Att läsa av den lilla klisterlappen man får att skidtillverkaren är inte alltid så lätt. Jag går vidare i min autodidaktik om spann och nu vet jag hur Atomic tänker. Men jag fick titta noga på bilderna och läsa det som stod två gånger. Obs: texten nedan är bara för nördar och rekommenderas inte för barn.

• L1 Length from BP to 0,2mm
  front (1/2 body weight)
• MF KG needed to reach a height of
  0,2 mm
• KF (Kilo Force)
• BP Balance Point (from tail in mm)
• L2 Length from BP to 0,2mm
  back (1/2 body weight)
• VSP Height at BP unloaded

The goal is to make sure that every ski sent to dealers worldwide has a flawless flex pattern. We want to make sure that Atomic race skis at any given dealer are of the same quality as the skis our athletes using to win Olympic Gold and to make it as easy as possible for ski shops to provide a perfect fit for their customers. We have come up with a new sticker (pictured below) we place on the Worldcup skis that provides all the flex information a consumer would need for a perfect fit. We provide formulas dealers can use to take the data on the sticker and use them for fitting the customer.

The first thing we do is place 35 kilos of weight on the Load Point of the ski which is exactly on balance point for SKATING and BP minus 8 up to 13cm (depends on the length of the ski) for CLASSIC. We place different amounts of weight on different lengths of skis.  You will notice the first number to the left and below the ski is -35.0 with L1 under it. This means that with 35 kilos of weight on the ski, it is a distance of exactly 35.0cm from the balance point to the point at the front of the ski that is 0.2mm above the surface. The second number to the right is 30.0 with L2 under it.

This means you will go backward exactly 30.0cm from the balance point on this ski until you reach a point behind the balance point that is 0.2mm above the surface. We do this for two reasons. One, this makes sure that both skis within a given pair are perfectly matched. And two, we have established distances fore and aft from the balance point that we want each model and each length of ski to meet when it comes to being 0.2mm above the surface. This is a very effective way to measure quality control and to make sure the skis have the desired flex. You will notice the next row of numbers begins with 40.0 kg over MF.  The MF stands for Mid Flex. This means at 40.0 kilos of weight this particular ski is 0.2mm from bottoming out. We use this measurement as the primary basis for fitting skiers and we also use it to make sure that both skis within a given pair have identical flexes. The next number to the right, in this case 24.00mm, is the VSP height and it refers to how high the ski is when unweighted.  The bottom number on the right is the L3.  This tells us how far you have to go from the balance point to reach the highest point of the ski. The final number in the lower right hand corner is how high the ski rests above the surface with 35 kilos of pressure.  

Ibland kommer Atomic-skidorna med en annan märkning, då de trycker 15 cm bakom balanspunkten istället. Då kan det se ut så här istället.