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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Location
    Jackson
    Posts
    774

    WTF is a Soft Edge Ski? Gilson Skis

    So this advertisement popped up for soft edge skis.... huh?

    http://www.gilsonsnow.com/ski-release.html

    I guess I would give a pair a try as a novelty like Rax, or those wood only skis, or snowboarding but can not see an advantage that would have me spending any $$$
    \Discuss

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    78° 41′ 0″ N, 16° 24′ 0″ E
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    1,522
    Looks like they've fully spooned the whole ski.

    I'd be amazed/impressed if they manage to sell a thousand pairs of this.

    Sent from my SM-G900F using TGR Forums mobile app
    simen@downskis.com DOWN SKIS

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Location
    Central OR
    Posts
    5,963

    WTF is a Soft Edge Ski? Gilson Skis

    So it's a modern K2 Ballet. I skied a pair of those once - ONCE - back in 1983. They sucked.

    Looks like a solution in search of a problem. YMMV.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    tetons
    Posts
    8,509
    I vote that you all resurrect ski ballet
    wouldya look at those sleeves!
    skid luxury

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
    Location
    Warrrrrrrshington
    Posts
    1,168
    Mosely could be the man for it


  6. #6
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    Missoula, MT
    Posts
    22,462
    That looks like a fucking terrible idea.
    No longer stuck.

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

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Dec 2003
    Location
    Seattle
    Posts
    33,546
    from Winfield, PA.

    'nough said.
    Quote Originally Posted by Downbound Train View Post
    And there will come a day when our ancestors look back...........

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Aug 2005
    Location
    Base of LCC
    Posts
    1,622
    Sweet Swatch watch ad in the background of the Breck video

    Sent from my XT1053 using TGR Forums mobile app

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Posts
    1,744
    So it's just a normal ski with a really shitty base high tune?

    Sweet.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    Magically whisked away to...Delaware
    Posts
    3,608
    Quote Originally Posted by PNWbrit View Post
    from Winfield, PA.

    'nough said.
    Hey now! That's right between Jersey Town and Jersey Shore!!!
    It makes perfect sense...until you think about it.

    I suspect there's logic behind the madness, but I'm too dumb to see it.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    I-70 West
    Posts
    4,684
    These guys were at Eldora a few years ago, I tried their swallowtail and park boards. The park board was LOOSE. Any jabroni could press and manual on them, which was cool, but was way too unstable for anything outside the park. Soft edge meant no catches on boardslides, so I can see the appeal for jibbers

    Swallowtail was OK, I didn't think it was anything groundbreaking in bounds, might be something that you only bring out on deep days. The "pow channel" thing, didn't really get to see what it does since it was sunny hardpack, so I guess my experience is incomplete?

    The soft edge is weird, not a fan of it at high speeds at all. I believe they said the edge "catches" at a 10 degree tilt.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    May 2002
    Posts
    33,440
    Quote Originally Posted by flowing alpy View Post
    I tagged their camper with a BBI sticker while
    they were parked in the Bachelor parking lot.
    Winner! Contact hq for your prize.


  13. #13
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Location
    Bottom feeding
    Posts
    10,828
    Well maybe I'm the faggot America
    I'm not a part of a redneck agenda

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    Missoula, MT
    Posts
    22,462
    If you're worried about catching, you just bevel at 1.5 degrees, and skip making a ski that's a fucked up and unnecessarily complicated.
    No longer stuck.

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

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Location
    Near the mountains
    Posts
    844
    Of point a little bit, but why hasn't a ski company made a production ski without edges?
    That would work great for rails and urban.
    Quote Originally Posted by Danno View Post
    I suggest we do more airmchair QBing with no facts except as stated in the article.

  16. #16
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Posts
    14
    I've got a new pair, If I can find may way back to this thread once I ski them, I'll let you know.

  17. #17
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Location
    Mexitana
    Posts
    2,474
    Quote Originally Posted by skibum93 View Post
    Of point a little bit, but why hasn't a ski company made a production ski without edges?
    That would work great for rails and urban.
    Because that would be retarded.

  18. #18
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    Seattle
    Posts
    8,404
    This should be good.... hope they're red.

    Quote Originally Posted by patrullr View Post
    I've got a new pair, If I can find may way back to this thread once I ski them, I'll let you know.
    Quote Originally Posted by Foggy_Goggles View Post
    If I lived in WA, Oft would be my realtor. Seriously.

  19. #19
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    base of the Bush
    Posts
    14,871
    I am sure any shop rat will get the tune right.



    www.apriliaforum.com

    "If the road You followed brought you to this,of what use was the road"?

    "I have no idea what I am talking about but would be happy to share my biased opinions as fact on the matter. "
    Ottime

  20. #20
    Join Date
    Apr 2012
    Location
    Mexico 2.0
    Posts
    818
    Bumpty dumpty...demoed Gilson's all-mountain ski at Stevens yesterday. The reps were cool. Talking points/claims (from the rep):

    1. The ski is quicker edge-to-edge
    2. Park skiers don't have to detune edges anymore
    3. Something something surfy playful woohoo fun
    4. Don't make the call on them after only one run

    Me: 5'9", 135lbs, kind of a big deal, skiing 178cm Scimitars/FKS 185 that day (thanks again OldSchool1080s)

    Conditions: mid 30s, snowing lightly, soft on piste/park, kind of gross crust off-piste.

    Skis: 173cm Gilson Skis (this appears to be the all-mountain model name) with Tyrolia demo bindings.

    Pre-skiing impressions: reasonably stiff flex underfoot and tail, softer tip; rocker/early rise tip, no rocker in the tail but plenty of twin tip for switch. Lighter than Scimitars/FKS, but not by a lot.

    Run 1: immediately went for a small double in the trees near the top of Hogs, skis flew out from under me on the off-camber lip, landed on my ass. Low-edge-angle turns, or slight traversing, resulted in slipping down the fall line. High edge angles, once you get there, make the ski feel pretty normal.

    Runs 2 and 3 involved pump-track features, tight trees, boxes, and park jumps.

    The defining characteristic of the ski, for me, was that turn initiation always involved drifting a lot. This was okay on groomers or wide-open off-piste slopes, but I never felt like I got the drift control down in bumps or on takeoffs or landings. Skiing bases flat or low edge angles was always a gamble.

    Another odd feature was that they were very noisy, almost like fishscaled Nordic skis. The base looked pretty dry. I imagine hot-waxing/scraping/stonegrinding these things is not super easy.

    So, to address the rep's talking points:

    1. The ski is quicker edge-to-edge
    Not really. You need to focus on getting from one edge to the next as quickly as possible if you actually want to change directions.

    2. Park skiers don't have to detune edges anymore
    They did feel pretty good on boxes, and pivoted with a quick counter-rotation very easily (on snow as well as park features. I did not slide any rails on them, however, so maybe didn't really test this well. It does seem to me that metal edges will still end up hitting rails occasionally, though, and sharp edges are probably going to crack.

    3. Something something surfy playful woohoo fun
    Yes, except when they don't turn when you really need to turn, or they slip down the fall line when you would prefer not to.

    4. Don't make the call on them after only one run
    I guess I'll make the call after three runs. I will keep my Scimitars. Would be very interested in trying the powder model in powder/mank.

    My slightly heavier and taller friend tried the 183s (coming off 178 Blends), and loved them. He looks like this, though, so I'm not sure he's trustworthy.

    Click image for larger version. 

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  21. #21
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Eburg
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    13,243
    Quote Originally Posted by Toddball View Post
    Me: 5'9", 135lbs, kind of a big deal. . . .
    okay then

  22. #22
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    Missoula, MT
    Posts
    22,462
    Sounds like a base high Spatula. In other words, shit.
    No longer stuck.

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

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