Technical details that interest you on Forest Skis

We get a lot of questions about why we use the materials we use, what their meaning and advantage is. We have therefore written comprehensive information about all the components of our skis – from the surface, through the core to the skid and edges. Read on and find out what secrets are hidden in our skis.

You will learn:

• Veneer
• The core
• Fibers
• Ski base
  
• Edges
• Protectors and sidewalls

Veneer – Why do we use a wooden surface on skis?

We use wood on the surface for several reasons. The first, obvious reason is design. Thanks to the wooden, organic surface, each ski is unique. Wood is also much more environmentally friendly than plastic. At the same time, it has better damping and technical properties than a standard plastic surface.

We use European wood, respectively, trees from our regions, which do not burden habitats with their harvesting. We avoid the use of exotic wood as used by some manufacturers, because its harvesting and transport create a great environmental burden on the environment. We use 0.6 mm thick peeled veneer on Forest Skis.

Veneers ready for gluing to the suface of skis.

The core – What is hidden under the surface?

We use exclusively wooden cores and we always combine several types of wood. Standard kernels are a combination of ash, aspen and a combination of third wood. These cores are performance oriented. There is a main ash block, which ensures hardness and strength under the binding. The second wood in our standard core is aspen, which gives it lightness and flexibility. We choose the choice of the third wood depending on the conditions for which a particular ski is intended.

We use paulownia and poplar for lightweight kernels. The main criteria here are the low weight and high flexibility of the ski. These cores are supported by agate sidewalls, thanks to which the skis gain resistance and hardness.
For all cores, we use a numerically calculated course of the core thickness, which ensures a perfect linear course of flex. This means that the thickness of the core is calculated on the basis of a computer simulation, thanks to which the skis have a natural hardness gradient from toe to heel. The result is maximum accuracy of these parameters, which provides the cores with a natural, adapted flex.

We combine 3 types of wood in the cores to achieve optimal results.

Fibers – Top materials in Slovak skis

The wooden core is protected and supported by four types of fibers.
The first of these is Dyneema® fiber, which we use in Fullcarbon skis under the core as its protection against the penetration of stones into the core. Dyneema® is one of the strongest ballistic fibers in the world and only two ski brands in the world can incorporate it into skis. Forest Skis and the Swiss ski brand Zai, whose skis cost 4-10 thousand euros. We also use Dyneema® as an inertial damper in a system of Barbon, Kevlar, and Glass fibers.

Our skis are not purely carbon – they contain a combination of fibers. Carbon, ie Carbon fiber, is extremely light, powerful, hard, and at the same time flexible, thanks to which it gives the skis a lot of energy. However, pure Carbon skis would be unusable, as the skis would get into huge vibrations. The Carbon fiber itself acts as a spring.

By combining carbon, Kevlar, Dyneema®, and glass fibers, we have created a system in our skis which, in addition to the mentioned “springs”, also contains shock absorbers and thus guarantees the skis optimal riding properties.
By combining these fibers, which we called the anisotropic full carbon fiber construction, we achieved high speed, hardness, and damping characteristics of our skis, while maintaining their low weight.

On the surface of our skis, there is also flax fiber dyed with blueprints. What does it mean? The flax surface provides a damping function. On the ice slopes, the skis go smoothly, dampening vibrations. And this also applies to technical binding, which does not have to dampen as much as standard binding.
This flax fiber is dyed using the original indigo-dyed coloring process from the workshop of Matej Rabada. This procedure is also inscribed as the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage.

Kevlar fiber.

Flax fiber dyed and not dyed by indigo.

Ski base – We use the best that the ski industry has to offer

We use 2 types of ski bases on Forest Skis. Both have their own specifics and are the best that the ski industry has to offer.
The first type is the sintered ski base – the hardest and most durable ski base on the market, used on the Lotor, Druid and Skadi models. In addition to hardness, its great benefit is also easy repairability and the possibility of various color variations of the base.

The second type is the graphite ski base, used all over the world for racing skis. It is a sintered ski base, into which graphite and other additives are mixed, thanks to which the ski base gains speed. Thanks to the graphite powder, it is self-lubricating, still highly resistant and does not need to be waxed so often.

Graphite ski base – the highest standard in the ski industry.

Edges – a balanced balance of all important features

In general, we distinguish between thin ski edges, which are used for ultralight skis, and standard ski edges, which are widely represented in almost all ski brands in the world. In addition, we know stainless steel edges that are softer than 48 rockwellow (unit of hardness) and quickly dull on ice, which means that they require frequent grinding. There are also super-hard, 52 rockwell edges, but they are brittle and tend to crack.

In Forest Skis, therefore, we use 48 rockwell snowboard edges on all skis, which are the most impact-resistant, are embedded deeper in the ski and are a golden standard in terms of hardness, durability and durability. Our edges, although not as thick as super-rough edges, last longer as they have a better hardness to size ratio than all other edges. At the same time, the snowboard edge is recessed 30% deeper than the ski edge, making the power transmission greater and the edges difficult to pull out.

Snowboard edges embedded 30% deeper into the ski.

Protectors and sidewalls – ski protection as a priority

We use ABS protectors on the heels, which are very impact resistant and can be easily repaired if necessary. At the tips, we chose lightweight protectors, which have a 30% lower density compared to standard protectors, thanks to which the tips do not vibrate while riding. We do not put edges on the toes and heels. If there was an edge at the ends of the skis and it bent, the ski could no longer be repaired. However, we can treat the plastic in the protector if it is damaged.
We also use ABS sidewalls, which are a golden standard in terms of vibration damping, hardness, repairability, and force transmission to the edge.

Finishing and grinding

All our skis are finished on a Reichmann automatic race machine. They have a cut 70mm wide structure, which retains more wax and at the same time ensures better tear. The sides are polished smoothly, thanks to which the skis slide better along the edges if necessary. The edges have an undercut of 0.75 ° and a side of 89 °. An ideal choice for ordinary skiers, for aggressive skiers it is easier to make 89 ° => 88 ° than vice versa. This is because the edges would have to be sharpened more.

Attention: our skis are not ground to 100% level. Why is that so? It is simple. The less skis we grind, the more skis you can grind. On average, it turns out that you can do 4-5 big services on our skis.

… and we’re at the end

Finally, we apply a special 3-component semi-matt car lacquer to the surface of the skis, which completely preserves the ski and is significantly more durable.

We believe that the article brought you a new perspective on how we approach the creation of skis. We produce Forest Skis skis with an emphasis on professionalism and top quality in conjunction with a unique design. All models of our skis can be found HERE. Choose Slovak world skis that will serve you for years!

What happens before you hold the Forest skis in your hands? Viktor’s most important task is to transform thoughts, ideas and emotions into technical drawings of skis.
It’s hours of thinking, testing and drawing. Thanks to the fact that we can process it all ourselves, no information is lost between the driver and the developer.

The product must be designed precisely to the tenth of a millimeter, has proven shapes that work and also a dose of innovation.

Text: Samuel Gibala, Viktor Devečka, Photo: archive of Forest Skis