G3 starts making skis

From today's Ski News section:

G3 Adds Skis to Product Line

N. Vancouver (BC), Canada (Wednesday, October 13, 2004) - Snowsports manufacturer G3 Genuine Guide Gear will this season add skis to its product line that currently includes telemark bindings, climbing skins, and avalanche probes, saws and shovels.

Following years of research and development, Canadian company G3 Genuine Guide Gear is looking to expand its presence in the burgeoning backcountry ski market by releasing its first ever line of all-mountain alpine touring and telemark skis. To help create the skis, G3 worked with product designer Paul Parker, who carries a twenty-year history of ski and ski boot product development earned with Chouinard Equipment, Scarpa, Tua, Patagonia, Garmont and Marmot. His book, Free-Heel Skiing, is a well-known telemark bible. The line of four distinct models named Reverend, Baron, Siren and Ticket, were carefully crafted by G3 to satisfy the needs of the broadest range of skiers, styles and ski conditions, company spokespeople say.

"Both men and women of all ages are becoming increasingly interested in exploring the outdoors and trying something new. The result has been a significant rise in the popularity of backcountry skiing," says Oliver Steffen, president of G3. "Adding skis to our product line was a natural progression for G3. Preliminary sales are above what we had originally predicted. We expect to be sold out despite the significant commitment made to production numbers this season."

Oliver Steffen, an avid outdoorsman and telemark skier, started G3 back in 1995 with its first product, an avalanche probe, that was quickly embraced by backcountry skiers. Having recognized a distinct need for quality, functional and durable backcountry equipment, the company has flourished in nearly a decade of operations. Today, G3 rivals major US and European manufacturers and has on average doubled its sales annually since its inception.

G3's skis are available immediately at Canada's Mountain Equipment Co-op stores and REI in the US, as well as backcountry specialty stores that carry G3 products throughout Canada and the US.



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So, question for you folks, especially the backcountry tele and AT skiers: Are these skis that you'd be interested in trying? I'd imagine that demo opportunities will be few and far between, if that. Would you ante up and purchase a pair without a demo opportunity?

Well, I am in the market for new AT skis to go with my Freerides and Scarpa Lasers to replace my older Black Diamond Arc Ascents. I bought those without a demo, and while they did meet the lightness criteria, I never really warmed up to them performance wise. I'd love to demo these, but as you mention the opportunities to do so are probably nonexistent. So the best I can do is create a shopping list and gather info, then make a good guess. I'll look at the Black Diamond line again as well as K2 and these.

JimG, look at the new Garmont Adrenalin for AT boots and I suspect that you'll be more happy with their performance, which is supposed to rival an alpine boot. In fact, they come with a second set of soles -- a DIN-compatible alpine sole -- to use the boots with alpine bindings. More info can be found here.

Those Scarpa Lasers are notoriously soft & mushy for those looking for near-alpine downhill performance.

Admin":26skfi5n said:

Those Scarpa Lasers are notoriously soft & mushy for those looking for near-alpine downhill performance.

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I love my Lasers; I tend to prefer softer forward and aft flexing boots in general, for me the lateral stiffness is the key and the Lasers are surprisingly competent there. Do not underestimate the performance of the Lasers either, I've used them to ski hardpack and bumps. Takes a little getting used to, but after a few runs they ski quite well inbounds as long as you stay on the balls of your feet. Backseat action is not recommended, but what boot performs well when the skier is in the backseat?
All that said, the Garmont Adrenaline as well as the Scarpa Denalis do perform more like an alpine downhill boot. The tradeoff is that they are heavier and stiffer.

I've been reading alot about this new skis. It would be interesting to demo them but as of right now I'm not really in the market for new skiis. If I could get some good reviews from fellow skiers I might consider purchasing them but I wouldn't just go in blind. There has been some discussion on the telemarktips forum that these may just be movement skis rebranded for the North American market. The Ticket and the movement free heel have both the same dimensions and assymetrical radius. All the other new g3 skis also have very close dimensions to the movements. Not sure if this is true but it would be interesting to find out. I know alot of us teleskiers were wishing G3's big new product would be the releasable step in bindings of our dreams but we'll take what we can get. It would be cool to ride a pair just to see what their like.

I'd love to demo a pair but I doubt you could truly "demo" them in real b/c conditions unless you were at Jay,MRG,Smuggs or Bush.I would like to skin with them too.Perhaps a demo day at Moosilaukee.
I would be hard pressed to dish out alot of bling w/o a demo first.I would need to hear biblical reviews.
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