Introducing the Intention 110

Born out of a need for a better ski.
Though skiers have benefitted from decades of innovation in shape and design, we saw the state of backcountry skiing as one of compromise. Lightweight, twitchy touring skis packed with carbon fiber made too many sacrifices in descending performance. Burly, metal freeride skis could charge down the mountain, but simply couldn’t deliver the all-day tour-ability of a true backcountry setup. We were being constrained by the limitations of traditional ski construction.
Our problem—and our solution—lay in the materials.

We tapped into 21st century biotechnology to design our algal composite—a completely new material derived from a unique strain of micro-algae that by nature has a superior molecular structure than it's petroleum counterpart. This characteristic allows us to build a better ski. 

A new material doesn’t make a great ski on its own. Our algal composite is more than a simple swap-in-swap-out-replacement, but rather, a way to improve performance characteristics when integrated into the ski. In this ski, we considered every auxiliary detail.

At the heart of is our bio-based algal composite, constructed using oil derived from a unique strain of micro-algae identified to have greater performance characteristics over existing materials offerings.

The core is engineered to reduce weight, improve torsional stiffness for better edge hold, and provide a damp, stable ride feel for versatile backcountry performance. We laminate the algal composite alongside strips of lightweight aspen and paulownia to add a lively, responsive feel.

To bond the internal materials together is a bio-based resin that takes the place of a traditional petroleum-based resin system. Additionally, the raw materials going into the epoxy resins and hardeners we use are either co-products or waste products of other industrially important processes.

After developing and testing the ski in a variety of cambers, and rocker shapes, we had a difficult time choosing a camber or rocker profile so we opted to offer the two profiles:

 

Camber Reverse Camber

The Camber version offers gentle rocker lines that allow the ski to plane easily over soft snow, with a touch of positive camber underfoot for increased edge hold for carving up firm snow or groomers. This is the more traditionally shaped version of the Intention 110—offering an intuitive, familiar, and versatile ride across the entire mountain.

The Reverse Camber takes a more progressive approach to ski shape. The Reverse Camber version follows the same initial rocker lines as its sibling, but remains flat underfoot, allowing it to easily pivot, surf, and slash its way through fresh snow. Designed for backcountry skiers that want the ultimate in playful, off piste charging, this ski is our ode to the perfect line.

 

Leaving no detail up to chance means also thinking about the way we bring the ski to you. That means delivering cutting edge innovation in the most convenient, personalized, and hassle-free way we can.

This year only, your pair of Intention 110s will ship in its own reusable Dakine x WNDR travel bag via UPS Carbon Neutral shipping straight from our Design Lab in Salt Lake City.  With our commitment to more eco-friendly packaging, your skis are wrapped in paper with minimal plastic wrap, eco-friendly tape and custom made ski boxes to fit our products perfectly.   

Back to Stories