All new from D3 Skis… the Quest

[Horton]

http://www.ballofspray.com/images/2013/Questad4small.jpg

We listened to skiers in our Quest to produce the best slalom-course specific ski in our history. Ride the result of our passion for perfection and start your own Quest for more buoys today. The best way to describe the Quest is to take you through our design process and the questions and subsequent answers that shaped this ski. 

Q – “I don’t necessarily like fast skis but I need a ski that delivers good course width and is stable in and out of the turn.”

~ To provide an effortless ride, better cast-out to the buoy and eliminate tip-rise the Quest has additional width in the last 17” of the tail. This has also resulted in additional inside-radius side-cut aiding the skis ability to stay tip down while turning.

Q – “I would like a ski that has the same turn dynamics on both my toe (off) and heel (on)-side turns.”

~ The entire bevel assembly on the Quest has been redesigned from tip to tail. The bevels in the front are large and buttery soft like the X7 and taper back to more defined bevels in the tail. The Quest features a perfect hydrodynamic design allowing water to flow uninterrupted over the bevels giving the Quest an overall feeling of stability and consistency previously unattainable. The Quest delivers the most complete turns you have ever experienced on both sides.

Q – “I would like my ski to be easy to ride. I tend to ride the tail and struggle keeping front foot pressure. I would like to be able to feel the front of the ski with less effort.”  

~ A primary design goal for the Quest project was to let the skier effortlessly pressure the tip while approaching the turn. The Quest is the first D3 design to feature a shallower concave up in the fore-body of the ski. This combined with the large, soft  bevels  gives the Quest the most easily accessible tip of any ski designed today.

Q – “I want a ski that is consistent. Not a Jekyll and Hyde where one day it’s great and the next day I miss passes."

~ The Quest eliminates the misconception of a sweet-spot in ski design. The presence of a sweet-spot presumes there are some not-so-sweet spots to ride within the design. A great slalom design should create the feeling that the skier is riding the middle of the ski. Movement to the front or the back should not drastically affect how the ski rides thru the water. This is apparent the first time you ride the new Quest. The front of the ski is easily accessible and the turns are completed without pesky tip-rise.

Q – “I am looking for a ski where I don’t struggle to change edges and I don’t get lean-locked out of the turns.”

~The intersection of the concave and lowest bevel on the Quest has been re-created resulting in a small flat-area. This flat area placed under the length of the front foot gives the new Quest effortless edge-changes and improves the skis stability as you transition from a pulling edge and swing the ski under you to the turning edge.

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The 66" and 67" Quest are now available at d3skis.com. The 65” and 68” Quest sizes will be available March 1st. Try this completely new slalom design on your home site for two weeks for free. See our website for complete DEMO program details. One ride and you will see why we are so excited about this new slalom project.

"On the first pass it was clear the Quest is totally different. It feels so stable and yet will rip turns as hard as you can imagine.  It clearly wants to ride tip down.  It is so easy to roll onto an edge and will let you carve as much angle as you choose too.  Even better, when I do crank off a big turn the ski doesn't stop, it keeps its speed back to the handle.   With this additional control in the turn, the finish of my turns are calmer and easier which sets me up for better movement behind the boat and more space off the second wake". --Kevin Bishop San Jose, CA

d3skis.com / 916-714-9389

 

 

[bishop8950]

This year I got to play in the design process from start to finish. Started last summer talking to Will about where to go, then hand made prototypes last summer, different molds last fall and even into the winter, ending with the Quest. Got to spend a weekend with Nate/Will/Paul last last fall testing earlier versions which was a blast. Will is pumped the final ski turned out exactly like he/we wanted and the final ski feels A LOT better then some of the later prototypes.

 

It would have been fun to sneak out updates but the team agreed to stay totally quiet until it was done.

 

I cant wait to ride it fit and in warm water to see what the skis total potential is. For now, Paul used an email I sent him from the dock after the 2nd ride on the ski, thats the quote above.

[FrankS]

@bishop8950 Will Nate Smith be switching to this from his x7 this year?

 

[ToddL]

@FrankS - they have a picture of Nate on it in the promo image above... May not mean anything, tho. I'm sure if Nate likes it as much or more than his X7, then we will see him on one...

[ToddL]

Based upon my post above... I'd like to nominate myself for the 2013 Captain Obvious award. Yesh!

[bishop8950]

I haven't talked to Nate since the ski was finished and don't know what he will be riding this season.

[Ed_Obermeier]

"Q – “I would like my ski to be easy to ride. I tend to ride the tail and struggle keeping front foot pressure. I would like to be able to feel the front of the ski with less effort.”

 

~ A primary design goal for the Quest project was to let the skier effortlessly pressure the tip while approaching the turn. The Quest is the first D3 design to feature a shallower concave up in the fore-body of the ski. This combined with the large, soft bevels gives the Quest the most easily accessible tip of any ski designed today."

 

Exactly covers my personal issues with the newer generation skis. This alone makes me want to try one. The primary reason I'm still riding my beloved 6 year old MPD.

 

"...The 65” and 68” Quest sizes will be available March 1st. Try this completely new slalom design on your home site for two weeks for free. See our website for complete DEMO program details. One ride and you will see why we are so excited about this new slalom project."

 

Two week free test ride?? I said I would never again get excited about a new ski just by reading the advertising. Damn... Where's my damn checkbook?...

[Horton]

I talked to Paul tonight. They are fired up about the new ski.

[skibug]

@Horton, All the ski manufacturers are always fired up about their latest and greatest....I have never heard a ski company come out with a new ski and say....ummm....we missed the boat on this one; but buy it anyway because we made 2000 of them...just saying

 

I am going to ride one though.......

[Horton]

@skibug Yea ok. Good Point.

[bishop8950]

Every year they are proud of the improvements they make in the skis, but they are really amped this time around. Fair point, marketing will always be strong, but the write up above is spot on.

 

All this said, skier feedback and performances are strong proof points and we expect to see the masses agree. Time will tell as the skis hit the water.

[6balls]

The description in the Q and A format sounds like what I always think of with D3. Easy to ride, maybe not quite as fast, turns well and with symmetry. I'm sure it will be another great ski.

[skibug]

I have always been a D3 believer; but, I have ridden a couple of their skis that just didn't work for me...Z7 ST and the Fusion.

 

X5, Nomad RC's, X7 were all good ones IMHO. Hopefully this one is another solid platform. I am looking forward to riding one.

[ToddL]

FYI - Nate told me on facebook that he is riding the Quest right now. He said he likes many things about it but it has big shoes to fill since he was "magic" on his X7. I suspect that with more sets on it, he'll find where and how to finesse it all the way into -43.

[skidawg]

Fired up