Season Recap

The Aftermaths performed well this year.  I used them 4 days at Jay Peak, VT where the temperatures were -15F during the week.  The woods skiing was great at Jay despite the fact that they were in need of snow.  While at Jay, the tram was shut down due to wind so I was able to use the touring capabilities of the Aftermath.  The link below is a documentary of our trip to Jay.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vb0EftZJQGY

 

I was also able to use the Aftermaths for some sidecountry skiing in the suburbs of Pittsburgh.  We had some great snow this year and the Aftermaths carried me through it.  I also used them at some local resorts as well such as Blue Knob and Seven Springs.

 



 

I also had the opportunity to visit my brother and his wife in Seattle, Washington.  We spent a day skiing at Mt. Baker and another day at Crystal mountain.  I used the Panjshirs [2011] while I was out there; it was my first time on a fully rockered ski, but I adapted quickly for some of the best and steepest skiing of my life.  The video linked below documents our trip to Washington.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fnFLqoM_RPw&feature=player_embedded

 

 



 

The Aftermaths performed well on powder and on groomers. My only complaint is that while the skis are the second lightest skis I have made next to the Goliaths, they are also the stiffest skis I have ever made. The only time the stiffness gave me a problem was spring skiing on groomers because they pushed back when I turned;  however, they have a lot of stability, handle speed well, and are nearly indestructible.

 

The ribbing I made for the top of the skis deviated from the original plan in that it was wider and taller.  Also, I wasn't sure how much the fiberglass would stiffen the ski when formed into the rib shape.  This combination was too much.  I was glad to prove I could make a ribbed ski, but have also proved it is unnecessary.  With some tweaking, such as thinning the core overall, the ribbed design could make a much lighter ski with the proper stiffness.

 

The total cost to build the Aftermaths was $282.29 as broken down below:

• Epoxy: 72.19
• Ski Materials: 116.23
• Wood: 59.73
• Tooling: 34.14

I spent 43 hours on the skis as broken down below:

• Design and Procurement: 11 hrs
• Ski Mold: 8 hrs
• Ski building: 24 hrs.

I plan refine the Aftermath design in 2013 to decrease the stiffness and lighten the overall weight, making them even better for touring.  Other notable changes:

• The outer core member cracked last year when I clamped the core for gluing due to the curve of the reverse side cut.  This year I split the outer member into two pieces to alleviate the stress.
• I replaced the core members left and right of center with cedar to reduce the overall weight.
• There will be no ribbing on these skis as it is not needed.
• I will again cover the base and top sheet with contact paper rather than packing tape as it worked well and pealed off relatively easily.
• I hope to use a clear base material so I can put graphics on the bottom of the ski as well as the top.
• The pre-tensioned sidewall design (curved inner core member) will be used again.
• The cap design will be used again in lieu of a vertical sidewall since it removes material that is not stressed and lightens the ski.

The core is already taking shape: