Soft Snow Gymkhana - The Heritage Lab FR110

[Marshal Olson]

So, I don't know exactly where to start with this ski, other than to say it is so damn fun. Turns the mountain in a slash-fest playground. Grinding down moguls. Airing every lip in sight. Slashing turns into chokes. Drifting out of 55mph straight lines. It's nuts.

The overall objective was to make a modern/progressively shaped full reverse camber "most days" / soft snow biased ski.

Design Notes:

1). Flex Pattern and stiffness. It was really important to me to find the right balance between stable and fast, but not abusive or rough. On reverse skis, biofeedback is multiplied, as the energy of the skier is translated right under foot first, then dissipated out to the ends (opposed to a cambered ski, where the energy goes for the ends in). We ended up with what I feel is a very nice, round, responsive stiffness, that holds up at speed but is still very very smooth on rough snow. The Freeride build (Bamboo/Poplar, Full VDS Rubber, 38oz Fiberglass) really complimented and gave a super nice snowfeel.

2). Rocker Profile and splay. My main concern was to avoid the dreaded "see-saw" feeling many reverse skis have when used all mountain. At least for me, I feel there is no see-saw at all, but plently of splay to make the ski loose and drifty any time you ask it to be so. It is a surf machine and just rips around and carries speed through tight technical terrain really really well. I was very pleasantly surprised at how composed the 186 is for me nuking through chunder, avy debris, wind skin, etc. Just slices right through without being phased. There is 1.5cm splay per ski at the tip's widepoint and 1.25cm splay per ski at the tail. This was actually increased from the original CAD (from 1.0/.75 respectively) and I am really really happy that it was done. Rides exactly how I wanted them to.

3). Carving. This was #3 of my priority, important, but less so than other skis in the HL line. I find the ski to engage and hold edge really well, and in nice softer groomed conditions, it holds and edge and tracks through the entire effective edge, and certainly will track on hard groomers well at the appropriate edge angle... but there will be a little tip/tail off the snow here. However, the mass and dampness of the construction ensure that that again, as long as you are up on edge and angles, the ski tracks well and holds without any drama. For the Sickle lovers out there, it won't carve quite as well as that ski. Just to be honest.

4). Lengths. I'm sold on the 186 (188 material length, 186.5 straight tape) for what and how I will use this. But based on requests, I am going to offer 192 and 180s for preorder this summer/fall, with a Jan-Feb delivery date... and can very much see 174 and 168 sizes for next season. If these lengths are interesting, please let me know, as the go/no-go is entirely based on folks asking for them...

The FR110 gives a more progressive ride, shreds tighter lines lower mountain, carries speed nicely through tech and minigolf, but has the balls to hang too. To me, it feels like the intersection of an OG EHP and Dev. So, I see the FL113 is the big mountain ski (modernized more rewarding and less demanding RC112/Thirteen/etc). Great for Bluebird. Soft pow. Weekdays when the upper mountain is ready to rip. This is complemented by the FL105, which is more directional, more engaged on edge, relatively surfy, but much less drifty. The FR110 is for making the mountain a playground while storm riding, chasing lines in the woods on the weekend, funky spring snow, etc.

Eager to answer any questions folks have!

[toast2266]

I remain psyched for these.

[rainy512day]

What would the specs be for a 174?

[Marshal Olson]

What would the specs be for a 174?

174cm probably about 108mm under foot, ~22m radius, and about 150-200g lighter

EDIT - 180cm probably about 109mm, 23.5m radius, 75-100g lighter

[Pins and Skins]

So difficult to find a mid-width reverse ski. Thus far, I've tracked down WNDR, Folsom, Crows and Icelantic. Think this one could be the king of the roost though. Waiting to see specs of the 180s (for us short mags)...

[Benneke10]

So difficult to find a mid-width reverse ski. Thus far, I've tracked down WNDR, Folsom, Crows and Icelantic. Think this one could be the king of the roost though. Waiting to see specs of the 180s (for us short mags)...

Volkl and 4frnt should be on the list as well. I'm also psyched for these in 180!

[rainy512day]

174cm probably about 108mm under foot, ~22m radius, and about 150-200g lighter

EDIT - 180cm probably about 109mm, 23.5m radius, 75-100g lighter

Effective edge?

[ASmileyFace]

As I've expressed in at least 3 or 4 threads at this point: I am so freaking excited for this ski. Glad to be part of the pre-order gang and will be A/B-ing it vs my Sickle's that are on their last legs as soon as I get on them next season.

Glad to hear you're going to be adding some different lengths. The 192 is intriguing, but for the type of terrain I am usually skiing the 186 will be perfect.

[Marshal Olson]

Effective edge?

roughly 10-11cm shorter than the 186!

[arild]

roughly 10-11cm shorter than the 186!

Yes. Drawings are ready.

support the raddest project going: http://heritagelabskis.com

[kid-kapow]

very nice

A 180 sounds really nice, though I am less than confident that I will be able to afford a pair this time around

[CouloirInTheLines]

Heck yeah! Can’t wait to get my pair.

[pfluffenmeister]

In.
Many years ago I yearned for a ski that the feel of a narrow Kusala.
This may be it!

Super stoked!

[skisurfmirth]

Can you compare design notes 1 and 2 to the sickle? Also have you skied the carbon layups yet? Rad looking ski!


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[Shredeagle]

Get me fired up!! I ordered a pair based on how passionate everyone seemed on the idea. I’m picturing this thing as a great Bridger bowl ski for a lot of conditions. Maybe a skinnier more slarving version of the praxis FRS
? Lots of tight chokes into an apron into a weirdo line down low keeping it straight down the fall line in any turn shape I feel like making? Super stoked and never skied a ski like this before. Why am I going to love it?


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[SkiLyft]

In.
Many years ago I yearned for a ski that the feel of a narrow Kusala.
This may be it!

Super stoked!

Where are you pulling this reference from? It looks a bit different on paper over a kusala? They share a full rocker shape? What else?


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[SupreChicken]

Stable (for an full rocker ski) sickle 110?

I have never liked fully rockered skis. I feel like they demand a constant turn. Can’t just stand up on them and just chill/let them ride. Landings and skinning are always way more suspect for me than on a mustache rocker ski.

How does this ski solve that specifically?

I feel like once I figure out how to actually enjoy a full reverse ski, I’ll be able to get on something like that in deep snow and level up my pow game…

[pfluffenmeister]

Where are you pulling this reference from? It looks a bit different on paper over a kusala? They share a full rocker shape? What else?


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Yeah, it might just be hopeful desire on my part but ...
Slight full rocker, hopefully pretty stiff, same tip and tail dimensions with a 14mm narrower waist.
Sounds like the FR110 has a bit more rocker (I still can't view any rocker pic attachments of the FR110).
A skinnier, turnier Kusala?

I find the Kusala to a little jibby, a little chargey.
Super intuitive turns in tight spaces yet stable at speed.
Hoping for the same in the FR110 with a bit more versatility with less width underfoot.

Plus it sounds like the FR build is smooth yet energetic.

[gaijin]

Stable (for an full rocker ski) sickle 110?

I have never liked fully rockered skis. I feel like they demand a constant turn. Can’t just stand up on them and just chill/let them ride. Landings and skinning are always way more suspect for me than on a mustache rocker ski.

How does this ski solve that specifically?

I feel like once I figure out how to actually enjoy a full reverse ski, I’ll be able to get on somethjng like that in deep snow and level up my pow game…

I’ve had a couple of friends who never clicked with full reverse. And in conversations, it seemed from my perspective that they didn’t give the design enough time to change their technique.

As in— they didn’t learn how to ride the shape—how to drive the base underfoot into a slarve and then a carve as opposed to driving the shovel into a carve and then a slarve.

Reverse camber taught me how to initiate a carve from the tail and then how to pull the tip into that carve.

I was genuinely bummed to learn this skill at 38, instead of 22. I felt like that was the skill downhill racers were talking about that I just couldn’t wrap my head around when I was younger.

And now when I ski my 84mm, fully cambered, double titanol, basically wide GS skis (Nordica), and drive them from the base, I can surf them from the tail into a carve to the tips.

Reverse camber completely changed my skill set. So when I read reviews on here by people who made a judgement after one day my reply is -“ Of course you didn’t like it, you didn’t learn a goddamn thing.”

This is not an attack on why you didn’t like reverse camber, but more of a dialogue in how different they are.

That said— I agree that it’s hard to just stand there and let a reverse camber track your way down the fall line. I don’t like reverse camber in chop, either, due to the lack of suspension.

Right now I’m debating between FR110 and FL113 for my tweener ski. In March the forest is filled in, super smooth, and shallow fast soft snow. My 122Ren is adequate, but kinda turny and wish it was straighter. Hence-113. In March I GS the forest.

But there is no doubt the 110 would be more maneuverable in those low-light, shallow days where I’m just kind of jibbing the forest.

It’s ridiculous that I now plan my quiver according to months.

December- R99, FL105
January- FR132, FL105
February- Ren
March- Ren, FL113
April- FL113, FL105, R99.

Such is life for a snow-snob, Japan forest rider.

Now I just need about 5K.

[Get.Kronk]

“Reverse camber taught me how to initiate a carve from the tail and then how to pull the tip into that carve.”

Idk why it didn’t quote when I meant to, but sheesh that sentence turned me on. Now I wanna go skiing

[Self Jupiter]

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[byates1]

Stoked to be on these next year!

[turnfarmer]

What do you think about this ski for low angle aspen skiing?
That keeps this old dude happy as a clam these days.

[Pinned]

I've got the 186 on order but I'm curious about the 180. Any info on what the effective edge / weight would be on those?

[Marshal Olson]

I've got the 186 on order but I'm curious about the 180. Any info on what the effective edge / weight would be on those?

Just LMK if you want to change (noting that I don't have an expected shipping date on the other lengths, as I have yet to submit a PO to the factory). But to answer your Q: Approx 6cm shorter EE and about 75g lighter