Race Skis, boots, and bindings
Evolve to survive
- Author: Claudio Primavesi
- Photographer: Pierre Lucianaz
The advent of the Olympic era will bring an ever-increasing specialization and polarization between Olympic disciplines and the most famous classics. Between elite athletes and enthusiasts. However, the limited innovations only concern the less high-performance end of the class and the latest evolutions were prompted by rule changes, and not the events calendar.
Leaf through back issues of the Buyer's Guide and you’ll realize that the real latest evolution in race equipment materials is the addition of the ski brake into the binding, required by ISMF regulations. Aside from a few small updates (a few foam parts added to the sole, detailing on the gaiters or liners), the top-of-the-range full carbon boots have remained unaltered for years now. Last season's Stratos VI is an upgrade of the Stratos V, and the Alien 4.0 dates from 2000. The Pierra Menta, one of the most popular skis—and not just among elite athletes—has had some restyling, and some changes to laminates (due in part to the inability to source materials during the pandemic). But essentially it’s stayed the same since we first tested it for this guide. The latest real innovations come from Ski Trab, which is also the most specialized manufacturer and the one boasting the most extensive race catalogue. The inclusion of ski brakes into bindings required exemptions and has taken time to implement, but the process is now complete and all brands offer products that comply with regulations. But the world of skimo racing has changed radically. The exciting hubbub of hundreds of enthusiasts competing in night races three or four evenings a week has transformed into a deafening silence. Race circuits have been wiped out. The same is also true for races in La Grande Course series, which are no longer sell-out fixtures. Some have dropped out because they’re too old, (paraphrasing the words to Guccini’s song here...). Some because, despite dawn starts to train so hard they vomit, they’re tired of being beaten every week by the same old podium placers. Such individuals have turned their attention to the open mountains, becoming devotees of fast & light. The fact is, though, that numbers have plummeted.
Specialization or versatility?
The prospect of inclusion in the Olympics has transformed skimo racing. Meaning more sprints and relays, individual races set in less wild venues, and shorter races with reduced elevation gains. The prospect of a medal has made the scene even more competitive. Specialization has increased. Athletes have arrived from countries that have no tradition in the sport. And they’re starting to win too. For example, Chinese racers in the youth categories. There are only a handful of all-rounders. Not all have disappeared, but their numbers are dwindling. Yet the move towards ever more specialization has not yet produced an evolution in materials. The boots for the Pierra Menta race are also used for the Olympic sprint. The skis used on the Tour du Rutor are also used for the mixed-gender relay. At the most, you can adapt the ski for the vertical race to use it for a faster, more frantic event, where descents are short and take place on-piste. But how many tools are there specifically for vertical races? And regardless, they already existed. Until recently, doubts lingered in the sector about whether skimo’s place in the Olympics would endure. But today, those in the know swear that skimo will follow the same path as sport climbing and become a permanent fixture well beyond Milano-Cortina, perhaps even with an additional discipline. However, to date, the only innovations are in hybrid carbon-plastic boots, and these are the least competition-oriented and specialized models. And certainly not ideal reaching the podium in Bormio. And it’s precisely fans of real ski mountaineering—local races that became the classics like the Mezzalama, Adamello Ski Raid and Pierra Menta—who could be inspired by these new innovations, and who increasingly represent the other pole of the competition world. They’re not aiming for a medal—they’re too old for that—but they do represent a larger and more interesting segment for the industry.
Share this article
Materials are evolving, which is increasing the opportunities for pushing the boundaries of mountaineering splitboarding. It’s no longer just about easy tours, a few jumps and a beer. Thanks to innovative new setups and growing knowledge within the community, long ascents and steep terrain no longer intimidate.
Weighing from less than 100 grams to nearly a kilo, the common denominator are the pins into which you stick your boots and that enable you to climb. From the revolution of the pin binding to the latest hybrids for freeriding, here are all the best bindings the skimo market has to offer.
Probably The most accurate ski test out there.
