Choosing your first slalom ski or upgrading an old ski shouldn’t be a daunting task! There are many different slalom skis designed to suit different kinds of skiing. In this article we’ll walk you through the important features, shapes, constructions and what makes slalom skis different from one another. Slalom skis are available in 3 key categories: Free-Ski, Course and Cross-Over:
CATEGORIES:
- FREE-SKI: Free-Skis are designed to effortlessly carve open-water lakes and rivers in a range of water conditions. They feature a wide width, soft flex, and shallow concave; All of which will aid easy deep water starts, enough buoyancy to cater for slower boat speeds between 20-30mph and smooth, long radius turns. A free-ski will lend itself towards beginners, big guys or a skier that wants to relax and have fun behind the boat!
- COURSE: Course skis feature a stiff, responsive construction for acceleration out of a turn, a narrow overall width allowing the ski to roll from edge to edge with added power and drive and a deep concave to roll from edge quickly and aggressively. With all of this considered, a course skis primary purpose is to get around 6 buoys’ as quickly and efficiently as possible. Course skis are built with high-end foam cores, carbon fibre laminates and adjustable fin blocks and are only suited to speeds of 34-36mph.
- CROSS-OVER: Cross-over skis combine the performance of course skis with the stability of free-skis resulting in a versatile offering suitable across a range of ability levels. Cross-over skis feature shapes based closely on course skis but add extra width into the body for more stability and slower boat speeds between 26-34mph. They are available in a range of constructions from basic to highly advanced allowing the skier to choose a construction based on their ability and skier preferences.
CONSTRUCTION:
All modern slalom skis in their simplest form are built with fibreglass moulds and PU (polyurethane) foam cores. This most basic construction suits beginner and intermediate skiers for its reliability and forgiving nature. As the ski turns around a buoy, it bends under load and the speed in which it returns to its original form is described as its ‘responsiveness’. A more responsive ski will snap back to shape quickly, accelerating out of a turn and across the wakes towards the next buoy. Carbon fibre was introduced into slalom ski contractions as a replacement for fibreglass and results in more response with a much-appreciated side-effect of being lightweight. Carbon fibre is commonly used across kids, ladies, and men’s skis by varying the number of laminates for each use case.
- Since the early 2000’s, PU (polyurethane) foam has been replaced by PVC (polyvinyl chloride) in many high-end slalom skis. PVC paired with carbon fibre laminates results in a construction that is significantly more responsive and lightweight when compared to traditional PU cores. In 2019, Radar introduced PMI (polymethacrylimide) into its ‘Pro Build’ range found in both the Vapor and Senate. PMI is the most responsive slalom ski core on the market offering an increase even larger than the gap between PVC and PU.
- Having a slalom ski built with PMI or PVC cores will offer the best performance however they aren’t always the best option for all categories of ski or all skier types! PMI and PVC cores are less forgiving and only suit confident skiers with aggressive skiing styles. In addition, they will only perform well in flat water conditions. For skiers who brave all weather, a traditional PU core will handle rough water more comfortably.
SIZE GUIDE:
Choosing the correct size of water ski depends on your weight and the style of ski however skier preferences can be considered. Most beginner and intermediate skis are available in 2” increments from 63” to 71”. Course specific slalom skis are available in 1” increments between 65” and 69” to dial in the exact size required. If a skier is between the range of two ski sizes, their age and fitness should be considered; The larger of the two sizes will aid deep water starts and the smaller of the two will aid performance.
- 63” (Up to 55 kg)
- 65” (50 - 70 kg)
- 66” (60- 80 kg)
- 67” (70 - 90 kg)
- 68” (80 - 100 kg)
- 69” (80 - 100 kg)
- 71” (100+ kg)
HO 2024 Syndicate Works 01 Slalom Ski
Description
Optimized to Climb High on the Up Swing to the Buoy.
Will Asher wanted a ski he could harness energy efficiently for a controlled up-swing into the buoy. To attack without hesitation and stay connected over his ski. The Syndicate Works 01 is an evolution of his favorite Omega and A1 shapes. “Whoever gets the highest on the boat runs the most buoys” -Will Asher
Specifications
• Low Tip Rocker design: More stability at speed
• Medium Volume Concave: Appropriate Downforce for a balance of stability and maneuverability
• Works Construction:
+ Bio Resin: 35% Natural Glycerin Resin, a by-product of biodiesel production
+ Syndicate Core: Cross-linked structural foam for high responsiveness
+ NO PLASTIC LAYERS! We’ve removed the traditional plastic top & base materials, reducing this ski’s plastic footprint to virtually zero!
+ 100% Carbon Fiber Laminates: Highest stiffness to weight ratio
• Syndicate Adjustable Fin
• Made in Seattle, WA USA
RECOMMENDED SPEED RANGE: 32-36 MPH / 51-58 KM/H
SIZES: M (EQUIV. TO 66”) / L (EQUIV. TO 67”) / XL (EQUIV. TO 68”)
Shipping ETA
| DESTINATION | Small Items < 1kg | Large Items |
| Melbourne Metro | 1 Business Day | 1 Business Day |
| Victoria |
1-3 Business Days |
1-3 Business Days |
| New South Wales | 1-3 Business Days | 1-3 Business Days |
| Queensland | 1-3 Business Days | 1-3 Business Days |
| South Australia | 1-3 Business Days | 1-3 Business Days |
| Tasmania | 2-5 Business Days | 2-5 Business Days |
| Western Australia | 2-5 Business Days | 2-5 Business Days |
| Northern Territory | 3-7 Business Days | 3-7 Business Days |
Warranty
Products sold by Wayne Ritchie's come with consumer guarantees and a minimum manufacturer warranty of 12 months. A manufacturers warranty covers defects that occur during the manufacturing process that result in the product having poor performance or being unfit for use. The manufacturers' warranty does not cover misuse or accidental damage. Minor faults such as delaminations, broken clips, ratchets, laces and tube inners or other replaceable parts will be repaired in a reasonable time frame. Serious faults that hinder use and cannot be repaired such as cracks and tears will be replaced, or a store credit issued for the same value. In the event of a defect, please visit Wayne Ritchies in-store, or submit via the online form. Purchase history must be provided for all claims so please submit your original purchase receipt or invoice. In some cases, a bank statement showing the original purchase date is applicable.
Shipping & Returns
SHIPPING POLICY
Large items over 1 metre cannot be shipped to PO Boxes or Parcel Lockers. Large items are shipped by courier so please provide us with a business or street address where someone will be present at the delivery address between 9am-5pm to sign for the delivery. If you are not present when delivery is attempted we cannot guarantee it will be re-delivered in a timely manner. It may be returned to us or allocated to a third party company which we have no control over, and a re-delivery fee may be incurred in some instances. Once your order has been shipped you will be provided with a tracking number to follow the progress of your order online. It is the full responsibility of the receiver to ensure someone is present at the specified delivery address as there will be no compensation by Wayne Ritchie's for lost or missing parcels. All deliveries notated with "leave at front door" or similar will be left at the buyer's risk, no responsibility will be taken by Wayne Ritchie's for lost or missing parcels.
Incorrect addresses: In the event that you enter an incorrect or invalid address causing your order to be returned to us, a $20 fee will be charged before we can re-send the order to you a second time.
Pick-up in-store: Your click and collect order will typically be ready with 4 hours of placing your online order (during business hours) but this timeframe may differ on weekends and during late night trade periods. PLEASE DO NOT arrive to collect your order until you have received a pick-up confirmation email.
Pre-order items: we cannot provide guaranteed shipping dates but pre-orders are given priority and will be shipped immediately the same day the goods arrive in our warehouse.
We endeavour to keep our extensive online range as up-to-date as possible but if you cannot find what you're looking for, please Contact Us and we will do our best to find it for you.
RETURNS POLICY
Wayne Ritchie's Skiers Edge offers free returns for items that are faulty, not as described or incorrect item shipped. Please return the item to us within 14 days of date of purchase and will will issue a refund or replacement. If you change your mind, an item does not fit or the wrong size is ordered it can be returned to us in the brand new condition you received it and we will happily exchange it or issue a refund. PLEASE NOTE: it is the buyer's responsibility to pay return shipping on change of mind, items that do not fit or have been incorrectly ordered.
*Conditions Apply.
PLEASE NOTE:
- Sale items are offered at significantly discounted prices so please choose carefully as we WILL NOT accept exchanges or returns on sale items.
- Wayne Ritchie's reserves the right to cancel any online order without notice.
- It is the responsibility of the customer to adhere to our terms and conditions as stated above.
- To view our full terms and conidtions Click Here
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