Howard Head. The Man Who Loved What Skiing Could Be

30 August 2015

Today, it’s not unusual to hear of a new technology improving our comfort or our skills on skis, but can you imagine a time when snow lovers were weighed down by heavy wooden planks? Matt Humphreys, Head’s Winter Sports Category Manager gave us an interesting insight into the history of Head ski technology!

The story begins…

For hundreds of years, ski technology barely changed. Sure, stronger woods made an appearance, camber came onto the scene, and tips and tails got wider, but that was about it. And then one day in 1947, an aeronautical engineer named Howard Head went skiing for the first time. And he was not impressed. Howard knew there had to be a way to make skis lighter, faster, and more friendly. He set to work for three years, creating one prototype after another, and step by step, the HEAD ski came to life. With its plywood core, aluminum sheets, plastic sidewalls, and a continuous steel edge, it was a revolution on the slopes. Suddenly anyone could ski and have fun at the same time. And the rest, along with the competition, was history.

Since 1947, Head has grown into a dominant force in sporting hardgoods. Our roots stand firmly is sourcing the best technolgies available to push the limits of our sport.

It‘s easy to look at a ski or a boot and forget about the work that went into it.

That’s the problem with brilliant engineering: It only makes itself apparent when the ski disappears beneath you in deep snow.

It’s the problem with incredible design: a boot can be so sublimely comfortable that you can totally focus on other things – like the finish line. And it’s the burden of every athlete – the faster or higher they go, the easier they make it look. At HEAD, we’re inspired by those who push themselves, drive the sport, and create solutions. If you ever get to visit our headquarters, you may find that we’re inspired pretty much all the time – because we’re surrounded by those people every day.

So we’d like to take a moment to say thanks to every staff member and all our athletes. Together, you’re pushing the industry forward, and inspiring more and more people to put on skis and discover this beautiful sport. And every time we ask you What’s your limit? The answer only opens another question, What limit?

For more information on Head visit their website!