Salomon will be releasing a new freestyle ski in the 25th season.
It's called "DEPART 1.0." Looking back, Salomon hasn't released a new freestyle ski in the last 10 years, or even longer.
The story behind the development of "Teneighty" and the birth of a completely new ski
The DEPART1.0 was spearheaded by two Swiss skiers, Sämi Ortlieb and Nico Vugnier. The project began as a way to create a commemorative model to mark the 20th anniversary of the release of the legendary Tenighty, the ski that sparked the freestyle boom .
After several prototypes, the project was completely halted due to the impact of COVID-19 while development was still in progress. After that, Nico approached Salomon and the DEPART 1.0 project was born, with the aim of creating a completely new freestyle ski
Salomon hadn't released a freestyle ski for a long time, so the production team couldn't just go back to the 2010 model and create a product that simply carried on that lineage. They needed to create a ski from scratch that would symbolize a new era, and that was also a smooth process for the team
In recent years, a growing movement of young skiers in their twenties in Europe and the United States has been opposing the current state of freeskiing, which focuses solely on winning competitions and performing difficult tricks.
buldoz which distributes videos primarily on social media , and the new print media superfriendlysociety . Furthermore, a growing subculture of skiers is developing on social media, sharing their own creativity, including how to make and edit videos.
The DEPART 1.0 was developed in this same vein, taking several years to complete. This means that the DEPART 1.0 is significantly different from other skis, including the Tenighty. While
most skis are designed and developed to win competitions or improve skiing skills, the DEPART 1.0 was created with the ultimate goal of allowing the rider to express themselves and ski freely.
Unique shape and ride feel
We can see that the concept is different from other skis. Let's take a look at how they've incorporated this concept into the product. First of all, let's take a look
at the unique outline. With a waist of 106mm and a nose of 140mm, the overall shape is wide, but the nose outline is pointed like a rocket.
This clearly unusual nose is designed to reduce snow resistance when skiing through powder. This not only increases speed while skiing, but also makes nose buttering easier.
an interview with NEW SCHOOLERS , developer Sami said, "In addition to the performance benefits, the pointed nose also has a conceptual idea behind it. I wanted to create a shape that would make me want to go skiing myself. This pointed nose is one example of that, and at least it worked for me (laughs). When I'm skiing and I look down, I like the feeling that the ski itself is inviting me to go!"
He said:
Furthermore, while twin tips in the 2000s were seen as something cutting-edge and outside the mainstream, the associations with twin tips today are fixed values such as competitions and more impactful tricks.
Sami says that for this reason, he wanted to create something that looks different from traditional twin tips and express a new ski culture.
132,000 yen 170cm model (D=137-104-125mm, R=14m) / 180cm model (D=140-106-128, R=15m)
There's a deep rocker line in the nose, and a solid rocker in the tail. The camber underfoot is just a few millimeters.
The board has a full sandwich structure, with sidewalls running from the top to the tail. The core is a lightweight yet highly resilient mix of carba and poplar, with fiberglass used as reinforcement. There's also a titanium plate underfoot for added reinforcement.
I imagine that the key factors are the taper of the core material, the thickness of the glass fiber, and how it is inserted, but the material used is quite simple
The ride feels relatively stiff, so while the concept is to offer free-riding, it's a little different from other skis that are "soft and playful" and are geared towards terrain play. The edge-to-edge sidewalls create a robust feel, allowing you to butter with your weight, yet also providing the durability to withstand hard use on the street. The Radius is 15m long for a 180cm board, allowing for a high degree of freedom on the slopes
Let's take a look at some social media footage of riders wearing them
Not only is it flexible enough to play around on any terrain, it's also tough enough to withstand big jumps and jibs in the park, while its thicker shape lets you ski freely in powder. This is the style of skiing it's for.
In summary, it's a little stiff and easy to carve, with a wide overall shape and a unique tip. While it might not be the first ski a beginner would choose, it's definitely unique and offers a ride that can't be experienced with other skis.
Thick Salomon that covers a wide range of scenes
The word "DEPART" literally means "departure." The "Teneighty" defined an era in the early days of freeskiing, and Salomon's new freestyle skis could be seen as a "new departure."
Just as a movement in freeskiing was created when many freeskiers, including Mike Douglas, JP Auclair, JF Cousson, and Vincent Dorion, wore Tenighty skis, it seems likely that DEPART 1.0 will create a new movement that is fitting for 2024
Over the past 20 years, gear has become lighter, opportunities to ski deep into the mountains have increased, and the number of users interested in powder and backcountry has increased.
Salomon has become a company that caters to a wider range of users and skiing styles than ever before, and now it is once again working with young users to propose new gear ideas and connect to the next generation.
Limited quantities available at only 5 stores in Japan
This is a test sale, and a limited number of products will be available from Friday, November 1st at retailers designated by the French headquarters
There will also be a chance to see footage from the mysterious "Depart Crew" at the QST FILM TOUR to be held in Japan this fall. STEEP will also be reporting details about the event, so be sure to check back for further updates