Opinions on durability

[Juviticus]

I see a lot of folks here harp on durability of some brands or models (LINE) and I don't really get it. Obviously build quality is something that can't be as easily disputed. The Amer brands are all made in a cutting edge factory in Austria and so one can reasonably expect a very consistent build and good quality control department. LINE is manufactured in China so there's different expectations there. It's not like they're built in some underground sweatshop but one can expect the equipment and quality control to not match the standards of huge brands like Atomic or Salomon. But this is reflected in the prices as most LINEs are $50 to $100 CAD cheaper than comparable Amer skis with some exceptions of course. The thing I feel is totally ignored when when talking about durability is the kind of ski you're actually talking about and how good of a skiier you are. LINE skis are mostly buttery, playful skis with softer, lighter wood cores (thinking SFB, Chronic, Vision, Sick Day). If you're a sick skiier who is doing fat disaster gaps or buttering like Henrik at Knuckle Huck last year, they just won't hold up for long. And even if you're an average park rat, they're just not going to last for years and years. Same goes for something like the Bent Chetler 100 or Nomad 95. Stiffer/heavier skis will always be more durable because more durable materials usually have those characteristics. I guess what I'm saying is just think critically about how important durability is along with your skill level when thinking about getting a ski that is cheaper, softer, or lighter.

 

[fckposers]

TLDR

doesnt matter what justification you just gave, line skis will delaminate in one way or the other after 20 days of actual park skiing if they didn’t already blow up after the first day.

 

[CatdickBojangles]

Stiff heavy skis will not be more durable, just look at Surfaces.

 

[WoFIowz]

Was the purpose of this post to say line skis aren't durable? Because that's all I got out of it. Tdlr who cares.

 

[maaattt]

Lot of assumptions being made.

Ive already uncupped the base of many brand new fresh out of the amer sports factories Salomon and atomics

 

[Juviticus]

Fair enough y'all, appreciate the responses. I've worked sales for both companies for 3 years and made the assumptions off customer feedback and my own experiences

 

[rojo.grande]

Nomads are one of the most durable skis on the market. If ur basing durability on wood core type you need to do more research on full construction such as edge dimensions, sidewall technology, different types of fiberglass and even top sheet materials

**This post was edited on Mar 12th 2022 at 7:16:05pm

 

[Juviticus]

Nomads are one of the most durable skis on the market. If ur basing durability on wood core type you need to do more research on full construction such as edge dimensions, sidewall technology, different types of fiberglass and even top sheet materials

**This post was edited on Mar 12th 2022 at 7:16:05pm

I am aware of this, I've handmade skis before. Also if you know any companies that list the specific type of fiberglass or carbon fiber they use pls lmk. I've only ever gotten that info from reps

 

[rojo.grande]

I am aware of this, I've handmade skis before. Also if you know any companies that list the specific type of fiberglass or carbon fiber they use pls lmk. I've only ever gotten that info from reps

Not listed, info gained from reps. I still challenge the claim that they’re not durable tho, I spent 2 seasons on em consistently riding rails before I let water damage get the best of them and they held up like a dream. This is the first I’ve ever heard of them not being durable

 

[weastcoat]

I think heavier skis handle tip and tail delam better. Hence the thickness of on3p tip and tail and how they never split apart (disregarding edges yanking out a little in tip and tail, unavoidable if you ride hard enough).

I also think it goes beyond materials used too. Obviously your Lego plastic armada sidewalls (not kidding, legos and armada sidewalls are both made of ABS plastic last time I checked) aren’t going to hold up as well as a softer sidewall that Vishnu, on3p, Icelantic, etc use. But bond strength is crucial as well. For example I’ve ripped edge out of newer icelantics and the edges came out fairly easy due to a combo of small edge tabs and what seemed like “weak” bond of epoxy. Meanwhile I’ve done the same with vishnus, and the initial epoxy bonds that hold everything together were seemingly twice as strong and I had a tough time pulling the edges out.

older icelantics have a stronger bond/larger edge tabs and they hold in better than the new ones.

on3p are also notorious for easy edge pullouts. Tiny tabs and a seemingly weak bond don’t make a real good combo. I’ve literally ripped edge out with my hands on on3ps, meanwhile on Vishnus and older icelantics (bigger tabs and strong inner edge bond) I have to fucking cut and pry the edge out section by section since it’s in there so well.

Although I shit on armada for their horrendous sidewall design and weak bonds, their edges are well designed… the tabs re connect on the inside of the ski making them way harder to come out since the edge and the inner “edge” both have to bend.

I make such a deal about edge bond/strength because when your edges crack, your ski gets fucked up so much easier when the edge bends and opens up little gaps between base and sidewall, therefore creating delam underfoot, which is the nastiest of ski damage besides a snap.

 

[The.Fish]

Ive done two seasons on my tom wallisch pros and don’t even have an edge crack yet idk. They seem fine to me.

 

[Manskimac]

I think heavier skis handle tip and tail delam better. Hence the thickness of on3p tip and tail and how they never split apart (disregarding edges yanking out a little in tip and tail, unavoidable if you ride hard enough).

I also think it goes beyond materials used too. Obviously your Lego plastic armada sidewalls (not kidding, legos and armada sidewalls are both made of ABS plastic last time I checked) aren’t going to hold up as well as a softer sidewall that Vishnu, on3p, Icelantic, etc use. But bond strength is crucial as well. For example I’ve ripped edge out of newer icelantics and the edges came out fairly easy due to a combo of small edge tabs and what seemed like “weak” bond of epoxy. Meanwhile I’ve done the same with vishnus, and the initial epoxy bonds that hold everything together were seemingly twice as strong and I had a tough time pulling the edges out.

older icelantics have a stronger bond/larger edge tabs and they hold in better than the new ones.

on3p are also notorious for easy edge pullouts. Tiny tabs and a seemingly weak bond don’t make a real good combo. I’ve literally ripped edge out with my hands on on3ps, meanwhile on Vishnus and older icelantics (bigger tabs and strong inner edge bond) I have to fucking cut and pry the edge out section by section since it’s in there so well.

Although I shit on armada for their horrendous sidewall design and weak bonds, their edges are well designed… the tabs re connect on the inside of the ski making them way harder to come out since the edge and the inner “edge” both have to bend.

I make such a deal about edge bond/strength because when your edges crack, your ski gets fucked up so much easier when the edge bends and opens up little gaps between base and sidewall, therefore creating delam underfoot, which is the nastiest of ski damage besides a snap.

My icelantics delaminate at the base underfoot every season super frustrating because they are so damn expensive

 

[dynafitdaffy]

What park ski do you guys think can take the most abuse like street skiing and hard butters? Is it the magnus? The wet? Just curious