This Is the First Time We’ve Seen This Tech in Skis

Key Specs:
Brand: G3
Model: Findr
Price: TBD
Availability: October 2019
Unique Features: magnetic contact points

Upshot: G3 (Genuine Guide Gear) introduced the Findr in 2016 as a lightweight ski that can handle big climbs without sacrificing performance on the descent. In 2019, the company is making the ski lighter and including a significant feature that, as far as we know, is showing up in skis for the first time: magnets. The magnets are embedded in the tips and tails of the skis with the goal of making shouldering a pair of skis during a hike a more comfortable and a more secure process.

Who It’s For: Backcountry skiers.

Insight: Carrying skis sucks. Look at the base area of any resort, and you’ll know this to be true, based on the number of people struggling with the task. Imagine adding a fully-loaded backpack to the equation and swap the flat lift base area for a steep ridge with cliffs on either side — this what the new Findr is built for. Most backcountry skiers and ski mountaineers carry straps with them to make the job secure, but the inclusion of magnets is a welcome backup. The new tech would benefit resort skiers, especially beginners, but the Findrs are explicitly touring-specific. If the tech proves to function as promised, we expect it to show up in other crowd-pleasing models.