Behind the Build

Why We Built the ShredShox System Around Just Two Ski Lengths

After years of testing across Tahoe, Vail, Beaver Creek, and Palisades, we landed on 162 and 175 - and on the real sweet spot of full-suspension skiing.

When we first started developing ShredShox, one of the biggest questions we kept asking ourselves was simple: what kind of skiing would full suspension actually be best for?

Would it pair best with powder skis? Hard-charging all-mountain skis? Technical carving skis? Would suspension excel in one specific condition - or could it fundamentally improve the entire skiing experience?

At first, like a lot of people, it was easy to assume suspension would matter most in rough conditions. But after years of testing prototypes across countless days in Tahoe, Vail, Beaver Creek, Palisades, and everywhere in between, we realized something far more interesting: the true sweet spot of full-suspension skiing lives in the conditions most skiers actually experience every day.

Not plush, deep powder. But hard-pack mornings, soft afternoon chop, inconsistent groomers, mixed snow, crud, shallow powder, refrozen terrain - the variable mountain conditions that define the majority of a real resort season.

That realization shaped the entire ShredShox system, and it drove one of the biggest decisions of our pilot launch: offering only two ski lengths - 162 cm and 175 cm.

"Say goodbye to heavy chatter - these things are like driving a Cadillac."

Brandon Beck, Extreme Free Skier

Why Only Two Lengths?

For a lot of brands, launching with only two sizes might seem limiting. For us, it was intentional.

The goal of our pilot run was not to create dozens of variations before we understood how skiers would truly experience full suspension in the real world. The goal was to simplify the introduction to a brand-new category, dial in the ride characteristics, build confidence immediately, cover the broadest range of conditions possible, and gather meaningful feedback from early adopters.

Most importantly, suspension let us rethink how ski length behaves in the first place.

Rethinking Stability

Traditionally, skiers chasing more stability at speed have been pushed toward longer skis, stiffer constructions, and heavier setups. The tradeoff has always been the same: less agility and a more physically demanding ride.

Suspension changes that equation. By actively absorbing vibration and terrain impact before it destabilizes the ski and the skier, the ShredShox platform creates stability through terrain management - not simply through added length and stiffness. That allowed us to build shorter, more playful skis that still hold remarkable composure and confidence at speed.

Why the 162 cm Matters

The 162 cm length wasn't chosen at random. It has long been recognized as one of the most proven lengths in alpine skiing, particularly in slalom racing - some of the most accomplished technical skiers in the world have competed on skis in this exact range because of the agility, responsiveness, and precision a shorter platform provides.

What traditionally held shorter skis back for all-mountain use was stability. That is exactly where suspension changes the experience. The platform lets the 162 cm setup keep its quick transitions, energetic feel, playful maneuverability, and tight carving - while dramatically improving composure, damping, edge contact, terrain absorption, and high-speed confidence.

The result is something genuinely unique: short-ski agility with long-ski confidence. For a lot of skiers, the 162 becomes an incredibly fun, confidence-inspiring everyday all-mountain setup.

"I could turn my mind off and make beautiful turns."

Alice Merryweather, Team USA Olympian & former World Cup racer

Why We Also Built the 175 cm

While the 162 became remarkably versatile, we also wanted a setup for skiers chasing higher speeds, larger turn shapes, more directional skiing, additional float and stability, and aggressive all-mountain charging.

The 175 cm platform delivers a more planted, powerful ride while still benefiting from the smoothness and absorption suspension provides. Instead of relying on stiffness alone to create confidence, the suspension keeps the ski composed through rough afternoon conditions and changing terrain - without feeling harsh or demanding.

"It's very stable at speed - I'd like to try this on an avi run-out, busting through snow at 50+ mph."

Shain Stafford, Athlete & Park / Free Ride Coach, Tahoe, CA

The Real Sweet Spot of Full-Suspension Skiing

One of the biggest lessons from development was that suspension skiing is not about building a niche, single-condition tool. It's about improving the experience across the widest range of real-world conditions possible.

The ideal environment for ShredShox turned out to be everything between hard pack and shallow powder - and everything in between. The conditions where skiers actually spend the majority of their season. That's where full suspension truly comes alive: smoother transitions, less chatter, more confidence, reduced fatigue, greater edge hold, and more control through variable terrain. The platform simply lets you stay calmer, smoother, and more composed as conditions deteriorate through the day.

"You can really feel it at high speeds - you almost feel nothing. So sick."

ShredShox demo rider, Loveland

Building the Pilot the Right Way

Our pilot launch was designed to introduce skiers to full suspension in the simplest, most refined way possible: two highly dialed lengths, an integrated suspension platform, balanced all-mountain geometry, and pre-mounted bindings - a ready-to-ride setup.

Not as a gimmick. Not as a novelty. But as a fundamentally different approach to how skis interact with terrain, and how skiers experience the mountain beneath them.

After years of development, testing, and refinement, we believe we found the sweet spot. And it turns out it wasn't one perfect condition.

It was the entire mountain.

ShredShox - Full Suspension for Skiing.