Ski Builders Forum

Just like the subject says, has anyone tried this? Like UHMW in tip/tail area and ABS underfoot or vice versa?

Yup. Abs walls with the other tip filler is fine.

Actually what I meant was has anyone ever done both materials in one side wall? By tip/tail I mean more like just ahead or behind of the binding area. My reasoning is that ABS is a very responsive plastic for performance in turning while UHMW is very impact resistant but actually much more sluggish for response. In application, it might make sence to have UHMW underfoot for impacts and ABS extending from just after the binding area for response.

you could do that but it would be a complete waste of time IMO.
You could scarf joint the two materials or even butt joint them but the only performance you get from plastic is damping it has virtually no other mechanical characteristics. I'm wondering how you derived this concept of abs being better in response?
Cause its slightly stiffer?

Yes ABS is stiffer which gives the ski better response when initiating a turn. This is what I've been told at least. My source is a guy down in Denver who helped start up Ramp skis and has had years of experience working on athletes skis and with ski companies at the world cup and Olympic levels.

I was thinking that any kind of jointing would be fine if this was done, don't think that part really matters.

Maybe this is really only more important for race or slalom skis where 1/10 of a second matters, but then only ABS is used of course, not UHMW.

Still... I was just curious if anyone has ever heard of using both or has given it a try.

I have seen quite some skis with differently colored sidewall materials on top of each other. But I have no idea if it was different plastics or just a design gag. When I stumble over one of these skis again I will post the model here.

My old pair of public enemies have amber coloured polyurethane sidewall under foot and then a butt joint to abs in the tip and tail. That was prob to help prevent edge blowouts on rails as the polyurethane would flex a bit. I liked the skis, but can't say I really noticed the dual sidewall design doing anything special

pmg: I think that is just coextruded abs/uhmwpe - as in multiple layers of different coloured plastic that have become 1 piece of plastic when before they cooled down.