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May, 2025

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Sintered vs Extruded Bases

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No.Quarter
Posts: 5257 - Karma: 16,966
So I understand the basics of sintered and extruded base, sintered is compressed and extruded is melted, and that extruded is cheaper, but sintered is faster. However I have heard that extruded is more durable and that sintered is more durable. Also, is the speed difference really that noticeable?

I am working on building a tuning table right now and it will probably see use every time I ski.

The skis I am looking at (and probably buying) are the ON3P Jeffrey with a Durasurf 4001 base, and the Surface One Time with an extruded base.

I googled and seachbarred extruded vs sintered. And also did quite a bit of research before making this thread.
12 years ago
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DeRizzo
Posts: 3827 - Karma: 3,485
Hmm?
12 years ago
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No.Quarter
Posts: 5257 - Karma: 16,966
Sorry, that was poorly worded.

I have heard that extruded is more durable than sintered, but sintered can be more durable than extruded when taken care of properly.
12 years ago
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Crispy.
Posts: 6126 - Karma: 7,758
You want a sintered base, ride a lot better and faster. Maybe a bit less durable.
12 years ago
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DeRizzo
Posts: 3827 - Karma: 3,485
ah ok
12 years ago
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jca
Posts: 4180 - Karma: 6,366
honestly in my experience, the difference between the two is so noticeable that i would never buy a ski with extruded bases unless it was a super cheap jib ski to beat the shit out of.
12 years ago
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a_pla5tic_bag
Posts: 9244 - Karma: 5,694
yeah, my brother has sintered bases and i have extruded. we both wax the same and ski the same. i'm now slow as shit and my bases have much more damage than his so, i don't know.
12 years ago
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Lucas
Posts: 4882 - Karma: 1,597
Sintered>everything
12 years ago
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Session
Posts: 5408 - Karma: 22,545
Sintered bases are for 300 dollar pricepoint ski's. No one should accept such shit material on a serious ski.
12 years ago
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No.Quarter
Posts: 5257 - Karma: 16,966
what attributes make extruded so much worse than sintered
12 years ago
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K-Dot.
Posts: 3790 - Karma: 8,348
Wut
12 years ago
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S-S-K
Posts: 218 - Karma: 187

Reasons why I like extruded bases:

-Cheaper prices

-Don't have to wax often

-Easy to repair / don't have to worry as much about gashing up base

-Fast enough for me, I really don't have any speed complaints

12 years ago
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No.Quarter
Posts: 5257 - Karma: 16,966
How much harder is it to repair sintered bases?
12 years ago
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Session
Posts: 5408 - Karma: 22,545
Do yourself a favor. You ski in Colorado. Don't take advice from some kid who scratches ice on a lanfill in Minnesota.

A properly maintained sintered base will be much faster than an extruded base, and be easier to repair.
12 years ago
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No.Quarter
Posts: 5257 - Karma: 16,966
This is partially related to my OP, but with how much negative extruded has, should I even get the One Times? They would be my dicking around, early season/late spring/backyard jib ski and i would use the Jeffreys for the most of the season.
12 years ago
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DrZoidberg
Posts: 5676 - Karma: 4,299
lol you're slow.

But it's true, I'm faster and if I click into his skis they're slow and draggy compared to mine. I wax them a lot too, and they're in great condition considering how old they are. I'm fairly certain I'm not gonna buy skis with an extruded base any time soon. Especially for super slow and abrasive feeling manmade snow.
12 years ago
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S-S-K
Posts: 218 - Karma: 187

haha true true,

If you are skiing in Colorado, I could totally see more reasons for a sintered base.

I mainly ski rails, and do not worry about my bases too often. Other parts on my skis fail first or affect me more than my bases.

12 years ago
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Jewschoolers
Posts: 1785 - Karma: 1,142
extruded bases get the job done. they would definitely be fine for what you described wanting
12 years ago
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Park.
Posts: 2480 - Karma: 4,587
extruded:
-melted base
-less durable overall, but when core shots occur, only that direct area that makes contact will rip out of base
-cheaper
-slower
-easier to color dye (invalid)
-holds less wax
-will be fantastic for rails and urban because base is so dense and holds up for wear and tear
-will find extruded on devoted park sticks
Sintered:
-compressed powder
-faster
-because of construction, bases will hold wax better because micro-holes in the base between powder in air pockets will allow wax to seep through and become worn off much less rapidly
-better for jumps because of speed
-core will "tear" and "peel" when core shots occur, making damage much greater
-pain in the ass to repair
-unless a hybrid base, will be less durable on rails in the long-run (mainly unnoticeable for under 3 years)
-easier to hand wax (if your iron is broken)
-dries out faster if wax is not present
- quality bases usually on competition-level/higher end skis




I personally enjoy my sintered bases more because I like jumps and speed, although even though I am in the east coast too, an extruded base (Line TC Crew ski might be a good choice) will be much more durable on rails and if you aren't looking for speed, then I would go with extruded. If not, then go with sintered.
12 years ago
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theo79
Posts: 305 - Karma: 70
Bump for more info on this topic.

Reading from some online reviews of extruded bases, it seems as if the ski will literally get slower as the day progresses.

So if I was between every day of riding, the wax will come off by, let's say, noon?

I am mainly worried about extruded bases in powder conditions (Surface New Lifes).


11 years ago
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onenerdykid
Posts: 6747 - Karma: 11,771
Extruded bases in general just suck. Wax cannot penetrate the material and wax treatment is therefore only on top of your base not in your base. It will be gone by your 3rd run.

A properly maintained sintered base will be both faster and more durable.
11 years ago
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RudyGarmisch
Posts: 25444 - Karma: 13,856
Basically, if this thread intrigued you enough to click on it, go sintered. Extruded is for people who don't care about skis, and who have no interest in what they're made of.
11 years ago
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AJizzle
Posts: 1882 - Karma: 522
Reasons why you like extruded bases:
-you're a gaper.
-you ski only in your backyard on carpet.
-you've never skied a sintered base.
-you've never skied a real mountian.
-you are lazy as fuck and don't want to maintain you shit properly.

But in all reality OP, extruded BLOWS.
11 years ago
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No.Quarter
Posts: 5257 - Karma: 16,966
Extruded bases suck, I went with Surfaces despite making this thread, and I DESPISE the extruded bases but love every other aspect of the ski. It will be both a very sad and happy day at the same time when I upgrade in a year or so. They aren't that bad on steep runs, but low angle pow is very frusturating, catwalks to the lift are horrendous

And when you wax the night before, the extra speed doesn't wear off in half a day, it wears off in half a run.
11 years ago
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49566738265
Posts: 0 - Karma: 7,705
To answer your durability question:

Extruded and sintered could both be argued as more durable depending on your criteria. An extruded base is not as hard, so it is much much more likely to scratch and gouge. However, because the material is so soft you are less likely to see enormous chunks come out at once.

A sintered base is hard and dense. It is not susceptible to even noticeable damage from some pretty respectable blows. But if you crush a rock at Mach 2 and the base can't take it anymore it's likely to rip a huge fucking hole out of the ski.

Think about hitting a sharp wall corner with a foam bat verse a wooden bat. The foam bat is going to easily lose small chunks while the wooden bat will maybe get a small dent. Hit it hard enough though, and the wooden bat is going to explode and the foam bat won't be much different.

But Sintered wins in almost every category but price.
11 years ago
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RubberSoul
Posts: 11249 - Karma: 14,642
there is no feeling in skiing (besides pain) that is worse than sluggish bases. it's like the most fundamental part of skiing, how your skis slide over the snow. it's beyond me why anyone would ever choose extruded over sintered bases

it's a large part of why you'll commonly find me hating on line park skis in threads
11 years ago
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onenerdykid
Posts: 6747 - Karma: 11,771
and 100% why we spec a 7000 series base even on a cheaper ski like the Infamous. The skis ride so much better, it's not even a question for us.
11 years ago
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