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R.E.S. Reverse Elliptical Sidecut, or "RES", can be explained best by first discussing the shape of the ski in front of and behind boot center, and then discussing how the two parts of the ski work together. Two separate sidecut profiles begin at boot center and extend towards the ends of the ski. From boot center towards the tail of the ski, a traditional sidecut design with a large turning radius offers the benefits of a traditional pintail design. The large radius is slow to engage, allowing the skier to easily change direction and dump speed, and helps the tail sink in soft snow, enhancing the ski tip’s ability to float.
In fron t of B oo t Cen ter : L ONG, CON V E X , EL L IP T IC A L SIDECU T
From boot center towards the nose of the skis, the sidecut design features a large, convex, elliptical arc that runs to the tip taper. The elliptical nature of the arc allows for a smooth transition between the different tip and tail sidecut. The utilization of this more gradual section of the elliptical arc allows for the section of the ski that bears the most weight — directly underfoot — to be very straight. Soft snow, crud, and other snow conditions that are often able to manipulate the sidecut of traditional skis have very little effect on skis featuring RES as there almost no sidecut shape to the ski for the snow to engage and deflect. It is no secret that skis featuring reverse sidecut designs rip in soft snow and deep powder. They float well and are often more maneuverable than other large powder skis. Limitations are reached when a reverse sidecut ski encounters hardpack or groomed runs. When an RES ski is angulated and engages in a turn on hardpack or groomers, the nature of the elliptical arc and its orientation relative to the snow surface allows for almost the entire edge to engage and maintain a solid edge grip through the turn, much like any "traditional" ski shape. Furthermore, the reverse elliptical arc allows the tips to create a well defined contact zone with the snow, which results in an excellent edge hold at the ends of the effective edge throughout any radius turn. As the tip bites into the snow, the traditional sidecut in the tail functions just as it would in any other ski; the sidecut allows the ski to flex and engage the edge as a section of an arc to produce a carved turn. These two zones work together to create an arc that can carve and hold an edge as well as any ski with a more traditional sidecut design. RES combines the best of both worlds — skis with our RES design have all the advantages of increased float, maneuverability, and shredability exhibited by many of the completely reverse sidecut skis on the market, but does so without sacrificing edge hold, stability, and hardpack performance, creating a ski that is truly ready to take you wherever you want to go.
Behind B oo t Cen ter : T R A DI T ION A L SIDECU T
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