For hundreds of years, ski technology barely changed. Sure, stronger woods made an appearance, camber came onto the scene, and tips and tails got wider, but that was about it. And then one day in 1947, an aeronautical engineer named Howard Head went skiing for the first time. And he was not impressed. Howard knew there had to be a way to make skis lighter, faster, and more friendly. He set to work for three years, creating one prototype after another, and step by step, the HEAD ski came to life. With its plywood core, aluminum sheets, plastic sidewalls, and a continuous steel edge, it was a revolution on the slopes. Suddenly anyone could ski and have fun at the same time. And the rest, along with the competition, was history.
Behind the scenes | It‘s easy to look at a ski or a boot and forget about the work that went into it.
That’s the problem with brilliant engineering: it only makes itself apparent when the ski disappears beneath you. It’s the problem with incredible design: a boot can be so sublimely comfortable that you can totally focus on other things – like the finish line. And it’s the burden of every athlete – the faster they go, the easier they make it look.
At HEAD, we’re inspired by those who push themselves, drive the sport, and create solutions. And if you ever get to visit our headquarters, you may find that we’re inspired pretty much all the time – because we’re surrounded by those people every day. So we’d like to take a moment to say thanks to every staff member and all our athletes. Together, you’re pushing the industry forward, and inspiring more and more people to put on skis and discover this beautiful sport. And every time we ask you What’s your limit? The answer only opens another question, What limit?.
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