The Mata has a short radius underfoot. The slightest pressure puts it on edge, and it recovers quickly, turn after turn. Toward the tip and tail, the shape widens, so hard or rutted snow stays smooth instead of catching. In the middle, a sheet of Titanal and a layer of rubber share the workload. The metal grips the ice and stores energy, while the rubber absorbs vibrations before they reach the foot. Under a firm load, it accelerates. Under light pressure, it glides smoothly from one edge to the other.

This is the ski for days spent on the lifts. On the morning’s groomed snow, it locks onto the edge and carves fast, sharp turns down the fall line. On the crowded afternoon runs, its short turn radius weaves through the crowd and responds to every change in terrain. When the snow softens at the edges, or fresh snow falls overnight, the 90 mm waist width carries you along without ever losing grip. For big off-piste days, the freeride line is waiting for you. For the resort itself, this is the one.

We wanted just one thing from the Mata: a turn that gives back more than it takes. So we shortened the radius underfoot, ran a strip of Titanal along the length of the ski, and then took prototype after prototype to the slopes of Chamonix to find where the rebound came from. Too stiff, and it would cut into your legs. Too flexible, and energy would escape. The rubber was the final piece—the one that locks in the spring and creates a ski that stays lively all day long. When edged, it loads up, then releases.