The Supernova skis are the inspiration behind our Re//Defined touring range
It all started with an idea in 2017 to develop touring skis for gnarly snow conditions that would also perform exceptionally well on the best snow days. Skis that would be stable on hardpacked snow and playful in powder. Touring skis that are lighter, faster and much more stable than anything we’ve ever built. The underlying goal was that when it came to adventure skiing, it should not matter if you were planning a trip to Røldal, Chamonix, Revelstoke or Alaska - you should only need to have one tool in your quiver and we wanted to build it.
Prototyping, testing, more testing
When we originally set out to construct our new Supernova touring skis, we knew that other touring skis available on the market were not only unstable on the downhill but they never performed well in powder and soft-snow. The first Supernova prototype tests were held in very challenging snow conditions in the Tatra mountains in Poland and then later on spring snow, in Røldal, in Norway. Prototyping, iterations, testing and retesting was the game.
Lightweight and Shorter Length
We constructed the Supernova skis with a light paulownia wood core, full carbon-fiber layup and carbon-aramid fibers. We then implemented the COT technology (cut-off tail) to further reduce weight and length. We then balanced the new COT design concept and moved the skier's stance back by several centimeters. This radically new construction created quicker turning and more versatile skis, while the notable length and weight reduction did not compromise any functionality. It turned out that this ultra-lightweight design embraced dynamic responsiveness while it also supported great skiability even in the sketchiest weather and terrain conditions. In effect you can now comfortably ski shorter and lighter skis than what has been previously considered functional by many experienced backcountry skiers. With the COT technology, skiing on the Supernova 177 is like skiing on classic design skis that are approx. 185cm long.
Stability and Performance
The lightweight vs stability tradeoff was a major concern and the task became to construct completely new, light skis that would be equipped with the tip rocker, flat tails and would use the full length of the contact edge to radically enhance stability and control. We also knew that we needed to maximize the surface area while keeping the waist around 100 mm underfoot. We have already used the "stubby" COD concept with the flat tail to improve the grip so the surface area in the tip section and the shape of the tip itself were now also a major consideration. Stability and downhill performance were essential and were achieved by implementing longer effective contact edges that extend nearly the entire length of the skis. Shorter skis but with longer contact edges might sound weird but in the end, we have built something new that exceeds our expectations and changes all of the old perceptions of touring, freetour and freeride skiing.
Ski Touring Speed
A skilled skier equipped with the Supernova Carbon can easily reach and ski down the highest of the distant mountains. The waist width around 100 mm underfoot provides a perfect balance between uphill and downhill performance. Since the Supernova can be skied shorter than most skis, it is a much faster ski for the uphill climb as your uphill kick turns are much smoother and faster. The Supernova Carbon is a super-light, highly specialized tool that successfully blurs the line between touring and freeride.
Awards
Since their initial release in 2018, the Supernova skis have scored awards at freeski tests organized by the SkiRando Magazine in France, Backcountry Magazine in Utah, Powder Magazine in Red Mountain BC, and also at the Freeride Testival organized by Bergstolz Magazine in Austria. The 2021 model Supernova Carbon skis are extremely versatile, precise, responsive and with their remarkable edge grip, ski extremely well in all conditions. They literally ski everything and hit all the marks as stand out performers, from shrilling hardpack to floating through powder. *to reach the best weight/performance ratio, the Supernova Carbon should be mounted with high-end, light tech bindings such as the Majesty-ATK R12.
