Italian tyre manufacturer Pirelli and Blossom Skis have partnered to produce a line of skis with a unique rubber compound, derived from the former’s motorsport tyres. A small layer of custom-made Pirelli rubber has been sandwiched into the fiberglass, wood and metal core, dampening almost 60% of the vibration usually transmitted from snow-to-ski during its descent.
Effective vibration damping ensures the ski edge stays in contact with the snow for as long as possible, similar to the suspension in a car that keeps the wheels in contact with the road over rough terrain.
As ski manufacturers currently use a huge range of materials to tune stiffness and vibration damping, it will be interesting to see if the anti-vibration rubber approach catches on. The skis are crafted in Blossom’s northern Italian workshops in collaboration with Pirelli technicians, andjust about 770 units will be up for sale for about US$1,510 with bindings.
Pirelli’s Compound Development Manager, Francesco Romani, explains: “Our studies for the Pirelli ski resulted in the creation of an innovative rubber insert. The inner rubber layer, produced in our R&D laboratories, provides a damping effect on vibrations. Its properties greatly reduce the shocks at higher deformation levels. In combination with the additional damping effect of the top layer, the Pirelli ski provides not only a high-performance skiing experience but a comfortable one, as well.”