Features

Simon Meredith Hardy, who lives and skis in Val d'Isere, has made a new discovery

I have skied off-piste for, dare I say it, decades and I always watch carefully for equipment changes and improvements to make our sport more fun, safer and perhaps - in the case of skis and boots - a little less tough on the body!

There are of course a significant number of great powder/off-piste skis out there, but it is still difficult to figure out which ones will do it for you. I was browsing the Teton Gravity Research website around Christmas time and came across a very strong and well reasoned recommendation for the Icelantic Nomad SFT (stands for 'soft').

For those of you who have never heard of this manufacturer, the company is only seven years old and the skis are designed and hand-made in Colorado, where they have developed something of a cult following. Check out Icelantic Boards and click here for a recent feature on the company.

I have finally managed to get hold of a pair and they were well worth waiting for! I tried them the first time in deep but variable conditions. They are stable, turn easily and inspire confidence - so I'm sold. What's more, they handle remarkably well on the piste too.