From wooden skis to the modern equivalents to the current Olympic uniforms with increased aerodynamic qualities, design has played an important part in the world of Olympic sports. Design also play a crucial part in recreational sport and can improve safety, performance and the enjoyment of sports.
Ski Helmet
The Kari Traa ski helmet designed by Per Finne Industrial Design was recently nominated to the Brit Insurance Design Awards in 2010 which is currently being exhibited at the Design Museum in London. The helmet was also awarded the Norwegian Design Council Award for Design Excellence in 2009.
The ski helmet for girls by Per Finne for Kari Traa AS was designed to make more girls wear helmets in the slopes. It has room for a pony tail and removable ear flaps, and is also lighter and smaller than other helmets. This helmet really takes girls' needs seriously and increases the chances of more girls wearing a helmet on the slopes. It is both feminine and robust. It will definitely appeal more to women as a target group than other helmets on the market. The fact that there is room for a pony tail around the neck resolves a practical problem for users, but this feature also increases the helmet's strength, which means that the material's thickness can be reduced. This helmet is lighter and stronger than many more expensive models. Its fine details are very well designed, such as the logo imprinted on the shell, which gives a ribbed structure, increasing the resistance to any bangs. The material promoting the visual identity and the packaging also fits in very well with Kari Traa's collection of hard-wearing sports gear for girls.
Photo: Per FinneCompany: Kari Traa AS
Design: Per Finne Industridesign AS
Award / year: Award for Design Excellence - 2009
Read more at the Norwegian Design Council website.
Ski Binding
Rottefella was awarded the Honours Award for Design Excellence for Rottefella NTN Telemark ski binding in 2007. The Rottefella NTN binding brings the sport of telemark skiing a great leap forward, setting at the same time a completely new standard for binding design, Rottefella’s strategy in the telemark segment is to produce the best ski bindings for manoeuvrability. Rottefella’s new binding therefore had to include entirely new functions and a style that clearly signalised these user benefits and innovation. The walking function is particularly innovative, since it gives the skier the chance to use his skis for alpine touring. The binding’s performance parallels that one otherwise associates with alpine skis, but one still enjoys the free sensation of a loose heel. The bindings are extremely easy to take off and put on. Robust materials solve the problem of breakage caused by heavy boots. The skier can thus challenge himself to perform better, without having to worry that the bindings will break. This can give the sport a new dimension for many skiers.
Photo: Rottefella ASCompany: Rottefella AS
Design: Rottefella AS / Even Wøllo
Award / year: Honours Award for Design Excellence - 2007
Read more at the Norwegian Design Council website
New Sports
North Legion wishes to develop a permanent new action sport by creating a core market that can help promote both the sport and the company’s brand. During the start-up phase, priority has been given to attracting the attention of key aspiring athletes– people who can help drive the sport forwards. As the primary market becomes established, efforts will gradually be made to reach out to all existing users of downhill skiing facilities. During production of the SMX bike, established production systems from industries such as the bike industry have been used. Standard components and methods have been used wherever possible. Aluminum was chosen for the main frame based on an assessment of weight, strength, price and availability. The skis are produced using known principles for glass-fibre and foam-core ski construction, while the seat padding was chosen for its shock-absorbent and cold-resistant qualities. All parts are easy to access for maintenance purposes, and each component can be dismantled by the user. Continuous focus during the development process has been given to the reduced use of materials, and a primary goal has been to show the greatest consideration for the environment.
Photo: North LegionNorth Legion
Design: Abry Design AS
Award / year: Nominated for Honours Award for Design Excellence - 2008
Read more at the
Norwegian Design Council website.
Ski Poles With its Force 10 ski poles, the intention of Swix has been to develop the world’s best ski poles for cross-country racing. Attention has been given to ergonomics, aerodynamic shape, strength, stiffness and low weight. The product’s graphic design shall accentuate its innovative elements at the same time as the manufacturer’s name must be highly visible during television broadcasts of skiing from competitions. With the launch of its Force 10 ski poles, Swix has succeeded in developing an innovative ski pole that represents an improvement on its competitors’ efforts, both in terms of weight, strength, ergonomics, wind resistance and movement. While traditional ski poles are made from round tubing, Force 10 ski poles have a wing-shaped profile that reduces wind resistance. The pole’s ergonomic grip provides good balance and transfer of power, and the pole is extremely lightweight, which means less loss of energy. Force 10 has a visual expression that signalises a sense of uncompromising aggressiveness and technology, which is highly important for professional sports equipment. The product’s graphic design harmonises well with the pole’s shape, and the use of colour signalises that this is a pole from Swix.
Photo: SWIX/Formel Industrial DesignCompany: Swix Sport AS
Design: Formel Industridesign AS
Award / year: Award for Design Excellence - 2007
Read more at the Norwegian Design Council website.