New O'brien

[Stevie Boy]

Any news on the NEW O'Brien, it,s out of the mould ,I wonder who gets to try it first !

[skidawg]

What NEW obrien r u referring to?

[Horton]

Wait for Surf Expo in 2 weeks. There is stuff....

Stevie.... be quiet man... If you know what I know... they want to hold it for a few more weeks.

[ScarletArrow]

I would be curious to know if the Elite bindings are finished.

[Horton]

I know there will be stuff at surfexpo

[Jody_Seal]

Wish they would bring back the original Sixam!!!

 

[ScarletArrow]

if O'Brien brought back the original Sixam and if CC brought back the 196 - you and MS could ski forever! :-)

[Stevie Boy]

NP got the message !

[Jody_Seal]

Yea I liked the Sixam. I really like my new CB-200. Currently skiing on a Mike Morgan hand me down Goode I think I could be  persuaded to go whole hog and get a new one!!!

Will just have to wait and see what awaits us from Obrien..

[thager]

My guess is it's another high end step bottom design copy cat ad nauseum!

[Horton]

Hmmmm No. I do not think so. I do not exactly understand what they are up to but Adam and Andy are not on the tile bottom bandwagon. (That is what my spies tell me)

[thager]

I wouldn't mind seeing a Sixam SS derivative that didn't have a green bottom. Yuck!! Biggest reason I didn't ever buy one. How about custom colors?

[Horton]

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_GarN1VsWH10/TIAZlh0vqvI/AAAAAAAAABo/xV99uHio6f8/s400/quattro_top_2.jpg

[MattP]

OOOOOoo fancy I like the sleek 1st generation better but I'm partial. But my opinion does not matter. That new ski is still a sick ride and looks great!

[CsSkis]

Horton says: "Adam and Andy are not on the tile bottom bandwagon".

 What he didn't say: The picture was taken of the bottom of the new ski!

 just kidding.

[Steven]

Looks sweet! It'll be interesting to hear what the ridges are all about.

[disland]

I got a 65" Elite to sell you all, cheap

[Jody_Seal]

I saw Drew walkin around at the Canadian Nationals with something very intersting kinda looked like that!

[thager]

The ridges add strength(stiffness) without the additional weight. Looks similar to Sixam tip design.

[jdarwin]

One of the "new" skis is in Eastern Mississippi as we speak - looking for some feedback soon.

[41off]

jdarwin who told you that one was in Mississippi

[ForrestGump]

JD, I would assume that one is in Meridian?

[Alvin_Neff]

Hey, Guys!  The new ski that you are talking about is a prototype that is still in the R&D stages.  It will not be available till the spring and most likely will undergo some fine tuning before a hard tool is cut.  Andy said the new ski will just be an additional model to be offered next season and will not replace the popular Elite.  I cannot comment any further about the design characteristics but it will be shown at Water Ski Expo in Orlando next week.  Maybe Adam will release more information after next week! 

[FA]

check out the 2011 dealer catalog on obrien.com

http://www.obrien.com/catalog.php

 New elite skis look to be

Alpha, Quattro and Endo

[Alvin_Neff]

Brent, I just confirmed via Adam that the mid-ride prototype has more R&D needed and will not go into production till 2011. If you can get your hands on one, you are lucky to get one of the prototypes. They are unfortunately not available yet, even for me.

[bhs]

For the Quattro the catalog reads "corelss torsion geometry", I wonder if that is something similar to the warp? Cool looking ski! O'brien is stepping it up and we may need to call Adam the mad scientist.

[Alvin_Neff]

Brent,

 

Andy always has the right information. He is a world class as skier, engineer, coach, and an amazing person with an unselfish desire to help people ski their best. He has assembled a great Pro Team.

 

BHS,

 

Adam is the bomb! He is able to produce whatever he, Andy and Drew can dream up. They have many other projects in the works!

[ForrestGump]

Has Eric Lee been giving Andy design pointers?

[MattP]

Thats a scary thought

[Horton]

I had been being quiet because Adam had asked me to not talk... At this point you guys have most of it.

The Endo is the standard Elite but not built RTM. Cost will be in line with other skis on the market.

The Quattro is mostly done but not for sale yet because they want to work on it a bit more before it hits the street.  

[Roger]

"Andy said the new ski will just be an additional model to be offered next season and will not replace the popular Elite."

Do you guys see a lot of Elite skis where you ski? I seldom see one at all down here (Okeeheelee). I knew one guy riding one last year in Miami, but after it broke, he couldn't get the replacement (they replaced it, so good service there O'brien) to feel the same and moved onto a Goode. Just wondering how "popular" it really is?

[Horton]

See the front page! www.ballofspray.com

Thanks to super ski spy Brent "James Bond"  McNicoll

[Stevie Boy]

I am trying to understand the manafacturing of these skis, my source informed me that they like the RTM method because they could get the fex pattern much the same every time, by not using that method for the other skis, have they improved the manafacturing process, I remember watching Glenn Campbell at the Pro Am  one year trying five skis on his flex machine trying to find the best one. So we have got the Alpha, Quattro & Endo which one is the one with the Wider Forebody and which one is the Mid Ride ?

[Stevie Boy]

That looks one ugly ski, but hey, whos looks at it when your skiing ! 

[Horton]

RTM is more difficult to set up, slower manufacturing process and generally more expensive.  In theory RTM skis have more consistent flex and last longer.

[Horton]

The Alpha is the current Elite - RTM

The Endo is the current  Alpha / Elite shape but not RTM (more affordable)

The Quattro - is the wider stubby new shape ski- RTM

There are only two shapes - three skis

 

[Thomas Wayne]

 

"That looks [like] one ugly ski..."

I had the EXACT same initial reaction, but then I did this...

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n293/ThomasWayne_2006/Quattroimproved.jpg

... and the world became a much better place.

TW

[Horton]

Funny yea yea... NO that ski looks cook. I really want one

[jdarwin]

So much for letting the cat out of bag!

As for looks, who cares.  I thought the black/lime green RCX I owned was horrendous - but it skied very well.  I covered it in wood grain (thanks, Ward) so I wouldn't have to look at it.  If the "stubby ski" performs anywhere close to my current "stubby ski", I'll be thrilled! j

BTW Thomas, that girls has "man hands"!

[Thomas Wayne]

"BTW Thomas, that girl has "man hands""

But a heart of gold... and a wallet to match.

TW

[41off]

Well I have to say the new ski is good. I have skied on the ski for a couple days now and it's more predictable than any other ski I have rode. I have skied on several elites and other brands and for me this one is money!

[HO 410]

Is it just me or is Andy channeling Mel Brooks?

 

http://trinitylearning.files.wordpress.com/2010/06/633701136919450060-darkhelmet.jpg

 

[oxmach]

Maybe I'm needing glasses, but it sure looks like it has A-1 DNA.

[skidawg]

U need glasses, nothin like a1

[eddie_roberts_jr]

Cool tip shape. Really unique.

[apodawil]

I didnt know one of Eric Lee's Skis could look so good! But really if you fill in the graphics on The Quattro with bondo and painted it white you would have what looks to be a Lee Ski. It really looks like a ski he was skiing on last year or the year before, the "canoe paddle"

[thager]

If it doesn't work it looks like it would make a great shovel!!

[Horton]

Paddle

[Skihack]

Ski looks identical up to a couple inches north of the front boot inserts. Really don't see the benefits of a wider tip except maybe at 38 off and shorter. I believe the focus needs to be on getting more performance out of wide body skis like the Senate C. I see this as a good way to keep Zero Off from hitting the skier hard. Wider skis don't ride deep in the hole on hard turns. Just thinking out loud here. Rode a Radar Senate C and it was an effortless ride. Smooth and easy without driving the tail deep on the shortline turns. Has got to be easier without setting the Zero Off on a warpath. A little resistance from Zero Off is fine but you will not win if you input a hard turn to it, it will dish it out twice as hard.

[Horton]

People are freaking out about this ski. I have gotten 2 calls & 1 text today and I have not even seen one yet...