I'm afraid that this conversation is becoming too "core" vs. "corporate". Yeah Vishnu is getting a ton of hype the last few seasons and maybe its deserved maybe not, but if they keep putting out skis and content that people enjoy, and from what I've seen people love their skis, then Vishnu is good for skiing as an activity in general. At the same time these "corporate" big brands have the money and resources now, but they all started as small business once upon a time that grew into what they are today. We, as the skiing community, shouldn't bash or criticize small companies like Vishnu for trying to make it in an industry dominated by bigger established companies. I personally don't have a pair of Vishnus and don't plan on buying a pair, at least in the foreseeable future, but I definitely want them to succeed. Diversity in skiing is only going to help grow the sport we love and companies like Vishnu are helping validate and grow the "new wave" that has become so popular in the community. Freestyle skiing is still a sport on the outskirts of popularity and from the outside looking in something like comp skiing could seem really cool because it just is visually impressive to see people throwing triples and and 630's onto rails. Then there are people in the community who feel like comp skiing is "selling out" and thats a valid opinion too. Either way there is a place for these larger companies in the sport as well as a need for small start ups that get people excited about new styles and ways that you can ski. Long story short core or not new companies like Vishnu are good for skiing as a whole, and we still need the bigger companies to act as an intermediary between our world as free skiers and everyone else.
