Laminates. The word may conjure up images of grey, faux wood flooring, but I promise, we’re talking about skis. Laminates are materials used alongside wood cores that greatly influence how a ski performs on the hill. Ski shopping gets a lot easier when you’ve got knowledge about laminates and know which ones match your goals. But a lot of these important components get lost in the marketing fodder: Every ski is exceptionally responsive, yet stable at speed, playful and surfy and smooth through chop. But with a quick little briefing, you can start to read between the lines about the people and places that a ski is truly made for.
There are other variables that help determine the overall feel of a ski (species of wood, mount point, shape, and profile) but we’ll set those to the side today and speak more generally about the laminate materials.
Fiberglass
Fiberglass is the OG laminate. Thick layers would stiffen a ski. Thin layers would be applied to softer skis. It’s a little bit damp, it’s got decent torsional rigidity (which influences edge hold). It’s highly elastic. Manufacturers moved away from pure fiberglass laminates for their stiff skis. Carbon and metal do just as good a job at a lighter weight. But many flexier skis still use solely fiberglass. Some of these are “beginnermediate” skis like the Pandora 84 or Atomic Maven 86 (without the “C”). But a lot of these are also skis designed for playfulness and pop. They’re designed to bend deeply without feeling like they’re going to snap or be overpowered. And when you release the turn, they snap back, and slingshot you out of the turn. Some people really enjoy that sensation. Others consider the skis “floppy,” particularly if the ski’s at all undersized.
Fiberglass is a great match for skiers who put little force on a ski, whether due to skill, speed, or size (if not a combination of those traits). It’s a solid choice for skiers expecting a large “growth spurt” in their skills that’s accessible on the greens but has the right length and width to support them in more challenging terrain.
Their lightness & flexibility help in powder, where you can’t get the same leverage to bend the ski against soft, low-density snow. But variable conditions can be a little harder to manage – they won’t blast through crud for you. Instead, the driver has to do a lot of work to keep the skis and themselves composed. But if you keep your knees bent and stay in the front seat, the softness in the skis and your body can absorb a lot of the variability.
Fiberglass is also the most affordable laminate, which allows brands to use thin layers and create softer, accessible, and affordable gear for people who are new to the sport. For example, the Maven 86 costs $100 less than the Maven 86 C. Likewise, the Blaze 94 costs $100 less than their Secret 96.
Below is a list of 90-something all mountain skis using only fiberglass laminates. Weight in grams for a mid-160s size single ski listed in parenthesis. Notice there is a wide range of weights, and the heavier models will offer more stability and composure in crud with a little less flexibility.
- Volkl Blaze 94 (1455)
- Icelantic Riveter 95 (1505)
- Icelantic Maiden 91 (1543)
- Armada ARW 94 (1550)
- Black Crows Camox Birdie (1575)
- Faction Prodigy 2X (1690)
Carbon (or Graphene or Diagofiber)
Carbon laminates are stiff and light. They can be applied in many different forms, but most are used in combination with fiberglass. Some skis, like the Line Pandora, brands use a few carbon stringers that add a smidgen more strength to the ski than a fiberglass-only ski of a similar weight (like the Volkl Blaze 94). K2 and Elan use more carbon, creating a net or web like pattern over all or part of the ski. Atomic Maven’s carbon comes in the form of a carbon backbone.
Carbon’s a great match for touring skis, where weight is paramount. It also provides a ski that’s very strong, but less fatiguing to ski and easier to carry while bootpacking. But carbon’s rigidity struggles in variable conditions. It’s not heavy enough to plow through crud nor flexible enough to absorb inconsistencies in the snow. When the tips deflect, they take the whole ski with them. And extremely light skis that use carbon heavily, like skimo race skis, can struggle with durability. Carbon lacks much flexibility, making it more likely to buckle.
Carbon was a big trend in the mid-2010s, with ski brands counting grams on their touring and inbound products alike. But since then, the pendulum’s swung back for resort gear. Most brands use carbon a little more sparingly to add strength, but allow their wood cores and fiberglass laminates to provide more weight for the ski. This shift improves their crud performance, while also lowering their carbon footprint.
Below is a list of 90-something all mountain skis using carbon laminates (likely in combination with fiberglass). Weight in grams for a mid-160s size single ski listed in parenthesis. Notice there is a wide range of weights, and the heavier models will offer a bit more flex and a lot better crud performance, while the lighter options are more likely to be strong skis with touring potential.
- Elan Ripstick 94 (1350)
- Head Kore 97 (1450)
- Line Pandora 94 (1491)
- K2 Mindbender 90C (1550)
- Rossignol Rallybird 92 (1600)
- Salomon Lux 92 (1610)
- Salomon Lumen 98 (1620)
- Atomic Maven 93C (1630)
- K2 Mindbender 96C (1630)
Titanal
First thing’s first: it’s pronounced teet-an-all (not tight-an-all). Titanal is a strong, yet elastic metal alloy. It used to be used with 2 full sheets to create stiff, heavy, expert skis. But in recent years, brands have taken less of an all-or-nothing approach. On the lighter side, the Liberty Gensis used a few little stringers of metal The Faction Dancer uses a razor-thin layer of titanal covering the entire ski. And most others use a partial sheet. Some of those are frames that cover the outer edge of the ski. Others prioritize metal underfoot. Regardless of where the metal sits, a good rule of thumb is that the heavier the ski, the more metal it generally has, and the more input it’ll take to flex and steer the ski. Lighter options will get a taste of the positive qualities of titanal, but still remain softer and accessible for lighter and less aggressive skiers.
Here’s a snapshot of several brands using different amounts of titanal in their laminates:
Titanal’s a stiff and heavy metal, but compared to most other metals, it’s elastic, and will return back to its original shape after being flexed. It’s also a damp material that doesn’t transmit vibrations, making for a smooth, stable ride, even at high speeds or in choppy snow. It’s a common misconception that it’s weight or a stiff flex that creates a damp ski but recreating a similar weight & flex with fiberglass doesn’t yield the same results. You can absolutely get a ski that’s both soft and accessible for newer or lighter skiers, but also smooth and stable. And brands have been playing more with that balance in the past 3-4 seasons than ever before.
However, the technology and lamination process for titanal is fairly costly. These will usually be the most expensive inbound sheets on the ski wall.
Below is a list of 90-something all mountain skis using metal laminates. Most use fiberglass as well, and a few go for the full trifecta and sprinkle in some carbon as well. Weight in grams for a mid-160s size single ski listed in parenthesis. The lightest skis with titanal are heavier than most of the skis using carbon and fiberglass. Broadly speaking, the heavier skis on this list tend to have the most titanal and tend to be the most demanding.
- Liberty Genesis 96 (1600)
- Nordica Unleashed 98 (1620)
- Armada Reliance 92Ti (1625)
- Stockli Nela 96 (1650)
- Faction Dancer 2X (1660)
- Dynastar E Pro 99 (1700)
- Blizzard Sheeva 9 (1765)
- Salomon Stance 94 (1690)
- Nordica Santa Ana 93 (1715)
- Nordica Santa Ana 98 (1820)
- Volkl Secret 96 (1840)
- K2 Mindbender 99 Ti (1887)
- Blizzard Black Pearl 97 (1900)
FemiGnarly 