Gliss is a ski concept designed to reduce accidental falls related to incorrect posture and technique, especially among beginner and intermediate skiers. Starting from data on accidents on Italian ski slopes, I designed an object that combines form, ergonomics and graphics to guide skiers towards a more stable and intuitive position.
Research
Why do people fall when skiing?
Every year on Italian ski slopes more than 30,000 accidents are recorded; around 1,700 of them result in hospitalisation (SIMON / ISS data).
Most of them are caused by accidental falls linked to incorrect posture and poor skiing technique.
This means that many accidents involve people who are not experts: those with an insecure technique are more exposed to the risk of losing balance and control.
Slopes and difficulty levels
Slope difficulty is indicated by the colours green, blue, red and black. The data show that almost half of accidents (around 47.5%) occur on red and blue slopes, that is, at low and intermediate levels of difficulty. Only a small proportion concerns the most demanding slopes (black) or connection areas and snowparks.
This confirms that many accidents involve people who are not experts: those with an insecure technique are more exposed to the risk of losing balance and control.
The challenge
How can a ski help someone who doesn’t have perfect technique? Gliss comes from accident data and is designed to encourage a more natural, stable posture, reducing falls.
Concept.
Gliss is a “facilitator” ski: not just technical equipment, but a visual aid that helps distribute weight correctly. The name evokes glide and fluid movement.
Ski design
The profile and surfaces are designed to be intuitive to “wear”. The lines guide the eye towards the load-bearing areas, and an essential graphic style, made of a few clear marks, keeps the relationship between body and equipment easy to read.
What I did
Analysis of data on mountain accidents and definition of the initial insights
Definition of the design challenge and of Gliss’s positioning.
Design of the product concept and of the role of the ski in relation to posture.
Result
Gliss shows how accident data can be translated into a product and visual design project centred on people. A ski that goes beyond pure technical performance and puts balance, control and awareness at the centre, especially for those who are still learning on the slopes.
