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Radar Water Skis
Radar Skis continues their focus on taking their high end ski’s advances available on more easily skiable versions as you move down their line. This year the advances in the newly released Vapor line are echoed through the Senate, Lyric, and Theory skis.
On the Vapor and Senate lines Radar offers both a Carbon and Alloy version of the ski. The honeycomb cut out on the tip of the Vapor? Strictly for looks. They figured that since they were through-cutting for the fin, they may as well do it at the tip for a cool graphic element. I think it works.
The multi-layer paint on the Senate and Lyric is not possible in the US manufacturing facility that makes the Vapor. So, if you want the amazing carbon – gloss – texture top coat, you’ll have to stay down a level or two.
In case you’re wondering: Yes, the neon from my youth is back in force. Blaze oranges and lime greens are showing up everywhere.
Boots
Radar has made a leap in boots this year with their Vapor and Profile boots. They aren’t tie first to create foot-specific or size specific water ski boots, but this is their first year to jump in to that fray. For this year, to make a statement, they have kept the boots only with the lime green or blaze orange accents. Next year look for them in a straight black color scheme.
This seems to echo a trend I’ve seen recently in focusing more on the skier-to-ski interface that is the water ski boot. The last mainstream jump in water ski boot technology came straight from wake boards, as we abandoned the stiff neoprene boot in favor of an easier to enter boot with laces. Then in the top end came the hardlshell release boots and binding combinations. These hard-shells never caught on as well as hoped due to the price and highly specific product. Now, there seems to be a merging of these two to create a high-comfort, high-control boot system that will appeal to more than just record chasers. I’m excited to see how this plays out over the coming few years.
To view the entire Radar Skis 2014 product line, follow this link.
Utah Boat Show
I want to thank the Utah Boat Show for allowing me access to record interviews on the show floor. They have been most accommodating for the past two years as I’ve taken my show to their show. If you are anywhere in the Utah area, put this show on your schedule for next year as they will be putting on the 50th Annual edition in 2015! Looking forward to it.
As full disclosure, I was given a press pass to the Utah Boat Show this year. My thanks to Greenband Enterprises, the organizer of the show, for their generosity in providing this.
Marine Products
I also want to thank Marine Products for their efforts to bring in industry leaders to the show. As I walked their booth, I couldn’t believe how many people were wearing the Marine Products name tag, but not the employee matching Tee shirts. There were representatives for water skis, wake boards, wet suits, apparel. I think that just about every line of product they carry had someone from a factory or someone sponsored there to tell you about the products on offer. There is not a better place or time to get incredible, expert advice on new product in Utah than at the Marine Products booth at the Utah Boat show.
To shop Marine Products vast water ski and water sports lineup, follow this link.
Feedback
Drop me a line either in the comments below or via email to let me know your thoughts on this episode, on the podcast, or ideas you want to hear about.
