What is carbon core?

[Octopus_Paxarbolis]

The Goode website does not explain what it is.

[MISkier]

My understanding is that they replaced (or augmented) the usual foam core of the ski with carbon fiber supports between the top and bottom layer of the ski.  It's kind of like interior walls of the rooms of a house holding up the load in the middle of the house from the foundation to the roof.  

The advantage is supposed to be quicker rebound of the ski after flexing and additional rigidity/stiffness in strategic locations on the ski.

[DW]

1:33 in gives the visual on the carbon core aspect:

 

[Horton]

As a composites geek, I have always thought carbon core was a cool idea. With carbon ribs or I beams going the length of the ski, much of the stress is taken off of the foam core. This would make the skis much more durable and theoretically prevent the skis from breaking down as compared to traditional construction.

I have heard that the man hours needed to build a carbon core ski are many times the man hours to build a traditional ski. It is interesting stuff for sure.  

[DW]

As was the 9100, my initial response to the carbon core (9970cc) was Wow!  Everything between the 9100 and 9970cc was incremental, so to carbon core is a step change.  Agree with Horton, my expectation are for a longer lasting, more stable ski.

[chrislandy]

9 hours ago, Horton said:

As a composites geek, I have always thought carbon core was a cool idea. With carbon ribs or I beams going the length of the ski, much of the stress is taken off of the foam core. This would make the skis much more durable and theoretically prevent the skis from breaking down as compared to traditional construction.

I have heard that the man hours needed to build a carbon core ski are many times the man hours to build a traditional ski. It is interesting stuff for sure.  

I was doing this building wakeboards 15odd years ago, using the "I" beams through the core allowed for better torsion control and you could profile the stiffness / torsion along the ski / board. The rebound was amazing, the riders who demo'd them loved them down the wakepark as they could lean as much as they wanted into the nose/tail and pop off as much or as little as they wanted to.

The cores never degraded (or the effect of them possibly degrading was never felt) as the carbon spars or webs transferred the majority of the shear through between the top and bottom and therefore the core was pretty much only there to help form the shape during the cure.

Time wise, it was a long process as you had to carefully dry layup each core section with the various bits of carbon/kevlar/glass (and others 😉 ) prior to laying up in the mould / cassette. it took me around and hour to cut the fabric, 2hrs to lay up and the cure time was over 12 hours per board as it had an 8hr post cure so as not to deform during the summer. Compare that to a traditional sandwich construction, it's minutes.

[Mose]

Is it still a PVC core with carbon beams just added to it

[Horton]

@Mose I do not think anyone at Goode ever says "PVC" or not but it is obviously a light foam core ( so likely PVC )

[ToddK]

A little off topic but anyone have an option why no one else to my knowledge other than Radar uses PMI for their top end core material? 

[Mose]

Toddk I would like to know that to why know other companies are using a PMI core

[BraceMaker]

@ToddK I suspect the HO Syndicate Work 01 "cross linked structural foam core" that's a cut above PVC is also probably PMI.

 

 

[Horton]

Each company has their own marketing and design methodology. I know more than one company doesn't want to talk about what their core material is or avoids talking about specifics.