J Skis is a relatively new company based in Vermont. The company, founded in 2013, is the brainchild of industry-legend Jason Levinthal. Levinthal is the man behind Line skis and Full Tilt boots.
The Hotshot is an intriguing freeride ski that recently replaced the popular ski called The Metal in the J Skis lineup. The Hotshot boats a 106mm waist and a maple wood core. The skis have a generous dose of relatively low rocker in the tips. This ski does have two sheets of metal in it but J Skis took an interesting approach here. Instead of having the metal sheets span edge-to-edge, the titanal sheets are narrower. Underfoot, the sheets of metal are wider and they taper towards the tips and tail.
The marketing copy sounds wonderful. According to J Skis, the Hotshot “feels intuitive and easy to handle in all terrain and conditions with no speed limit.” It will be very interesting to see exactly how these skis handle. If they are a bit more easy-going than other mid-fat skis with two sheets of metal, they could be a real winner. A lot of people want skis that offer power and dampness in sub-optimal conditions. That said, not everyone wants a ski that needs to be pushed ridiculously hard to feel good.
If this 106mm-waisted ski is reasonably intuitive and easy to handle in tighter situations, it could be a viable option for a huge number of skiers.
Images From: J Skis Facebook Page, J Skis