Handcrafted, Lightweight Skis Offer Improved Performance For Backcountry Enthusiasts
Unlike alpine skiing, which is typically done on groomed trails, backcountry skiers venture off into uncharted, non-patrolled territory. Thus, the needs of these powder enthusiasts are a bit different. They need their gear to help propel them off mountaintops and to serve as hiking footwear. Experienced backcountry skiers know that when it comes to their skis, being lightweight is key.
A group of such skiers set out to create equipment that was substantial enough to withstand harsh conditions but wouldn’t bog skiers down. Although friends Ben Sidor, Mike Rolfs, Jamie Tackman, and David Elwood initially meant to create skis just for themselves, their venture turned into a thriving business: Coop Skis.
The name is derived from their company’s humble origins. When one of the friends’ wives said the group could use their old chicken house to make their skis, they knew they found their first location. They designed and constructed their skis there for over a year before opening their own shop in order to keep up with growing demand.
Backcountry skis are quite a bit different from your typical cross-country design. They could be categorized as a lightweight downhill style ski, as they are much wider than cross-country options. They’re built for durability, speed, and performance.
The materials differ from those used in most skis, too. They use spruce for the core, which provides both strength and lightness, and they apply layers of carbon composite for even more strength. Composites like these are made of two or more materials with different physical or chemical properties. The additives never fully merge or dissolve when they’re being made, but they act as reinforcement. Since carbon fiber composite is three times stronger than fiberglass, skiers can feel secure knowing that their equipment can endure almost anything. And yet, the skis stay remarkably lightweight.
“We’re hiking on foot with skis, so weight does make a big difference,” says Sidor. “In really deep snow, you plane on top of the snow like a surfboard.”
Although Coop Skis has been a successful endeavor, Sidor isn’t ready to quit his day job as a surveyor just yet.
“I love it. I’m passionate about it, and I think about it all day long … but for now, it’s just an obsessive hobby,” he says.
One thing’s for certain: fellow skiing obsessives will be thankful for these lightweight skis when they head out on those backcountry slopes this season.
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