BallOfSpray

Alright all of you ski nerds, you can quit refreshing your browser windows. The second part of the T$ interview has arrived and it’s coming in hot! RadaR rock star, Trent Finlayson (been under a rock the past week?  Read this) gave me the inside scoop on the ski that’s raising more questions than Brett Favre’s retirement.  No more flirting around with inquiries about celebrity crushes or favorite food, this Q&A gets down to what you really want to know….”How much is this going to cost me?”  Which you would think at only $700 would be the grand finale of the interview, but no. The Vice has a lot more going for it than an affordable price tag and pretty packaging.

 KR: Tell me about your relationship with RadaR. How did it come about? 

T$: Well I grew up with Sully (Chris Sullivan) the brand manager of RadaR, and this guy gets it. We had long conversations about where we need to go and what we are missing. Growing up snowboarding as much as I did, I saw these tight-knit teams. Guys that were like from all over the world, but collectively, they represented the spirit of a certain brand. Other companies have a long list of “Team Skiers” but there isn’t that solidarity like you see in other sports like snowboarding. When we all left a former company, there were a lot of people that wanted to be involved. Sully wanted to bring people in that were truly all on the same page. Rossi (Chris Rossi) and I couldn’t be more different, but our end goals couldn’t be more the same. The RadaR team believes in me and what they feel I can offer. They let me do my ski. That’s where the Vice came from. It’s really cool to be around people who have passion like that- the RadaR team is going in a different direction than any company I’ve seen in the past. 

KR: So you are currently skiing on the Vice, the ski you designed. Tell me more. 

T$: The Vice is run-off of Rossi’s Strada. It has the same rocker line and bevel configuration. You don’t lose any speed with the heavier core (the Vice is machined from a solid block of polyurethane) because speed is a product of the rocker line. The ski is heavier, but you’re not going slower. It’s not actually softer but it rebounds slower so, to the skier, it feels softer. If you’re a mortal, like me, you make a lot of mistakes. The Vice will give you the extra split second you need to get connected. It works way better for me. The core is machined from a solid block of polyurethane, this ensures the core will fit perfectly within the ski. The Vice is going to be the fastest, most consistent polyurethane ski for sure. 

KR: In your opinion, what are the three most distinctive qualities of the ski? Who should try it?

T$: Well the cross-course speed is something that RadaR has always owned. The RS-1 was fast as hell. We were able to maintain that cross course speed with the Vice because of our knowledge of rocker-lines. It’s fast. The Vice also can turn from a lot of different positions or spots in the course. You don’t need to be more back or more forward to get it to turn, the ski is just going to turn because of the rocker line and bevel configuration. I’ve put a lot of skiers from a lot of different levels on this ski because it’s easy to ride. It’s such a personal deal, but I would tell anyone to try it. I’m quite certain the majority of the people love our product. It really is an easy ski to ride. I’d recommend anyone try it. 

KR: Does the difference in the core material and how the ski is made affect the integrity of the ski? Is durability or strength compromised or improved? 

T$: Yes the materials and the way we are producing it definitely it affect the strength or the ski. If you start with a machined core with exact specifications, there are no voids inside the mold. No air bubbles. No reason for the ski to break. Consistency-wise, every core is exactly the same. You don’t have to worry about each ski riding a little bit differently. 

KR: How does the rebound time differ from the Strada? What would you consider the biggest difference between the two skis?

T$: The PVC that makes up the Strada core is a memory foam, meaning the core itself will return to its original rocker line when flexed and released. Polyurethane does not have these memory attributes. This just means that the ski will rebound to its original rocker slower as you complete the turn. This gives the ski a softer feel through the turn, even though it is not truly a softer ski.

KR: Can you describe the ski in three words?

T$: 
1. Predictable
2. Fast
3. Affordable
3b. Hands down the best graphics on the market (8 words)

KR: Those graphics really are the coolest to ever grace a slalom ski. Did you design them? What was the motivation behind them?

T$: Ya, I did them with RadaR’s artist Adam Higson. We went with the name Vice, because to me, the damper core is kind of a crutch, something to help you get by. So, the graphics were inspired by the same concept, personal vices. I work pretty hard, but I like to have fun as much as anyone, so the base graphic is layered with different Vices I gravitate toward. There are some photos off my iPhone in there, and a whole bunch of things going on. You’ll own this ski a year before you see everything in there. Then, you’ll want to hang it on your wall when the 2012 Vice is released. It’s art for sure.

KR: When will it be available to the public?

T$: Well we got our polyurethane blocks this week. The guys up in Seattle are pressing Vices right now. Australia is getting them later this week. So yea, the Vice is here.  

KR: Besides winning it from the WSM mag contest where else can we try the Vice? Are you doing demo’s anywhere this summer?

T$: Most of the larger dealers offer a demo program where you can try before you buy. Performance Ski and Surf in Orlando will have theirs soon enough, so that’s a good place to start.

KR: Ok then, what’s the damage? How much is this going to cost me? 

T$: This is something I’m really proud of. Even though we are machining these cores, which makes the production more expensive than injection, retail on a Vice is $700. (told ya!)  And just because the core material is cheaper than other skis on the market, it doesn’t make it less of a quality ski. The Vice is the same ski I’m going to ride in Russia at Worlds and on tour in 2011. 

If you have any more questions for Trent or about the Vice, don’t be shy, comment below. 

About Krista: Krista Rogers is a publicist headquartered in San Diego, California from 8am- 6pm, Monday-Friday and national champion waterskier all remaining hours a week. When it gets too dark to ski or ride a bike, she writes for BallOfSpray and tweets too often.  Follow her on Twitter @The_Krista or email her at Krista@BallOfSpray.com