Spring is here and despite Colorado’s outbursts of bipolar weather, there is a trend of warmer weather this time of year. This warmer weather marks the end of the ski season. For some this is great news, but for many skiers and snowboarders this is a sad time. However, every cloud has a silver lining—the end of the ski season also marks end of season sales. Many ski shops will be looking to get rid of their snow sport inventories as they make room for a summer sport oriented inventory.
Those looking for a new pair of skis may not have to look any further. Lib Tech’s Jib NAS offers much to an all mountain or park skier. As the name suggests, the Jib NAS is park ski, but there’s a twist. The Jib Nas is build with a soft tip and tail for nose presses and butters, but underfoot, the ski is thick and stiff, allowing the skier all the playfulness of a park ski in addition to the versatility of an all mountain or big mountain ski. Underfoot, the Jib NAS is 91 to 94 millimeters wide sacrificing some of its maneuverability for its ability to float on the powder. The Jib NAS has a turn radius of 18 meters. Other interesting features are the Magne-Traction, and reCURVE technology.
The Magne-Traction is a design in which the actual width of the ski varies in such a way as to create a wavy pattern along the width of the ski. The pseudo-serrated edge allows the skier five extreme pressure points on the ski’s edges. Magne-Traction serrations are deeper towards the back of the ski for improved balance and edge grip and shallower at the tip and tail for catch-free and better turning response.This design is particularly useful for park skiers, who will dull their edges after repeated rail grinding. The only downfall to the Magne-Traction design is that the serrated edges create slight drag in the snow, though this drag is only barely noticeable when skiing in slushy conditions.
The reCURVE technology is a system by which applying pressure to the center of the ski causes the tip and tail of the ski (which normally lie flat on the snow before rising up slightly at the very ends of the ski) to flex upwards, creating a rockered ski. Again, this design is all about the versatility of the ski. Underfoot, the Jib NAS will act like any other other traditional camber ski, but the application of pressure allows the ski to behave like a rockered ski for those deep powder turns. While skiing park or hard pack, the flat tip and tail are ideal for nose butters and nollies.
One might be skeptical buying skis from a traditionally snowboard-only company, especially since the designs of these skis are so unconventional. Although this may seem like a risky investment, it is important to remember that many now-conventional ski designs have been adapted from snowboards. The idea for shaped skis (allowing for sharp turn radius), wider powder skis, and even twin tips came from snowboard companies and snowboard influences. This being said, one might still be skeptical.
Interestingly though, the only noticeable flaw stemming from Lib Tech’s background in snowboard design is a non-durable top sheet. This may be attributed to the environmentally friendly top sheet alternative material they use. While skiers often damage their top sheets by accidentally banging the edge of one ski against the top sheet of the other, snowboarders never have this problem. Damaging the top sheet of ones ski will have no noticeable effect on the performance of the ski, but it can make the ski look less attractive.
For the skier who wants a ski that can do it all, the Lib Tech’s Jib NAS can rip every part of the mountain. Its playful and creative, yet solid design is ready to take skiers wherever they may want to go. From moguls, to groomers and big mountain lines, to the gnarliest terrain parks in the world, this ski can handle it all.
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