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  1. #1
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    What Ski Brands Integrate Urethane into Sidewalls?

    I know k2 use to do this, just wondering if other ski brands do this.

  2. #2
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    On3p. Moment. Praxis?
    It seems to be an indy brand thing.
    No longer stuck.

    Quote Originally Posted by stuckathuntermtn View Post
    Just an uneducated guess.

  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by stuckathuntermtn View Post
    On3p. Moment. Praxis?
    It seems to be an indy brand thing.
    All the small brands that did this no longer exist.
    Training for Alpental

  4. #4
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    wat
    No longer stuck.

    Quote Originally Posted by stuckathuntermtn View Post
    Just an uneducated guess.

  5. #5
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    UHMW (which is what Praxis, ON3P, Moment, and others use for sidewalls) is polyethylene. ABS is the other common material used, which is also not urethane.

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by adrenalated View Post
    UHMW (which is what Praxis, ON3P, Moment, and others use for sidewalls) is polyethylene. ABS is the other common material used, which is also not urethane.
    He is correct to the best of my knowledge.

    I think maybe we should start using nano-diamond in our sidewalls.
    You should have been here yesterday!

  7. #7
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    I remember a few years back, I broke sidewalls on two pairs of Head IM88's. For the 3rd year of the ski, they switched to an ABS composite material, which had random very small fibers to strengthen the already strong ABS. Very tough sidewalls.

  8. #8
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    Liberty got the urethane- not sure in all there stuff. Its allot more expensive material and machines to do this so chinese made mostly you will see this or very small boutique skis. The euros dont get into this much. Its not that the urethane is "tougher" per se, it bonds extremely well and flexes very well at cold temps. All abs is not the same and urethane is just as complex chemistry.

  9. #9
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    Urethane is weak and brittle. No good for side walls. P-tex is better.
    Leave No Turn Unstoned!

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by DropCliffsNotBombs View Post
    Urethane is weak and brittle. No good for side walls. P-tex is better.
    This is completly incorrect.

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by lobstahmeatwad View Post
    This is completly incorrect.
    Urethane as a material is pretty flexible and resilient. But when urethane was widely used in sidewalls in the past, they often literally cracked and fall out in chunks whenever you impacted anything hard like a rock or stump.
    P-tex is better. Most modern skis use it.
    Leave No Turn Unstoned!

  12. #12
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    So that everyone reading this is clear, p-tex and UHMW are the same thing.

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by adrenalated View Post
    So that everyone reading this is clear, p-tex and UHMW are the same thing.
    I am going to switch all production to make sidewalls out of hopes and dreams.
    You should have been here yesterday!

  14. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by PowTron View Post
    I am going to switch all production to make sidewalls out of hopes and dreams.
    And Buckminsterfullerene.

  15. #15
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    MY BAD!!!
    I was confusing ABS with Urethane.

    The weed is strong here...
    Last edited by DropCliffsNotBombs; 09-21-2016 at 11:02 AM.
    Leave No Turn Unstoned!

  16. #16
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    Quote Originally Posted by adrenalated View Post
    So that everyone reading this is clear, p-tex and UHMWPE are the same thing.
    ie. polyethylene.

  17. #17
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    Yeah ur totally wrong urethane is one of the most teprature stable, abrasion resistant, flexible and durable materials known to man.
    Its great for all types of stuff.
    Uhmw is the industry standard because its cheap and easy to finish and produced globally.
    Polyether based urethanes are complex, harder to finish and require more complex machinery not already integrated into the ski industry.
    Lots of companies are useing abs as well still. Not all abs is the same. The first chemical makeups of abs used were brittle in the cold. Not the case any more.
    The uae factory makes some of the finest fit and finish water skis, snow skis and snowboards in the world and they use allot of abs in there products.

  18. #18
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    Quote Originally Posted by DropCliffsNotBombs View Post
    Urethane as a material is pretty flexible and resilient. But when urethane was widely used in sidewalls in the past, they often literally cracked and fall out in chunks whenever you impacted anything hard like a rock or stump.
    P-tex is better. Most modern skis use it.
    When I mean integrate Urethane into sidewalls, I do not mean using Urethane the entire length of the sidewall. Most companies that used urethane integrate the urethane betwwen p-tex or ABS. I find that an ABS/urethane sidewall makes for a very smooth, damp feeling ski. Especially on edge.

  19. #19
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    Quote Originally Posted by CONAIR_BUSCEMI View Post
    When I mean integrate Urethane into sidewalls, I do not mean using Urethane the entire length of the sidewall. Most companies that used urethane integrate the urethane betwwen p-tex or ABS. I find that an ABS/urethane sidewall makes for a very smooth, damp feeling ski. Especially on edge.
    Soooo....What companies do this? You seem to be the authority.
    Training for Alpental

  20. #20
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    Quote Originally Posted by PhiberAwptik View Post
    Soooo....What companies do this? You seem to be the authority.
    Not sure. K2 use to do this with their Absorb sidewalls. They would use Urethane inbetween ABS as well as under foot.

    I wish I had the money to design and press my own skis because I think Urethane used in the right places really maximizes dampening, and reduces chatter, without making the ski's lose agility and feel.

    I really don't know any other companies that use urethane, maybe it's too expensive.

  21. #21
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    Quote Originally Posted by CONAIR_BUSCEMI View Post
    Not sure. K2 use to do this with their Absorb sidewalls. They would use Urethane inbetween ABS as well as under foot.

    I wish I had the money to design and press my own skis because I think Urethane used in the right places really maximizes dampening, and reduces chatter, without making the ski's lose agility and feel.

    I really don't know any other companies that use urethane, maybe it's too expensive.
    I think if there was a measureable benefit to doing this, then it would be more common. I would venture the core, and layup will have way more effect on the characteristics you are looking for then a few thin strips of material. Have you ever been on bamboo?
    Training for Alpental

  22. #22
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    L I B E R TY
    Y O U A R E DUMB

  23. #23
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    Quote Originally Posted by lobstahmeatwad View Post
    L I B E R TY
    Y O U A R E DUMB

    They list something called "durathane" where a manufacturer would typically put VDS. Everyone advertises that it's for dampening, but it's more for bonding and preventing delaminating more than anything else. I'm sure it's typical voodoo BS. Like Liberty being the only one that uses bamboo.
    Training for Alpental

  24. #24
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    You're right and wrong. VDS is for bonding. It also has the biggest effect on damping(not dampening) than any other part of the laminate, followed by the plastics(base, topsheet and epoxy).

  25. #25
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    Quote Originally Posted by tuco View Post
    You're right and wrong. VDS is for bonding. It also has the biggest effect on damping(not dampening) than any other part of the laminate, followed by the plastics(base, topsheet and epoxy).
    Everything I have heard is that is untrue. It's dampening characteristcs are actually pretty limited. It's real strength is it reduces delamination caused by shear stress. The rest is just marketing jabber.
    Training for Alpental

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