COULOIR ONLINE – October 2004
Couloir Online 7oct04
It's always easier to see the purpose of seemingly tragic events through the lens of history, especially when the silver lining of dark clouds begin to shine. Thus, when Tua Skis announced they were bankrupt, not only did we lose a key brand, but we also lost one of the most influential ski designers for the backcountry, Paul Parker, in the same action.
Thankfully for every action there is an opposite and equal reaction. While some in the backcountry community were lamenting the loss, Paul had already shifted gears and was busy developing the next generation of backcountry boards. In fact, the skis that now bear G3's name and Paul's design stamp were ideas that he had independently been toying with as far back as September 2002.
Our actual introduction to the skis occurred almost a month ago, when G3 flew the editors of Couloir, Backcountry, and Telemarktips.com to Denver for a personal unveiling. As with everyone else involved in the development of this product we were sworn to secrecy. A few folks did manage to guess what was coming, noteably competitor Mike Hattrup of K2 Telemark guessed the secret, but without confirmation, the secret remained in effect. On October 7th, G3 gathered their sales force to make known what even the reps had no knowledge of. And with that announcement, the door was opened for us to spread the word as well.
We had an opportunity to interview Oliver and Paul on the unique aspects of their new ski line, not the least of which is the time they chose to launch, mid-October of an impending ski season instead of the usual trade-show announcement in January.
Couloir: Why are you announcing this new product now, instead of at the traditional winter trade shows?
Paul: The skis are ready and we can't wait to ski on them. We have used a less traditional development cycle because it has allowed us to fully develop a better product by using two full winter seasons for testing and tweaking.
C: Is this product in full production, or are you just producing a limited number to "test the waters?"
Paul: Normal production but we're producing quite a high limited number.
C: How long have you been developing this product?
Paul: Two full winter seasons.
C: Was this product the primary reason that Paul Parker was hired by G3?
Oliver: Although skis have been Paul's focus, he is and will be working on other projects as well. Paul has brought a wealth of product development experience that applies to skis as well as any product we develop. We're very lucky to be working with him.
C: You mentioned that this new product is the first evidence of a completely revised product development strategy. What is different about this new strategy? What motivated you to change to this process?
Oliver: Our "new" strategy was actually implemented over 2 years ago. The premise of the new approach is to do things patiently and thoroughly. We felt there are more than enough pressures to rush a product to market before it is ready for consumers. What was needed was an overall objective to get things right, the first time.
C: How long have you been designing skis Paul?
Paul: I've been developing skis for 20 years. I was the ski line product manager for Chouinard Equipment, and developing Tua skis and Scarpa boots were my main responsibilities. I also developed some skis with Morotto for Chouinard. When Chouinard went through the transition to Black Diamond, I took a hiatus from skis for a year or so but was then hired by Tua as a consultant and was with them until they closed the doors last year. More important than those details were the skis: the Toute Neige, Tele Sauvage(Cirque), Mega, Excalibur, Montets, Sumo, 110 Cross Ride, 112 Cross Ride were a few of the skis that I worked on.
C: Are these new skis from G3 simply the unfinished designs left over after Tua's demise?
Paul: No, nothing like them. Certainly I have many years of experience with Tua, but we started this project with a totally clean slate. That was one of the pleasures in working on this project. The design philosophy and construction of these skis is new; much different from what I've done in the past. I had the idea for the Ticket, a ski with asymmetric sidecuts, back in September 2002. But I couldn't convince anyone to make them. So I had some built for myself. And then as it turned out, when Oliver and I were talking about working together, it just seemed natural to continue that development at G3.
C: How was the development of these skis different from your previous work?
Paul: As I mentioned, we started with a clean slate. Often experience reminds you how you would do things differently, given the chance. This project was a good example of that chance. With different construction, different technology, different factory, different molds, and much higher quality, these skis are a different product altogether.
C: The graphics on these skis are rather complex? Can you explain a bit about how you determined what to use for each ski.
Paul: Once the final prototypes were done, Oliver and I spent a lot of time determining the character of each ski. Each has a distinct character that is reflected in its name and its graphics. This was a well-thought-out process that reflects the thoroughness that we used for the entire project.
I can remember thinking that in the wake of Tua's demise, a businessman would have to be suicidal to enter the realm of ski making. However, Oliver Steffen justified his decision to enter that world, with characteristic savvy, by qualifying that they were sticking to their core business of making backcountry products, not skis for the world at large. All the same, I don't doubt that his marketing expertise can carry the attraction for the brand beyond the backcountry.
Only time will tell. The fact is, all we've been able to do is touch and feel these skis just as you will be able to do in select, savvy backcountry stores throughout North America. The graphics look great, the dimensions seem right, and they pass the obligatory flex-the-skis-in-the-store test. Other factors inspire confidence as well. First, Parker's track record of designing great skis for the backcountry. Secondly, G3's reputation for quality, and third, for the synthesis of the two. G3 has quietly been redefining how they have and will develop new products for the backcountry market. For the moment, all we can say is the stars in the heavens certainly appear to be in alignment for the introduction of G3's ski line.
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