Wayne Wong explains the Anton ski technology. Photo by Dino Vournas.
Of all the new skis I demoed last February at the SIA on-snow show at Winter Park, the most fun was the Anton, a brand new ski with a built-in suspension system like your car, absorbing all the shock. It has an unbelievable way of hugging the snow, so you are always in control and able to initiate turns like never before. This is super important for women, since we tend to ski in the back seat with most of our weight in our hips. With the tip grabbing the snow like a front-wheel drive car hugging the road, there's no way the tips will leave the ground or (worse) get crossed. It creates amazing stability and balance.
I spent the day ripping on the Anton with the inventor for whom the skis are named and Wayne Wong, the hotdogger from the 70s era who is helping to bring the skis to market. I was impressed with how easily I could get the skis engaged and carve into the turn. I was with some ski journalist buddies who all loved it as I did. One said it's the first time he's skied all day without his knees hurting with every turn. In fact, at the end of the day, he said, he had no knee pain at all!
And get this: the next day when skiing on my own skis, I noticed my tips were all over the place. I really missed the stability the Anton gave me.
I'll be writing more about this Ferrari of skis, but if you want to learn about the specific technology, click on www.antongliders.com.
I also demoed a few skis with the new "rocker" technology. Basically, the rocker is a reserve camber, where instead of bowing in the middle, the ski's middle is flat against the snow with a longer rise in the tip and tail. This allows better flotation in powder and crud. If you like big-mountain and powder skiing, look for rocker technology.
Can't wait till you further review the Anton skis! They sound great, but at 162 cm with a feel of 180 cm (according to their website), are they really a good fit for most women? I would certainly consider buying them if I thought they would work for me. Would love to hear what you have to say about it--good for beginners or advanced, tall or short women, groomers or powder. etc. Thanks for your blog, it's very helpful!!
ReplyDeleteI think the Anton is best for intermediate and advanced skiers, and best on groomed snow. The way they hug the snow and grip with the tips just makes carving so much easier and more stable. One caution: because of the extra hardware that creates the suspension system, the skis are heavier than most and a bit bulky to carry over your shoulder. Not impossible, just heavier. But the velcro straps that grip the ends together ease that burden, and you also can lift them using the curved part of the system that acts like a handle!
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