of Ski Construction
13
Women’s Specific Technology K2 Construction
Wood Cores
Triaxial Braiding
Metal Laminate
Cap Construction
Sidewall Construction
Progressive Sidecut
BioFlex Core
Metal Laminate
Every ski in the 2011/12 K2 collection combines tried and true construction with a host of innovative features designed to maximize performance in any snow condition. Features like BASELINE® profiles have redefined how we look at ski construction. Yet many of the successful components responsible for the lively and playful feel of a K2 remain at the ‘core’ of every ski we make.
We use a variety of woods in our cores to achieve the energy, rebound, and life you come to expect from a K2 ski. Fir and aspen, both solid and dense woods, are known for their inherent strength and durability. Paulownia is an ecofriendly, fast-growing renewable wood that is incredibly strong and lightweight. A softer wood, bamboo is recognized for being forgiving and lightweight.
Triaxial braiding consists of braiding fiberglass around a wood core to provide torsional rigidity for added control. Developed in 1988 by K2 engineers, the patented triaxial braid interlocks strands of fiberglass around a milled wood core. Triaxially braided skis are incredibly energetic and responsive, while maintaining a level of ease in both expert and entry level skis.
Built with two sheets of lightweight Titanal running the length of the ski, metal-laminate skis are the highest performing and most complex construction available from K2. Built from the base up, a metal laminate construction consists of alternating layers of fiberglass and Titanal above and below the wood core. Metal-laminates provide dampened, accurate, unshakable performance ideal for expert-level skiers.
Durable and lightweight “cap” skis are built by a sophisticated molding process that envelopes the core and internal materials with the top layer of the ski. Used throughout our ski line, cap constructions can be assembled with a variety of different cores. These variations, such as glass and/or metal materials, are the determining factors of the skis’ performance.
Unlike cap construction, the contents of a sidewall-constructed ski are sealed and protected by vertical material on the edges of the ski. Extra sidewall material is placed directly above the edge of the ski for additional strength and support. Due to the vertical nature of the construction process, sidewall construction provides extremely high transmission of power and pop.
Progressive sidecut is a combination of two different radii, or sidecuts, that enhance the versatility of wider-waist skis. Standard sidecut theory is based on using a single radius. This works well on narrower skis, but becomes overpowering on wider skis, especially in variable conditions. The use of progressive sidecut on wider-waist skis guarantees improved turn initiation and hard-snow performance.
All of our women’s skis use a combination of aspen, paulownia, and bamboo in a unique core known as BioFlex, a process where a dense aspen core underfoot is fused with lightweight paulownia at the tip and tail to reduce swing-weight. With the Alliance’s involvement, K2 developed this technology specifically for women: lightweight and easy to maneuver, yet sturdy and high-performance.
K2 women’s metal laminate skis are built with a thinner strip of titanal than men’s skis. Proportional to lighter weight women skiers, the thinner layer offers overall weight reduction while still providing expert-level skiers the benefits of performance and damping, consistent with metal laminate construction.
Forward Shifted Sidecuts Our women’s skis are built with the sidecut shifted two centimeters forward relative to that of a men’s ski. This accommodates the anatomical fact that the center of mass for a woman is generally much lower than that of a man. Shifting the sidecut forward places the skiers center of mass in an optimum position over the ski for more control and easier turn initiation.