Waterford, Mich. (Ski Press)-Goode Technologies plans to produce up to 1,000 uniquely designed carbon fiber skis to be available at retail this fall.

Known for their ski poles and champion water skis, the company bought out several semi-trailer trucks worth of alpine ski manufacturing equipment from VolantÂ’s former Wheat Ridge, Colo., production facility last October.

“It was all first class equipment,� Dave Goode told http://www.skipressmag.com Wednesday morning. “Before, we didn’t really have the equipment to make the ski we wanted to. Now we can make our own molds, do all the CAD and CAM computer design in-house, and we even set up a lab for things like cycle, swingweight, flex and torsion testing.�

Goode had produced a wood core ski with a carbon fiber film encasing in the past, but wasnÂ’t able to fully commit to ski manufacturing until after acquiring the Volant machinery.

Dave Goode said the first generation of complete carbon fiber skis will have all-mountain dimensions of 109/68/98, and will be available in two different flexes in 155, 165 and 175-centimeter lengths.

“The carbon fiber makes our skis about half the weight as any ski out there, but with higher torsional properties and any kind of flex we want,� said Goode. “We had a 250-pound tester on one of the 165s and it was all the ski he needed.�

Goode said the skis will retail for $790. Despite the retail relationships he has built with his high-end ski pole line, Goode said the ski launch will be concentrated in Colorado.

“That’s where I want the nucleus,� he said. “That’s where I really want to introduce what we think is a better mousetrap, and let skiers see the difference in what we’re offering.�

Since Volant was bought out by Gen-X Sports, which shipped ski production to AtomicÂ’s factory in Altkenmarkt, Austria, and K2 moved their ski production to China, Goode is now the last remaining U.S. ski manufacturer. According to Dave Goode, thatÂ’s only possible because of the companyÂ’s commitment to remaining a boutique brand.

“Each pair of skis takes three hours to cure in the mold,� said Goode. “That means the big guys don’t have to worry about us building a lot of these very quickly. We’re going to concentrate on being a specialty, unique ski brand.�

After testing the skis in Michigan, Colorado and Austria, Goode said graphics are being finalized for the new skis and that he will send http://www.skipressmag.com images of the next generation of Goode Skis as soon as he has them. (© 2002 Ski Press Media, Inc).

Peter Kray