Snowboard Technology
The first Elan Snowboards started popping out of our factory as far back as 1988. Snowboarding wasn’t even considered cool back then. Further down the line, their R&D department came up with innovations including the first twin-tip shape, the first inserts and full wrap edges – developments that truly changed the course of our sport, and making it killer in the process. Today, the Elan snowboards factory, located in the heart of the Alps, is the most cutting edge factory in the world.
Always pushing the envelope, elan snowboards continues to offer superior product quality and performance. Here are some of the latest innovations built into the 07/08 range.
Asymmetrical Omega Sidecut – A True Freestyle Innovation
Introduced in the Artec 4.1, Elan’s revolutionary Asymmetrical Omega Sidecut represents our latest snowboard design innovation. Balancing the amount of effort required to turn both ways, this tech breakthrough features a more aggressive sidecut along the heel edge of the board to facilitate turn initiation on the traditionally more energy-consuming heelside turn. Meanwhile, a less progressive sidecut along the toe edge balances the energy required to turn both ways. Used only in true twin tip shapes to offer the same benefits to goofy and regular riders, this special sidecut optimizes the energy needed to snowboard, allowing riders to focus on stomping tricks.
Carbon 360 – The Next Level In Weight Reduction
Elan has always been committed to developing and patenting the lightest and most performing construction technologies, including the Advanced DG Top (printing directly onto the topsheet saving up to 12% in weight). The latest technological breakthrough does the seemingly impossible by making the Inverse even lighter. By replacing the lowest fiberglass laminate with a full 360 sheet of carbon, Elan's engineers have once again successfully enhanced the board’s responsiveness and reduced the overall weight. Genius.
Dual TI – The Key To Superior Freeriding
Finding the right balance of board flex and torsional stability at the highest speeds and on the roughest terrain has always been the holy grail in snowboard construction. Dual Ti hits the jackpot by introducing two layers of titanal – one to replace the traditional top sheet and one immediately beneath the woodcore. The result is improved torsional stability producing a buttery smooth and super-stable ride at hell-for-leather speeds on terrain other boards would shy aways from.
Omega Sidecut – “Maybe the only real innovation in freestyle snowboarding to be born over the last few years.” - Onboard Magazine.
Straight sidecut replaces traditionally rounded shape of a board’s tip and tail for enhanced rider stability and control.
How does it Work?
Characteristic of the Omega Sidecut is a straight sidecut on the tip and tail.
The camber line is shorter than with preceding sidecuts, and develops into a straight transition part. This straight sidecut without radius is decisive in radically improving riding ability.
What does Omega Sidecut Achieve?
Only the rarest of jumps are landed levelly on the base of the board. More often than not a rider will land slightly on the frontside or backside edge. Under such circumstances, huge power is exerted onto the edge which in turn then grips onto the radius of the sidecut, thus causing problematic landing for the rider. Thanks to the straight sidecut on the board’s tip and tail, these problems no longer occur. Even when a trick is not landed perfectly, the board remains stable and is easy to control. The Omega Sidecut also has massive benefits while riding transitions. Boards with traditional sidecuts tend towards loss of stability in half pipes and quarter pipes when large pressure is exerted on the edge. Badly performed tricks executed without the crucial confidence are often a result. Conversely, a board with the Omega Sidecut remains smooth and easily controllable even when extensive pressure is exerted on the edge.
The Omega Sidecut can even reduce edge loss while jibbing on the piste or in rutted, bumpy terrain.
