"Ski base is a coating for the running surface of skis and snowboards. Different materials are used. Nowadays, sintered ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene or standard extruded polyethylene are used. Ski bases should be elastic, yet offer maximum mechanical wear resistance and excellent gliding properties. Extruded bases are uncomplicated because they glide well over the snow even with little or no wax. They absorb little wax, and the base structure is very dense. Some sintered bases, on the other hand, are very fast, with higher wax absorption, allowing them to release more wax while gliding. This reduces friction and enables high speeds. Top-of-the-line skis use sintered bases with the finest silicate particles incorporated into them. The fineness of these particles and their homogeneous distribution within the base result in improved wear resistance and gliding performance. Waxing the base also prevents graying (oxidation). If minimal gliding resistance is desired, the..." Ski bases should be regularly re-waxed.” (Taken from Wikipedia). Sintered ski bases absorb hot wax when ironed on, resulting in a fast base. Depending on the snow conditions (fresh snow, old snow, wet snow, etc.) and fluctuating outside temperatures, optimal waxing can be achieved—or not. Choosing the wrong wax makes the base dull and reduces speed. Skis and boards with extruded bases absorb very little wax due to their molecular density. The base is harder and more robust, but not very fast. Therefore, comparing different materials, base structures, and wax properties on snow is very difficult. The higher the speed, the greater the friction between the base and the snow. That's why we're not actually skiing or snowboarding on snow, but rather on melted water—which refreezes behind the ski/board tips. With these different properties of skis and boards on the market, let's now turn to our SlopeTrax gliding mats. Our gliding mats maintain the same consistency regardless of temperature. Here, too, reducing friction between the base and the ski/board is crucial. When all the optimal components come together – sufficient moisture or lubricant on the mats and a properly prepared ski/board base – gliding properties almost identical to those on snow are achieved. Depending on the angle of inclination and the lubricant used for our gliding mats and the skis/boards, approximately 90-97% of the gliding performance of skiing on snow is achieved. This is another reason why choosing the right skis and snowboards is important for rentals at a mat ski resort. Furthermore, professional base maintenance is essential for the longevity of the mat ski slope.

We get this question very often. It's not so easy to answer if the objective isn't yet clearly defined. You should be clear about what you want to do beforehand. Questions like, "I want to build a slopestyle park or an indoor ski area – how much will it cost?" come up again and again. The following questions should be clarified in advance: Is the plan to build a small slopestyle park or an alpine ski area, or to expand an existing winter ski area for summer skiing, or to build an indoor ski slope with a children's ski school in an air-conditioned shopping mall? Other variations are, of course, possible. The basis for this should be an early analysis of the primary need, the original use, the location, and the operational and financial resources. Will the land be purchased or leased? Will the investor also be the operator of the facility? Who will handle the day-to-day operations? Basically, the planning for an indoor ski area should be similar to the construction of a winter ski resort in the mountains – just without snow. This includes plans for sanitary facilities, restaurant, ski rental, parking spaces, merchandising shop, ski lifts and/or conveyor belt, etc.

To operate a ski resort, a service station with a rental area is required, equipped with the following: alpine skis with rental bindings, snowboards, ski boots, ski poles, ski helmets, ski goggles, sunglasses, and ski clothing including jackets, pants, and gloves. Depending on the size of the ski resort, additional facilities may include: a restaurant, restrooms, ample parking, a ticket office with administration, a ski school with qualified instructors, a souvenir shop, a ski lift to transport ski students back to the starting point, and a four-arm carousel for two to three skiers at a time for learning to ski.

A small slopestyle park of 500 m² requires only a slope approximately 30-50 m long and 10 m wide. The terrain should be level, free of stones, and have a gradient of about 8-25%, with a steeper start and a gentler slope towards the bottom. Several obstacles (rails, banks, rainbows, etc.) will be installed. A standard cable tow lift and/or a convenient conveyor belt will be added. A container-sized building for ski and snowboard rental and service will also be necessary. Further options include adding a big air jump and extra rollers and side walls to create a course. Parking and restrooms are also required, and a kiosk or restaurant may be added. This is an example of a small slopestyle park that can be built for approximately €100,000.

Especially in the Middle East, Asia, and the Arab states, alpine skiing is considered something exotic that almost everyone wants to try. A small alpine ski slope measuring 30x30m is ideal for beginners. Here, lessons can be offered for adults and children. A four-armed carousel moves beginners in a circle on their skis, providing their first gliding experience. Afterward, they can move on to the small slope for their first slides and gentle turns. It's great fun for young and old, indeed for the whole family. This small alpine ski area can be set up quickly, and the material costs are manageable, ranging from €50,000 to €100,000 depending on local regulations. Depending on the size of the facility, acquisition and operating costs will vary. Therefore, the client should be clear about the type of facility they want to build beforehand. Once this is clear, we can develop an optimal concept and prepare a detailed quote.

A large ski area of 10,000–30,000 m² requires a slope 100–300 m long and 10–30 m wide. A gradient of 8–35% can be expected. This provides excellent training grounds for ski clubs practicing slalom and giant slalom. Ski schools can offer courses for advanced and expert skiers. At the lower level, ski schools can organize children's ski lessons in the figure park or on the beginner's carousel. At least 200–300 people per day are expected. An airbag jump facility is another option. Here, too, depending on the size and regional regulations of the municipality, the following service facilities should be offered: parking, a restaurant, restrooms, a lift, conveyor belt or even a chairlift, a ski rental building for several hundred pairs of skis, snowboards, ski boots, ski poles, helmets, a ski waxing machine, boot dryers, and a rental room for clothing (jackets, pants), socks, gloves, helmets, ski goggles, etc. All items should be stored in an enclosed space where they can also be dried. In addition, service staff and appropriately trained ski and snowboard instructors are needed. This alone represents an investment in the several million euro range.

A rooftop ski resort on a power plant or shopping mall, or even indoors within a shopping mall, is one option. An existing ski resort is also ideally suited. Here, too, approximately 10,000 m² X of space is required. The length and width can be adjusted to suit the available terrain. In addition, primary structures such as service stations, ski rentals, lifts, etc., are needed, as secondary structures like restaurants, restrooms, parking lots, etc., are usually already in place.

Government regulations regarding whether and how a ski resort can be built vary significantly worldwide. For this reason, we advise our customers to contact the local building authority directly as one of their first steps. This is because they are planning a new construction or, if applicable, an expansion of an existing facility, which may require a building permit. We are happy to assist you with this permitting process. In the EU, environmental sustainability is a top priority. Regulations state that construction or use of existing grass areas is prohibited without a building permit, as the grass can be damaged. Therefore, in many places, it is not permitted, for example, to roll out a continuous plastic carpet (from competitors) for skiing, which simply covers thousands of square meters and thus destroys the vegetation. This problem does not exist when using our ski mats. During installation, a geotextile fabric is first laid down, allowing the grass to grow through it. The ski mats are then mounted on the fabric. This allows the grass to grow through and is then clipped by skiers or snowboarders, effectively mulching it. This is Green Skiing.

Our mats are environmentally friendly and can be laid out in an environmentally sound manner. This applies to all applications using our mats. A special, rough-fibered fleece is laid underneath the mats. This traps dirt, stones, and any micro-abrasion. Cleaning by vacuuming up the remaining debris is carried out as needed, depending on the extent of use. It is also possible to lay the mats directly on the lawn. The grass is allowed to grow through and firmly anchors the mats to the ground. Skiers cut the grass daily with their ski edges, thus mulching the lawn. A lawnmower can also be used. This creates an optimal symbiosis: nature is preserved, yet skiers and snowboarders can still enjoy their sport. If the intended area is already a construction site, the entire area can be covered with our DSDF fleece. Our SlopeTrax mats are then attached to this, and skiing is ready to begin.

What properties influence micro-abrasion? "Ski base is a coating for the running surface of skis and snowboards. Different materials are used. Nowadays, sintered ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene or standard extruded polyethylene are used. Ski bases should be elastic, yet offer maximum mechanical wear resistance and excellent gliding properties. Extruded bases are uncomplicated because they glide well over the snow even with little or no wax. They absorb little wax due to their very dense structure. Some sintered bases, on the other hand, are very fast, with higher wax absorption, allowing them to release more wax while gliding. This reduces friction and enables high speeds. Top-of-the-line skis use sintered bases with the finest silicate particles incorporated into them. The fineness of these particles and their homogeneous distribution within the base result in improved wear and gliding performance. Waxing the base also prevents graying (oxidation)." "If minimal gliding resistance is desired, the ski base must be regularly re-waxed." (Taken from Wikipedia). Sintered ski bases absorb hot wax when ironed on, thus ensuring a fast base. Depending on the snow conditions (fresh snow, old snow, wet snow, etc.) and fluctuating outside temperatures, optimal waxing can be achieved—or not. With the wrong choice of wax, the base becomes dull and slows you down. Skis and boards with extruded bases absorb very little wax due to their molecular density. The base is harder and more robust, but not very fast. Therefore, a comparison on snow with different materials, base structures, and wax properties is very difficult. The higher the speed, the greater the friction between the base and the snow. That's why we don't actually ski or board on snow, but rather on melted water—which refreezes behind the ski/board tips. With these varying properties of skis and snowboards available on the market, let's now turn to our SlopeTrax gliding mats. Our gliding mats maintain the same consistency regardless of temperature. Here, too, reducing friction between the base and the ski/board is crucial. When all the optimal components come together—sufficient moisture or lubricant on the mats and a properly prepared ski/board base—then gliding properties almost identical to those on snow are achieved, with minimal micro-abrasion. Depending on the angle of inclination and the lubricant used, approximately 90-97% of the gliding properties of skiing on snow are achieved. This is another reason why choosing the right skis and snowboards is important for the rental service of a mat ski area. Furthermore, professional ski base maintenance is essential for the longevity of the mat ski slope.

The mats measure 22x22cm and are connected using a PIOS interlocking system. We've included a 3mm gap between the mats to accommodate expansion. Plastic expands in hot temperatures and contracts in cold temperatures. Our plastic mats allow us to connect larger areas without the mats becoming wavy. Other mat designs on the market that lack this 3mm gap develop waves in high temperatures, which can lead to falls for skiers and snowboarders.

Our mats generally function without water. However, for outdoor use in warm to hot climates, we recommend installing a water sprinkler system beneath the mats. This systematic water spraying significantly reduces friction between the skis and mats. The water also greatly reduces abrasion, contributing substantially to a very long lifespan for both skis and mats. The same effect can be achieved by using our environmentally friendly lubricant, "Slide Liquid." This lubricant has proven itself worldwide for many years. Once applied to the mats, the lubricant acts like wax on ski bases, significantly reducing friction. If a fleece mat is laid at the start of the slope, which skiers or snowboarders walk over each time they start, the lubricant is automatically distributed across the slope. This eco-friendly lubricant is biodegradable and therefore very environmentally friendly. It is also particularly suitable for indoor use where water is not an option.

The higher the friction, the greater the wear on the nubs. The faster the nubs wear down, the sooner new mats will need to be purchased. When a large area of several thousand square meters is available, just like on a ski slope with snow, each skier will carve a different line down the slope. Therefore, the probability of rapid, constant wear across the entire mat surface is very low. Only after years of use by many thousands of skiers will significant wear become apparent. And even then, only where skiers actually ski, as wear at the edges of the slope will be almost nonexistent. It is therefore advisable for every skier or snowboarder to wax their equipment optimally before using it off-piste. This would be beneficial for the care of the ski base and for the longevity of the mats. Unfortunately, most athletes do not maintain their equipment. Simply ironing in or rubbing on a basic alpine ski wax would suffice. We recommend a wax designed for cold temperatures for use on our Slopetrax mat ski areas. This wax is harder and more resistant to friction than waxes designed for warmer temperatures. Incidentally, fluorinated waxes have been banned in alpine racing this season for environmental reasons. Skitrax also offers the appropriate wax for this purpose. Since large indoor ski resorts also offer ski rentals, a ski service for rented skis and snowboards is a given. A service for personal skis and snowboards should also be offered.

Yes. If the ski mat is properly installed, it can be operated for many years. Further expansion of the various service facilities is handled in writing. Most importantly, the lift (chairlift or conveyor belt) back to the start must be installed early. Additional mats can also be ordered later if further expansion is desired. The additional installation follows the same steps as the initial installation.

Depending on usage and weather conditions, a maintenance check should be carried out every few years. This mainly involves realigning the base. If the mats become heavily worn, for example, individual mats around slalom poles in the same location, they can simply be replaced. New terrain features can also be added later (moguls, jump ramp, etc.).