The disclosure herein is directed toward systems and methods for supporting a person and enabling motion of a person across a surface of snow while satisfying the countervailing requirements of increasing surface area for weight-carrying capacity on soft snow and reducing the opposing forces, like for example drag and friction, in hard snow. More specifically, a snowboard described herein includes an inner edge and an outer edge, and allows the rider to control the amount of board-to-snow contact. This snowboard is configured to improve rider support, increase speed and enhance safety performance.

The disclosure herein is directed toward systems and methods for supporting a person and enabling motion of a person across a surface of snow while satisfying the countervailing requirements of increasing surface area for weight-carrying capacity on soft snow and reducing the opposing forces, like for example drag and friction, in hard snow. More specifically, a snowboard described herein includes an inner edge and an outer edge, and allows the rider to control the amount of board-to-snow contact. This snowboard is configured to improve rider support, increase speed and enhance safety performance.

A ski including a base layer made from permeable material, wherein the base layer is treated with a composition comprising at least one chemical component to confer hydrophobicity with a water contact angle of greater than 120 to the base layer and a carrier fluid for the chemical component, the composition permeating the material of the base layer and modified the material to be hydrophobic throughout its volume.

A ski including a base layer made from permeable material, wherein the base layer is treated with a composition comprising at least one chemical component to confer hydrophobicity with a water contact angle of greater than 120 to the base layer and a carrier fluid for the chemical component, the composition permeating the material of the base layer and modified the material to be hydrophobic throughout its volume.

A snow ski assembly is provided for use by an individual to slide across a snow covered surface, for example, under the force of gravity. The assembly includes a ski having a bottom wall for engaging the snow covered surface and an upturned peripheral region extending around a perimeter of the bottom wall. The bottom wall of the ski includes at least one control structure extending across at least a portion of the bottom wall, where the at least one control structure is configured to control a movement of the ski on the snow covered surface. The assembly also includes a mounting feature configured to couple a binding to the bottom wall of the ski, such that the individual can position a foot in the binding and use the ski to slide across the snow covered surface.

A snow ski assembly is provided for use by an individual to slide across a snow covered surface, for example, under the force of gravity. The assembly includes a ski having a bottom wall for engaging the snow covered surface and an upturned peripheral region extending around a perimeter of the bottom wall. The bottom wall of the ski includes at least one control structure extending across at least a portion of the bottom wall, where the at least one control structure is configured to control a movement of the ski on the snow covered surface. The assembly also includes a mounting feature configured to couple a binding to the bottom wall of the ski, such that the individual can position a foot in the binding and use the ski to slide across the snow covered surface.

Coatings, coating systems and coating methods for skis and snowboards are provided. The coatings may be lubricious coatings including one or more hydrophobic compounds, adhesion agents, shape memory polymers, free-radical initiators, and/or carrying solvents. Batch and continuous processing systems for performing the methods of coating and/or curing of such hydrophobic coatings are also disclosed.

Coatings, coating systems and coating methods for skis and snowboards are provided. The coatings may be lubricious coatings including one or more hydrophobic compounds, adhesion agents, shape memory polymers, free-radical initiators, and/or carrying solvents. Batch and continuous processing systems for performing the methods of coating and/or curing of such hydrophobic coatings are also disclosed.

The present invention relates to a snow gliding device comprising: a first gliding surface, a first layer for heating said first gliding surface, which first layer comprises: a positive temperature coefficient superimposed impedance polymeric compound, a first and a second electrode, wherein said positive temperature coefficient superimposed impedance polymeric compound is at least partially sandwiched between said first and second electrode, and which first and second electrodes are adapted to provide a potential difference across said positive temperature coefficient superimposed impedance polymeric compound when connected to a power source, which first layer is arranged adjacent to and in thermal communication with said first gliding surface.

The present invention relates to a snow gliding device comprising: a first gliding surface, a first layer for heating said first gliding surface, which first layer comprises: a positive temperature coefficient superimposed impedance polymeric compound, a first and a second electrode, wherein said positive temperature coefficient superimposed impedance polymeric compound is at least partially sandwiched between said first and second electrode, and which first and second electrodes are adapted to provide a potential difference across said positive temperature coefficient superimposed impedance polymeric compound when connected to a power source, which first layer is arranged adjacent to and in thermal communication with said first gliding surface.