CURVE XSM One Ski – No Compromises?

Here’s another new one from the team at Curve Industries, called the Curve XSM. This is a new concept in ski design that boldly offers one ski, with bolt-on accessories, that can take your sled from trail to powder and everything in-between.
The Curve XSM is all about customizing and adjustability. The Curve XSM is a modular ski system that can morph into different forms to better control any terrain. The system consists of the Curve XSM “mountain” skis, various carbide lengths and configurations, side plates that mount to the ski for added flotation called “Thrusters”, and tracking devices that mount under the ski in front of the carbide runners called the “Leading Edge”.
The Mountain designation comes from the trimmed trailing edge of the ski profile, where a slight part of the ski has been removed.

Crossover Trail
The Crossover Trail rider does more than 60% of their riding on trail where off trail terrain requires mild skill to navigate. Fresh snow depths are between 6” to 16” and the machine has a track length between 121” and 136”
This rider may live in an area with a trail network and then travel on occasion to an off trail destination or use the trail network to occasionally access light off trail riding. The rider would mount the skis with the Mountain Profile inward for trail riding and with the cut outward for off trail riding.
Set up as a Crossover Trail ski you would select how aggressive of carbide runners you would like for your sled and preferences, and install the “Leading Edge” option for straight tracking, light steering and awesome cornering in hard packed or icy snow conditions where only the carbide is able to engage the trail surface. Add the standard-size “Thruster” for added footprint to enhance off trail flotation and cornering performance in loose snow trail conditions.

Crossover
The Crossover rider does less than 40% of their riding on trail where off trail terrain requires moderate to significant skill to navigate. Fresh snow depths are between 16” to 24” and the machine has a track length between 136” and 144”.
This rider may use trails to access off trail locations with mild to considerable elevation changes or mainly travel to their off trail destination with only short trips on local trails. The rider would mount the skis with the Mountain Profile inward for trail riding and with the profile outward for off trail riding.
For a Crossover set-up you select your carbide and go with either the Standard or Mountain Thruster options for improved off trail performance. Use the Standard Thruster to enhance off trail flotation and cornering performance in loose snow trail conditions, or the Mountain Thruster to increase flotation and enhance side hill negotiations along with counter steer response.

Mountain
Need even more loose snow capability? What if it snows like crazy, or you want to get the best powder performance possible? Go with the “Mountain” configuration. This is designed for the Mountain rider that does nearly 100% of their riding off trail where the terrain requires expert skill to navigate. Fresh snow depths are over 24” and the machine has a track length greater than 144”.
Here the ski orientation should always be with the Mountain Profile facing outward. Go with the bigger Mountain Thruster option to increase flotation and enhance side hill negotiations along with counter steer response with perfectly balanced side hilling.
Being able to tune several components of the ski, other than just simple carbide length and style, opens up a new realm of capabilities. With the Curve XSM you can swap the Mountain profile of the ski from outside to inside. You can go with the Mountain Thruster, Standard Thruster or no Thruster. You can install the Leading Edge tracking device, or leave it off. And of course you can go with smaller or shorter carbide runners, or larger and longer carbide runners. One ski – no compromises?
The Curve XSM skis sell for $367.99. This includes the skis and loops. Model-specific mounting and assembly hardware goes for $41.95. A set of the Thrusters goes for $79. Carbide runners range from $49.95 to $89.99 per set, in various lengths and configurations. The optional Leading Edge tracking devices sell for $79 per set. To learn more visit Curve Industries at www.curveindustries.com

From the September 2013 issue of SnowTech. Most of the articles from SnowTech Magazine never go online as free content. In order to get all of the great informative articles, you have to be a subscriber. Subscribe here!