Photo: istock/Alex Tois
Photo: istock/Alex Tois
Products & Solutions

Winter Sport

Achieving top performances

For many years now, physical fitness has no longer been sufficient to enable an athlete to compete at the top level: Whether it’s skis, snowboard boots, hockey sticks, or functional clothing – with the high-performance materials from Evonik, today’s top professionals are well equipped for all winter sports.

The athletes who combine speed and agility on the slopes depend not only on their fitness but also on the appropriate equipment. This is what determines who makes the podium among the professionals and, in the amateur field, who can push the limits while keeping safe. High‑performance materials from the world of chemistry have become an integral part of modern winter sport.

Peak performances demand high-performance plastics

Skiing places especially tough demands on the materials. In downhill ski races and especially in snowboard races, the pressure applied to the boot is several times greater than is the case with the average amateur skier or boarder. The material used in the boot must be capable of permanently withstanding extreme loads. The Austrian manufacturer of UPZ-brand ski and snowboard boots relies therefore on the high-performance plastic polyamide 12 from Evonik’s VESTAMID® brand.

Today’s skis are also absolute high-tech products, which are constructed from different materials in a sandwich structure: The high-performance rigid foam ROHACELL® is an ideal substance for the internal foam core - sheathed by fiberglass-reinforced plastic, it contributes to making the skis light and, at the same time, durable. The sandwich composite results in a ski with optimal flexibility and dynamics while keeping weight to a minimum.

Extremely tough material compound

The rigid foam is seen to advantage not only in ski sport but also in ice hockey: In the hockey stick, the foam ensures that the blade does not break and that the player retains full control of the puck. The high durability and lack of material fatigue associated with this high-performance foam are additional valuable benefits. However, the players on the ice expect even more: They want a stick with a blade structure that doesn't change even after many hits, and that feels the same each time they touch the puck. In addition, the puck should remain under control after the player has received a pass and it should not bounce off the blade. ROHACELL® absorbs the impact energy. This allows players to control the puck even quicker and increase the pace of the game.

High-tech on the skin

Even in minus temperatures, you can be comfortable wearing flexible sports clothing made of high‑tech textile fibers with bio-based VESTAMID® Terra polymers from renewable raw materials. The materials made of this product offer high quality, maximum wear comfort and other properties: Their long-lasting, natural bacteriostatic properties help to reduce odors. A further plus: VESTAMID® Terra products heighten stain resistance and color fastness.

Clear view

Low temperatures, tough weather conditions, dust, skin creams or sweat – sports glass frames must be tough. TROGAMID® by Evonik features outstanding weather resistance – it remains flexible and stable even under the most extreme conditions. And, thanks to the excellent chemical resistance of TROGAMID®, sun creams and similar products have absolutely no effect on the frames. In addition, TROGAMID® CX9704 – a true lightweight substance – means that sports glass frames are lighter than other materials and offer a significantly improved experience to the athlete. The excellent transparency of TROGAMID® combined with ease of processing and coloring offers designers new design options and ensures state-of-the-art appearance.

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