Some of you might still remember the MBX skis, on which even Hollywood stars slalomed down the white slopes. Then later came the carving skis, which revolutionised Alpine skiing and changed the style and method of the sport. This was followed by skis using fusion technology and amphibio skis.
But Elan’s development team did not rest on its laurels. This year they introduced to the market the folding Ibex 84 Tactix skis, which were developed in collaboration with the Slovenian armed forces. Historically there have been quite a few attempts to manufacture folding skis, but for one reason or another they all failed. Making folding skis that did not sacrifice their fundamental functions seemed like an impossible task. Until now.
Alongside the Slovenian Armed Forces, Elan’s folding skis project enjoyed the involvement right from the start of Davo Karničar, one of the best ski mountaineers of all time, and the first person to ski down from Everest. His ambition this year to ski down the second highest peak in the world, K2, had to be postponed due to bad weather and other unfavourable conditions. But even Karničar admitted: "In the beginning I was sceptical that on these skis you could ski as safely and efficiently as with classical skis. But soon all my doubts were dispelled. I was thoroughly surprised by the efficiency and safety of these skis."
This innovation at Elan’s manufacturing base in Begunje na Gorenjskem was masterminded by head of development Vinko Avguštin, who said that the basic concept of the skis was taken through five stages, and after each one the situation was carefully reviewed. "Our aim was for the folding skis to retain all the functionalities of non-folding skis. It turned out that the skis actually outperformed those without the system for folding," said Avguštin.
The skis are of course best suited for touring ascents and ski touring, for they are much easier to carry uphill. Moreover, they perform surprisingly well on descents. In a way, the folding skis have a dual mission. On difficult ascents, where you have the skis strapped to your backpack, you are much more mobile than with standard skis. This is because with folding skis you don’t have anything sticking up above your head or down below your waist to impede you. Furthermore, the folding skis make climbs easier when you need to use an ice axe, since you can freely move your arm above your head. This markedly improves safety.
The folding skis also have an advantage on descents. Especially when for whatever reason you need to take them off. If you have classical skis strapped to your backpack on a descent, then ty can snag on rocks or roots, and even the slope itself can be a hindrance. The folding skis automatically eliminate all these problems. Of course, the skis also need to prove themselves in their primary function – skiing. Here, the folding skis work very well, in spite of their slightly increased weight. The Elan team also point out the base plate under the ski boot, which stiffens up the ski and in particular it allows it to be more active, so skiers feel much safer.
Ibex Tactix skis are available in recreational and military versions. They feature a special plate that rotates 180 degrees. It takes approximately 20 seconds to extend and fold them. In their “extended” state they measure 163 centimetres, but folded up they are just 90 centimetres long. They allow for much easier, more efficient and safer movement through winter terrain. For the moment the skis are not yet available for retail sale, but should hit the shelves in shops some time in 2019, and are expected to retail at around EUR 2,000.
