Make the mountain a playground

Rain falls on an April morning in Bend, Oregon, but the forecast is calling for 18-24” of fresh snow just up the road at Mount Bachelor. Four skiers from different regions of North America have gathered in the Pacific Northwest for a three-day photoshoot and to test a new lineup of Elan skis that are set to hit ski shops in Fall of 2023. Conditions like this can be hit or miss for photography, but the stoke was high, so the team packs ski gear into their trucks and begins the trek up to the 9000’ volcano that sits atop the Cascade Range.

The crew ranges in age from early 20’s to mid-30’s and they all have something in common; each are talented skiers with a skill set that blurs the line between freestyle and freeride. Over the past few decades, skiers who mix this playful blend of park influenced skiing into their everyday experience have grown in numbers. The invention of twin tip skis led to the widespread development of terrain parks, which popularized freeride and freestyle programs. Today, there’s an entire generation of skiers that learned to ski on twin tips and in programs that focus on creativity rather than speed or technique.

After a brief meeting in the base lodge to outline the goals of the trip, the hand-picked team eagerly heads outside where the snow is piling up. The vibe continues to escalate within the young group as they get to know each other better. Regardless of how the photos turn out, they know they’re in for an epic powder day testing the new collection of freeride twin-tip skis that were designed with terrain and conditions like this and creative skiers like them in mind. 

If you look at each discipline of skiing as a job and each category of skis as a tool, it’s clear that some tools are better suited for jobs than others. For example, ski racers need the lightning-fast quickness and stability to tackle solid, icy surfaces, found in the Ace series. Conversely, big-mountain skiers need the wider platform of Ripstick, that delivers the flotation and maneuverability to handle deep snow. While it’s possible to use Ace in powder and you can race on a Ripstick, you’ll probably have more fun and better results if you choose the tool that was designed with your day’s work in mind. A few years ago, Elan began assessing its toolbox to see what was missing. We talked with athletes, met with trendsetting retail partners, and did a deep dive into products and users that might be underserved by the existing offering. A pattern emerged; sales of freeride twin-tip skis were growing in North America. Athletes thought they could bring more of their friends into the Elan family if a bi-directional freeride ski was available. Retailers said they like doing business with Elan and if we built a freeride twin, they would prefer to buy it from us. The momentum for a new category of skis to satisfy skiers like the assembled test crew was already in motion years before.

When Elan builds new products, the goals are clear; innovate with the intent to deliver the best equipment that provides a better experience in the mountains for every type of skier. Whether igniting the sidecut revolution, pioneering asymmetrical construction, or changing the game in lightweight high-performance design, form and function walk together during the development process resulting in products that are purpose and user driven. Considering the challenge breaking into a new category presents, the product department set out to understand everything key users wanted. From performance, to look, and feel of the new collection, each aspect was studied carefully.

Research showed this brand of skiers viewed the mountain as a playground in which they slash turns in the local powder stash, carve a groomer, and drop into a terrain park switch, all in one run. Thus, they wanted the performance of a freeride ski combined with the loose, surfy feel of a freestyle twin. Visually, they identified with products that were bold and different. Most importantly, users wanted the product as whole to represent their lifestyle – fun, free, and a little wild.

Defining the new collection began with the development of a bi-directional shape with a loose feel that could also be pushed hard. New footprints, designs, and profiles were tested by key users, and Dual Float technology emerged as a design that was strong, playful, and loose all at the same time. Dual Float features a 3D trapezoid shape with 360 Sidewall construction which delivers the needed grip and trustworthy feel through the middle of the ski, while allowing the extremities to remain light and playful. The Surf Rocker profile then blends rocker smoothly into both tip and tail for a loose feel with excellent flotation in both directions, allowing the ski to pivot and slide on command.

While shape and profile were being refined, identifying a construction that delivered the best ride quality was the next task. Ripstick’s Tubelite Woodcore had built a reputation for having a smooth ride, with powerful pop and rebound – two very desirable characteristics in a freeride twin – making it a logical starting place. Tubelite also offered a consistent technology story, with a twist; the carbon rods were adapted for Playmaker by reducing their length to accentuate the loose, playful feel and improve performance riding and landing switch. This optimized core would find its way into two widths that complimented Ripstick; 91 mm for skiers that desired quickness and grip in the resort and park, and 101 mm for riders that spend equal time in search of fresh snow and natural terrain features to play with. With performance and ride characteristics nearing completion, it was time to give the unisex, two-ski collection a visual personality of its own. Recalling that users wanted a product that reflected their lifestyle, the new collection would feature a graphic design clad in neon pink highlights that was clean, a little wild, and sure to capture attention. An icon depicting a wave crashing at the bottom of a mountain signified the all-new collection was designed to surf, slash, and make the mountain a playground. The name of this new collection; Playmaker.

Over a span of three days, the team slashed through tight trees, surfed secret powder stashes, and hit natural booters while shooting photos and sharing high fives. The new collection was put to the ultimate test, in the perfect environment, with target riders confirming that Playmaker lived up to its name by delivering the trustworthy performance needed to blend both freeride and freestyle worlds. Playmaker’s personality also stood out, giving Elan a new voice that was fun, free, and just wild enough to bring a few new friends into the Elan family.