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Deciding what ski you should bring to your next ski vacation can be difficult. Some locations will have predictable snow conditions. Japan turns into a natural snowmaking machine in January, Chamonix can be a little rough but definitely has steep terrain and chutes, while the east coast will often provide tough, icy conditions. We’ve compiled a list of ski vacation locations and have laid out a guide to help you decide which Folsom Ski would be your best bet when traveling to those locations.
If you’re looking to visit the Mecca of powder skiing, you’re going to need a ski that can handle the conditions. Japan will continuously dump snow from late December through mid February, which means that every lap will be refilled with fresh tracks. This also means bottomless powder, and unless you’d like to spend your whole day sinking to the bottom of the snowpack, you’re going to want a very wide powder ski. The Rapture is going to be your best option when traveling to Japan. It’s dimensions (148-122-138) guarantee that you’ll stay afloat regardless of how deep it is, and a manageable turning radius of 25m creates a very versatile, agile ski to enjoy your powder days in. Below is a frequently recommended build for Japan:
Shape: Rapture
Camber Profile: Powder Rocker
Composite: 70/30 Fiberglass, Carbon Fiber
Core Material: Poplar & Bamboo
The Powder Rocker paired with the Rapture will ensure that your tips and tails stay above the fresh snow. Pair that with our Poplar & Bamboo core and our 70/30 Fiberglass, Carbon Fiber composite, and you’ll get a very light ski that will float like a dream.
When you’re looking for steep terrain, challenging chutes, and high alpine skiing, there’s few locations more notable than Chamonix. The resort will challenge you, and the off piste skiing will make your heart drop. In order to conquer Chamonix, you’re going to need a burly, versatile, and tough pair of skis. We would recommend the Cash 106. With it’s large tip shovel (138mm) it’s strong enough to punch through the mixed conditions that you’ll find on European slopes. It’s true sidecut geometry underfoot (106mm) and through the tail (124mm) also mean that you’ll have a sturdy, confident feel that will enable you to charge around Chamonix’s massive mountains. Below is our recommended build for Chamonix:
Shape: Cash 106
Camber Profile: Directional Rocker
Composite: 90/10 Fiberglass, Carbon Fiber
Core Material: Poplar, Maple & Bamboo
The Cash 106’s shape works best with our Directional Rocker, making it ideal for Chamonix’s difficult terrain. Adding in maple to the core of the ski will increase it’s torsional rigidity, which is going to allow the ski to want to hold an edge through even the toughest conditions.
With a long history of skiers coming to Jackson Hole to prove their metal, it’s a place that you want to make sure you have the right skis under your feet. Famous lines like Corbet’s Couloir, which is a dream and a nightmare to drop in to put Jackson Hole on the map of “experts only terrain”, while just about any run off of the Thunder or Sublet chairlifts are sure to give you chills. For this location, we have to recommend one of our long time heros in the Folsom lineup: the Primary / Primary Plus. With a 107, 110, or 114mm waist (dependent on length), the Primary is wide enough to keep you afloat in the deepest days, but thin enough for an experienced skier to thrash it all over the mountain. As one of the most versatile shapes that we offer, we would consider the build for Jackson Hole to be burlier than some of the other configurations that can be optioned. Below is our recommended build:
Shape: Primary / Primary Plus
Camber Profile: Everyday Rocker
Composite: 90/10 Fiberglass, Carbon Fiber
Core Material: Poplar, Maple & Bamboo
The maple stringers that are added to this core provide one of the smoothest rides in the ski industry, and thanks to it’s heavy, damp properties, this core will have no problem punching through any variable terrain and keeping the skis stable at high speeds. We also chose our Everyday Rocker for this location because it’ll allow the tail to release a bit easier than our Directional Rocker in steeper terrain where precise, quick turns are a necessity.
The east coast of the US is infamously known as the “ice coast” due to the icy, hard conditions that you’ll find out there. While this may not be the most popular location for skiers to visit, many avid skiers call it home, learn to cope with the frigid conditions, and even embrace the culture of east coast skiing. If you find yourself itching to ski while visiting family out in Vermont or anywhere else in New England, you’re going to want a quick ski that can carve and hold an edge like it’s life depends on it. Thankfully, we have the perfect ski for the “ice coast”: the Spar 78. With a 17m turning radius and an 78mm underfoot width, this ski is incredibly intuitive, and will hold an edge better than any of the other skis in our lineup. Here’s our recommended build for an East Coast carving ski:
Shape: Spar 78
Camber Profile: Traditional Rocker
Composite: 90/10 Fiberglass, Carbon Fiber
Core Material: Poplar, Maple & Bamboo
Our Traditional Rocker is ideal for a carving ski in the East Coast. It maintains a great amount of camber underfoot which is necessary for power transfer from turn to turn, and with the added benefit of some rocker in the tip the Spar 78 earns some all-mountain characteristics. Similar to the Primary, the addition of two maple stringers in the core blend create a smooth ride in firm terrain, and allow the ski to stay torsionally rigid to hold it’s edge as long as you’d like it to.
Perhaps you’re going to ski the east coast, but aren’t looking for a dedicated carving ski? There’s a large population of skiers out there that prefer more freeride elements in their skis. For them, we would recommend our Trigger II. It’s wider than the Spar 78, with either a 95mm or 99mm underfoot depending on your preferred length, and with Folsom quality construction, will be one of the toughest skis you can find. Pair the Trigger II with our Everyday Rocker, and you have yourself a twin tip park ski that’s ready to take on icy rails. Here’s our recommended freestyle build for the East Coast:
Shape: Trigger II
Camber Profile: Everyday Rocker
Composite: 90/10 Fiberglass, Carbon Fiber
Core Material: Poplar & Bamboo
Continuously ranked as one of the best locations for a ski vacation due to it’s luxurious town and unbeatable Colorado terrain, Aspen is a must visit. Typical Colorado snowfall and variable conditions make it very difficult to say what ski would work best here. Luckily for you however, we recently opened a showroom in Aspen. We have also decided to create our Signature Series which showcases the skis that we know work best for Aspen’s ever changing ski conditions. We included everything from firm conditions, powder days, and spring slush. The skis in our Signature Series are:
Our Aspen store is located at the Hub of Aspen, 616 E. Hyman Ave. Aspen, CO 81611. Feel free to stop on by to see the Signature Series, or get custom fit for a pair of Folsom Skis by our experts. Signature Series skis are ready to ski, off the wall, for $1050, and you can also get a custom ski built and delivered in just two days for $1599. That’s right, custom skis in just two days.
At the end of the day, your skiing style and preferences will determine which ski suits you best at each of these locations. This list is intended to give you a better idea of the typical ski styles that would fit each mix of terrain and snow conditions. If you’re headed on a ski trip with distinct conditions, or are just in the market for something new, inquire today and we’ll get you setup on the right skis for your skiing.