Ski touring skis · Test magazine 2023
Tech talk with Tom Suesskoch, ARMADA
Global Brand Director · Print page 71
Who is Tom Suesskoch? Global Brand Director at ARMADA
Tom Suesskoch is Global Brand Director at ARMADA and a lifelong skier. He arrived in Innsbruck in 2012 via California and Zurich, establishing and taking responsibility for ARMADA’s European headquarters there. In the 2023 BACKLINE test magazine, he discusses touring ski development, the thinking behind the Locator collection and criteria for choosing equipment.
Suesskoch expects touring skis to continue becoming lighter while improving downhill performance. Alongside refined shapes tailored to different skiing styles, he sees particular potential for innovation in raw materials. According to Suesskoch, the Locator collection resulted from two years of focused development, prioritising touring rather than an all-round approach. It targets skiers who spend much of their season touring and want dependable downhill performance. He identifies a longer radius, flatter camber, a carbon-reinforced chassis and strategically placed Titanal and carbon layers to fine-tune torsional stiffness as key construction features.
When buying equipment, Suesskoch recommends considering skis, bindings and boots as a complete setup. Personal requirements should guide the choice: direct power transmission and shock absorption for descent-focused use, or walking efficiency, simple mechanisms and ease of use when ascents and descents matter equally. ARMADA deliberately does not develop gender-specific touring skis. Instead, it designs for body size, ability, skiing style and conditions; the Locator collection offers two colour palettes.
Touring skis have become lighter and often more stable in recent years. Will this trend continue in the future?
I see this trend continuing. Especially the ski shapes have been refined taking into account different riding styles. The biggest potential for innovation right now, in my opinion, lies in raw materials. Our suppliers are working tirelessly on material innovations that allow us to push the boundaries. Many of the products currently available on the market are truly remarkable. They are lightweight and offer significantly improved riding characteristics compared to previous models.
What priorities is Armada currently setting in the development of new touring ski models?
Last season, we launched our Locator collection. For us, it's a new, uncompromising approach for anyone who spends most of their season touring and still wants a ski they can fully rely on for the descent. What's extremely exciting for us right now is all the knowledge we gained during the Locator development, which we are now slowly integrating into other collections.
What should one personally consider before buying new touring skis? What should one be clear about?
When buying new touring skis, it's not necessarily the ski itself that's crucial, but the entire setup. Touring/freetouring means something different to everyone, and it's essential to adapt the equipment to your own needs. If you mostly ski in resorts, where the ascent is more a means to an end and you like to push the limits on descents, then bindings and boots that allow for direct power transmission and are designed to absorb shocks will be interesting for you. If, on the other hand, you primarily ski in the backcountry and both ascent and descent are equally important to you, you'll probably be more interested in walking efficiency, simple mechanisms, and the general usability of your setup. Once this is clarified, it will be easier to figure out which touring setup best suits you.
Do gender-specific ski models make sense in the ski touring sector, or is it mostly marketing?
In recent years, we have intensively addressed this topic and consciously decided against developing gender-specific touring skis. Our touring skis are designed for different body sizes, skill levels, riding styles, and conditions; your gender plays no role in this. However, we do offer the Locator collection in two different color palettes, and hope there's something for everyone.
The new Locator collection convinces in all classes. What do you attribute this to?
I think our formula for success with the Locator collection is that we focused entirely on this project for 2 years. With previous 'touring' models, we were always looking for the perfect all-rounder, with the result that they didn't truly stand out in any specific category. With the Locator series, we set ourselves the goal of uncompromisingly developing what we believe to be the best touring ski, and this focus has paid off. The key to success always lies in the combination of various components. A longer radius to give the ski a 'surfy' feel. A flatter camber to ensure maneuverability and float in various conditions. A carbon-reinforced chassis for the ideal flex – not too soft but still light. A harmoniously adapted sidecut and strategically placed Titanal and carbon layers, with which we fine-tune the torsional stiffness.
