Featured Image: Francois Marclay, Courtesy of Simply.RC
For the last two years, freeskiers in the U.S. and Canada have watched Sampo Vallotton and Laurent De Martin grow their new ski company, Simply. Recreation Club, from across the pond. Now, we no longer have to feel separated from the action. The company is officially launching sales in North America, with preorders available through Evo for the entire month of February.
LDM and Vallotton have a history of unorthodox riding, captivating us with their fluid style, unique line choices and general creativity. The duo tend to prioritize feel and aesthetics over the spin-to-win mentality, and to say it’s visually pleasing would be an understatement. The team has crafted three ski models to suit all types of riding. The Celebration, Recreation and Carver models each bring a different flair with the underlying idea staying the same; enjoy your ride no matter where or what you’re skiing.
The Carver is made to satisfy all your groomer desires. With an 85 mm waist width at 180 cm length, it’s nimble enough to dice anything the resort throws at you, with ample camber and a more directional shape that gives the ski a 13-meter radius. It’s an easy pick for someone who wants a ski that will hold up at speeds without locking you into an unforgiving turn.
The Recreation is the all-mountain tool and the flagship model of Simply.RC. This plank can park an arc in low tide or shmear like a hot knife through butter in the deeper end. This is the ski that LDM and Vallotton have stood by for years. The softer tip combined with the fishtail shape delivers an unbeatable ride in soft snow.
Finally, we come to the latest ski in the Simply.RC arsenal, the Celebration. After testing this ski in Japan last winter, the team put the finishing touches on it and rolled it out for winter 2024/25. The Celebration’s fishtail design truly shines in the model—built for the days when the snow just won’t stop and the stoke is through the roof. With less surface area in the back, the ski tip’s early rise make turns or big landings that much more intuitive. It has a stiffer flex pattern designed to hold up at speeds, with an 18-meter turn radius at 179 cm, giving it a dependable feel when you pick up speed.
The Recreation and Celebration models are also excellent options for a touring ski. Both models’ performance in soft snow combined with a lightweight profile (1,650 grams at 180 cm for the Recreation and 1,960 grams at 179 cm for the Celebration) lead us to recommend both of them as resort and backcountry options for skiers looking to chase pow.
The shape of each ski is the most noticeable difference in the Simply.RC lineup. Each ski features two unique components: an asymmetrical butter knife style tip and a fishtail design in the rear. The tip has a longer inside effective edge (relative to the outside edge,) and balloons slightly towards the front of the ski. Asymmetrical designs like this deliver a more intuitive turn without locking you into a large radius. This is coupled with the fishtail in the rear. A longer effect edge combined with less surface area to create a tail that can hold its own at speeds while allowing the tip to rise naturally in pow. And yes, you can still ski switch on them.
If you’re on the fence about whether or not these are the right tools for you, we recommend watching the latest video project from Simply.RC, “OIWAI.” The film provides some insight into the playful style the Recreation and Celebration models cater towards.
Preorders are now available on Evo for February 2025, and will ship in March 2025
Preorder the Recreation | Preorder the Celebration | Preorder the Carver
To learn more about Simply.RC, click HERE
