Winter sports athletes have to train all year to be ready for winter. How do they do this without year-round snow?

Plastics of course! 

Throughout the years, skiers have found inventive ways to practice their jumps year-round and have often turned to modern technology for help. Enter plastic-covered jumping hills that provide a realistic surface to help jumpers practice their flips, jumps and alley oops.

How does it work? Nordic jumping practice hills are covered with a foam plastic base and a top layer made of industrial-strength plastic strands (they look like fabric for a hula skirt). The sheets of plastic strands are layered up from the bottom of the hill, similar to roof shingles. They look sort of like Astroturf but mimic the properties of the real stuff – a simple spray of water makes the plastic feel like snow under the skis.
Freestyle aerial practice hills use similar technology, also relying on plastic surfacing to provide a snow-simulating launching surface. Aerial skiers shoot down a wooden ramp covered in Astroturf-like plastic and launch themselves fifty feet into the air. The skiers then land in pools of water with air bubbling up to soften the landings.

This training technology is just one of the ways that plastics help make aerial skiing possible. We wouldn’t be able to do what we do if it weren’t for the incredible advancements in performance and safety technologies that have been developed over the years – many of which rely heavily on plastic.

When you look at pretty much any winter sport – freestyle skiing, snowboarding, ice hockey, even bobsledding and the luge – plastics have played a huge role in aiding those athletes to perform faster and better. And plastics are critical to advances in sports safety. Think about it – helmets, goggles, body armor, protective gloves, knee braces, wrist guards, elbow and shin pads. Just imagine an aerial skier jumping with no helmet or goggles, or an ice hockey team playing without any padding or mouth guards! World class winter sports competitions like the X Games, Skiing World Cup and Olympics simply would not exist in their modern form without the help of plastics.

So whether you’ve been watching winter sports competitions from the warmth of your living room sofa, or if you are testing out your own skills on the slopes this winter, take a moment to think about just how different our favorite winter sports would be if it weren’t for innovations in plastics.

Plastic Innovations in Winter Sports from Plastics Make it Possible on Vimeo.

Winter Games Training from Plastics Make it Possible on Vimeo.

Thought you were fast, a good shot, quick on a sled? Think again – its plastics that help you perform and stay safe when you’re playing outdoors. We invited a few friends to experience the difference between pre-plastic equipment and innovative new plastic snow gear. Check out the video below to see what happened when we put plastic to the test in our very own Plastics Make it Possible ^SM Winter Games!

Plastics Make it Possible Winter Games from Plastics Make it Possible on Vimeo.

They came from far and wide to compete in the Winter Games!

Winter Sports are a great way to bring the family together when its cold out, but be sure you have what it takes to stay safe. Fuzz Feddersen, three time Olympian in the sport of freestyle aerial skiing, explains how plastics are making winter sports safer in this short video:

Fuzz Feddersen Talks Winter Sports Safety from Plastics Make it Possible on Vimeo.

Recycled plastics make for great sled construction, one winter sports enthusiast finds.

Yet in recent years skis have made a big comeback. The slopes are flooded with a new breed of skier, a skier who seemingly floats on powder, can carve the most intense runs, and loudly proclaims “This is not your dad’s sport.” Skiing today is faster, sexier, and better than ever thanks to design innovations and advancements in plastics.

In the mid 90s the reintroduction of the shaped ski, an hourglass-figured design made for easy handling and increased speed, gave skiing a new lease on life. These “short skis” were not only lighter but also superior in varrying snow conditions compared to their straight and narrow cousins. Despite the reluctance of traditional skiers, shaped skis were greeted by an eager new generation of athletes inspired by their increased performance and superior maneuverability. Although the shape of these skis, originally made of wood, dated back to the 1800s, the flexibility, weight, and torsion control of the new shaped skis was made possible by the use of modern fiberglass and polyurethane plastic composites.

The shaped ski is bulkier at the tip and tail, creating an angled curve for increased turning precision, without the traditional one-legged stepping approach of old-fashioned skiing. Since skis were originally made of wood, original ski designs were for straighter skis, which meant heavier weight at the bulky ends of the skis. This decreased performance, especially in powder conditions. Enter Polyurethane. This plastic, now used in lieu of wood in the ski’s core, eliminates the weight problem while adding flexibility and fun. Often reinforced with carbon steel or titanium alloy to increase strength and stability, and fiberglass composite plastic to provide bounce, the new generation of shaped skis has reinvigorated the sport. What makes these skis much more than beginners’ toys is the polyethylene waterproof bottom coating that makes for high performance over wet or dry powder.

International data show that although head injuries account for no more than 15 percent of injuries to skiers and snowboarders overall, they are accountable for an estimated 87 percent of deaths. In a recent interview, National Ski Areas Association researcher Jason Shealy, who studies ski and snowboard-related injuries, noted that helmets cut the incidence of head injuries by 30 to 50 percent.

Fortunately, breakthroughs in the use of innovative plastic materials and new designs are making the latest helmet models stronger, lighter and more aesthetically appealing – even to the young and occasionally reckless.

Helmets in History

While we tend to think of helmets as standard safety gear, it hasn’t always been that way. One of the first noted appearances of protective headgear occurred in 1896, when Lafayette College football halfback George Barclay began using earpieces held together with leather harness straps to protect his ears.

The most significant advancements in helmet innovation didn’t come until plastic resins appeared on the scene. In 1939, the first plastic helmet was introduced by the John T. Riddell Company of Chicago. The new plastic helmets proved to be stronger, lighter, and more durable than their leather predecessors.

Today’s Yolk Helmet

Today’s breakthroughs continue to rely on creative new plastic materials. The Yolk soft helmet, designed by Gregory Scott from the University of New South Wales, is an example of a winter sports helmet designed with plastics that combines function with fashion.

Though not yet in commercial production, Yolk’s developers claim that under regular use, this flexible helmet will move, bend and conform to the wearer’s head. The helmet technology utilizes a semi-rigid liner and Kevlar® skin which is impregnated with a shear thickening fluid. When the helmet is subjected to severe impact, the fluid inside uses the impact energy to instantaneously transform into a rigid shell. The protective shell then disperses and absorbs the impact, helping to protect the wearer’s skull and brain from injury. The helmet returns to its flexible state almost immediately.

What’s more, Yolk’s innovative design will allow the user to plug in a two-way radio, music player, or mobile phone to the integrated headphones and controls built into the helmet. For the fashion conscious, Yolk can be fitted with a choice of skins, which can be stretched over the helmet liner, to match the wearer’s personal style.

Should it Be Law?

The National Ski Areas Association in the United States urges skiers and riders to wear a helmet, but until recently, helmet use was uncommon and not widely enforced. Some resorts, consumer groups and sports associations have proposed mandatory helmet laws. What do you think?