Magna-Traction

Greg · Post by **Greg** » Tue Jan 29, 2008 3:52 pm

Yesterday, I managed to rip the bindings out of my homebuilts, and didn't have an extra pair (I have been giving them away to friends and family as I am moving out of the USA).

But, not to spoil a good Mt. Baker powder day, I went into the shop and rented a pair of LibTech skis with MagnaTraction. This is basically a goofy name for a wavy edge that supposedly increases the edge pressure and helps carve and relieve some of the problems with long straight edges.

I was actually surprised at how much I enjoyed the skis. They grabbed well on the steeps where snow had been scraped away, and floated nicely in the powder. Plus, they were very stiff and snappy.

After a half day on them, I still couldn't figure out whether the wavy edge was actually helping or not. So, I am just wondering if anyone else has tried out these skis, and what you thought about them. I am thinking of making my next pair with a wavy edge to test the theory a little more, but in the meantime, it would be interesting to hear other's experiences.

knightsofnii · Post by **knightsofnii** » Tue Jan 29, 2008 9:08 pm

almost everyone that has a mtx snowboard loves it.
ive ridden them twice, didn't notice anything until i was carving with total control over the hardest of boiler plate east coast "snow" haha.
id say it makes a difference, is it a huge one? no, but its definitely a step forward in board control.

Wannabebuilder · Post by **Wannabebuilder** » Thu Jan 31, 2008 11:41 pm

stealing it eh?

Lots of good info on this over there you know where.
Seems to be very specific the waves and the mounting point in comparison.

I here great things evrywhere.

knightsofnii · Post by **knightsofnii** » Fri Feb 01, 2008 2:31 pm

oh and i think lib only made the mtx skis specifically because they had to in order to get a patent on it in the ski industry

how well that patent holds up is yet to be seen i'm sure

Greg · Post by **Greg** » Sun Feb 03, 2008 1:37 am

I wouldn't be surprised if they needed to make the skis to get the patent on them. But, I do think that patenting anything to do with skis is total BS.

But, if it mtx helped on east coast boiler plate, then I think it will be worth building. I am thinking of only putting the mtx on the inside edge, then doing a ScottyBob style on the outside edge. The skis will be named something along the lines of "The (patent) Violators". Now, if only I could put a vibration damping LED on top of the ski like those K2 did for a few years....

doughboyshredder · Post by **doughboyshredder** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 5:45 am

knightsofnii wrote:oh and i think lib only made the mtx skis specifically because they had to in order to get a patent on it in the ski industry

how well that patent holds up is yet to be seen i'm sure

That is incorrect. Lib has been making skis for almost as long as they have been making snowboards. This is just the first attempt by them to mass market it.

I ride magnetraction most of the time. Either on my ape or my mullet.

There is a massive difference between carving with and without mag, especially in icy / hardpack conditions. Mtx holds like no other. This is also why in spring conditions I don't like mtx as much.

I hear that mtx works better with banana tech.

APS · Post by **APS** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 8:03 am

This might be a dumb question....

so how do you tune those wavy edges? I imagine you can't use conventional files. Or do you have to tune each segment separately? Filing the base side of the edges would be the same, but doing each side wall one at a time? Kind of like sharpening a chainsaw...PITA. Forget putting an accurate bevel.

I hope I am missing something obvious as usual, because otherwise those things would end up being disposable.

plywood · Post by **plywood** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 11:34 am

i remember having seen some special files to tune magnetraction. basically just shorter files to match better into the little radii....
but you`re right, it could be a pain to tune sucht things - maybe the waves are not that high so it still would be possible to get them on those belt sanders for grinding sidewalls/edges that they have in the shops?

Greg · Post by **Greg** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 1:19 pm

I hear that mtx works better with banana tech

On the Banana tech you mentioned, that is something I have been playing with for quite a while... However, I gotta hand it to LibTech for their reverse sidecut board "The Banana Hammock".

It is worth visiting their site just to read the board's description...

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