Whatever happened to soft gates?

[slow-line-fast]

At some point in the ‘90s, I came across full-length gates that were made to have a softer impact on humans, skis, etc. They were not like the totally soft gummi stubbies (which are great but couldn’t be full-length in that material) but were somehow made with plastic in sort of spongy form. I don’t recall the brand and haven’t seen it since.

 

[Rudi Riet]

They were an utter failure. I remember testing them and they had a tendency to lose air pressure and wrap around the racer like a lasso. They weren't exactly safe.

 

[James]

Not soft, but-
Couple years ago in Switzerland they had a color gate ski event. I think they gave you a tyvek suit. It was like 20chf, not bad. We were leaving that day, so couldn’t do it.
Looks like there’s holes in the sides and top is open. Filled with powder?

 

[hbear]

I'm pretty sure those used in the Hirscher video were just regular gates just filled with powder colour for the effect. There also is a small tube of powder around the hinge to assist the effect as well.
Assume SPM gates, doesn't look like the Liski hinge.

 

[pchewn]

At some point in the ‘90s, I came across full-length gates that were made to have a softer impact on humans, skis, etc. They were not like the totally soft gummi stubbies (which are great but couldn’t be full-length in that material) but were somehow made with plastic in sort of spongy form. I don’t recall the brand and haven’t seen it since.

So were they like some sort of pool noodle?

 

[cantunamunch]

They were an utter failure. I remember testing them and they had a tendency to lose air pressure and wrap around the racer like a lasso. They weren't exactly safe.

Is that the iGates ones?

 

[slow-line-fast]

The ones I came across were not inflatable - something in between a normal gate and one of those floating pool noodles, closer to a normal gate. Same diameter as a normal gate.

I can definitely picture those inflatable things getting wrapped around skiers, bad stuff

 

[Rudi Riet]

Is that the iGates ones?

No, tho the concept is similar. These are far lighter than the ones being tested in the early 90s. I wonder what the durability of these is - a sharp ski edge would almost certainly slice cleanly through the iGate product. The 90s ones had a ballistic material outer to prevent slicing, but the air bladder wasn't really up to snuff. The ballistic cover also made them heavy.

 

[KingGrump]

Is that the iGates ones?

We stayed on Stefan Dag's property in Carbondale back in 2019. Real interesting guy. He was talking about getting the inflatable poles into production then. Not sure what happened afterward.

 

[slowrider]

Bring back the Bamboo, said no one ever.

 

[Rudi Riet]

Bring back the Bamboo, said no one ever.

Actually: as a way to keep young impressionable minds from reaching for gates with their outside hand when their shoulder axis isn't anywhere close, bamboo is still useful.

That said: stubby/HERO gates are more useful these days to keep the technical underpinnings more relevant to modern skis and technique. But I've been known to break out bamboo when U14 and U16 athletes whose lines aren't conducive to outside hand gate clearing need a reminder not to reach for the gate. I'll also do "jungle slaloms" with 'boo as a way to force things like hop turns and the like.

But these days the bamboo is primarily used for stringing ropes, timing cables, and the like.

 

[slowrider]

@Rudi Riet I still remember skiing over the top of a bamboo gate that was laying on the snow. That will take you down right now.

 

[Rudi Riet]

@Rudi Riet I still remember skiing over the top of a bamboo gate that was laying on the snow. That will take you down right now.

That's why they're used in some SkillsQuest drills, though they're typically not used in the middle of a turn except on more advanced level courses.

And yes, it's like slipping on a banana peel if you're not ready.

 

[bbbradley]

@Rudi Riet I still remember skiing over the top of a bamboo gate that was laying on the snow. That will take you down right now.

Nothing more fun than shinning a gate in half then the plastic pole slides down the hill with you...and you hope it stays out of the race line!

 

[slowrider]

There's something about that whap, whap.

 

[cantunamunch]

There's something about that whap, whap.

*sweats bullets stopping the jokes*ARGHHRRRRH*beers up to rehydrate*

 

[Average Joe]

We stayed on Stefan Dag's property in Carbondale back in 2019. Real interesting guy. He was talking about getting the inflatable poles into production then. Not sure what happened afterward.

They've been in production , previously marked as Airkipp gates. I met Stefan in Aspen in 2014 or 15 he was at the women's WC races and set up a couple inflatable gates as a demo next to the lift base.
I have no experience with them but I believe the feel and moves a racer makes in these gates would be different than in a plastic hinged gate course. I suppose the durability would be a big question , then again we destroy plenty of SPM shafts, so who knows, maybe it's a wash.
The ideal use might be high glacier training, as a full "bundle" of gates would fit into a backpack.
Then again, as Rudi says, you could just bring up a bag of stubbies......

 

[bbbradley]

It would be interesting to see how technique changed with no or a reduced need to clear gates, plus the added cost/weight savings of minimal armor.

 

[James]

I once did a clinic maybe 20 yrs ago with a woman who used to work as an instructor at Vernon Valley Great Gorge in NJ. She told a horrifying story of many of the instructors lining up to watch or participate in slalom training. The director comes down, hits a bamboo gate, and I guess it broke and went through his eye, killing him.

Looks like it was 1973 and Walt Westerveld was the director.

 

[slowrider]

Bamboo poles (larger) were used to Pole vault up intil the late 70s. They were know to break and have killed a few vaulters.