WHAT WOMEN DON’T WANT?

“The ski doesn’t care which bathroom you use,” says Mike Hattrup, veteran ski designer and Fischer alpine product manager. He’s talking about Fischer eliminating women’s skis from most of its line in favour of unisex skis. The bold move is part of a growing divide in the gender-specific ski world.

“If women’s physiology [in relation to skiing] was truly different, you would see different women’s and men’s skis on the World Cup,” Hattrup continues. “The data aren’t there to support different skis or different mounting points.”

Thus the brand replaced parallel women’s and men’s lines with unisex skis that come in two colours.

G3 also thinks the gender divide is pointless, but it recognizes that some of its products are too long and too stiff for some lighter/shorter or lessskilled skiers, regardless of their sex. In response, it’s introducing SWIFT. Every one of its ski models comes in a different graphic colour and different lengths, but with the same dimensions and construction.

“This is not a female series, a youth series or a beginner series,” says G3. “SWIFT gear is technical and suitable for any gender. Every detail… is dialed in for smaller adults and youth looking to push the limits of what they can accomplish in the backcountry.”

G3 and Fischer are the minority. Most brands continue to make women-specific lines, saying that women need a unique ski because they tend to have smaller feet, a lower centre of gravity and weigh less. Scientific evidence to back up the claim that women, as a gender, are significantly different in shape or weight is hard to find. What the move does show is that brands are thinking about women and lighter men more than ever. That’s good news for everyone.