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Last winter, a new ski brand joined the fray with a special trick up their sleeve. WNDR Alpine was making high-performing, really fun backcountry skis using a totally new technology: algae-based composite cores. We got a chance to sit down with founder Matt Sterbenz (who you might remember being behind 4FRNT) last fall to learn about the technology in their original ski the Intention 110, and you can read more about that here. WNDR Alpine just released their second ski, the Vital 100, and it promises to be a nimble charger for big human-powered lines. Or dare we say it: #freemo?
The Vital 100 uses the same technology found in the Intention 110, but looks to take cues from modern ski mountaineering skis. It’s available in both a camber and reverse-camber profile, and at 100mm underfoot with a 24m turn radius, looks to be a proper tool for true adventure skiing, steeps, and pushing the limits where edgehold and precision are paramount.
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The Vital 100 in its element. WNDR Alpine photos.
WNDR Alpine’s Pep Fujas tells us about the ski:
We launched our new ski, the Vital 100, equipped with our Algal Wall, an algae-based cast urethane sidewall that replaces typical ABS while having superior performance characteristics and simultaneously significantly reducing manufacturing waste. As you know, ski materials have been relatively unchanged for decades and in the last year we have developed two new materials based on a renewable resource (oil from microalgae) that has the potential to create a paradigm shift in the larger industrial economy. The materials we have integrated were built specifically for the application of skiing and provide performance enhancements that ultimately add to the experience of mountain travel, tools you and I use every day. Our overall objective is to shake up the industry and lead it down a more conscious path.
