently working on a simular project.

Designing my own top sheets has taken me a few diffrent directions. First if your ski is already made, think stickers, automotive spray paint and sharpe. With some planning you can get some pretty sick results. Especally with neon colors.

Going with a small manufacture that will replace the top sheet with yours. http://www.codaboards.com/. 40 bucks but creating an image large enough it a bit time consuming.

My way, keep some of the topsheet exposed, Cant go wrong with bare wood! thats what she said ha
 
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