Another Trade show has come and gone this past week and boy are my legs tired. The On Snow Trade Show is held at Mammoth Mountain every year to help retailers get a better idea of what exciting new products to introduce to their customers the following season. This event is met buy your Footloose Testing Team with a mixture of Christmas time excitement and eagle eyed criticism. Skiing nearly every 2009 ski in 3 short days is no easy ask. Just ask newbie to the team, 19 year half pipe aficionado Beau Silva, who’s quote at the end of day three pretty much summed things up for everybody, ” I’m tired and hungry.” I know it’s good work if you can get it, but you have to bring a game time determination and a brown bag if you want to ski as many skis as our most prolific testers. Bobby Lichen averages 20 skis a day. ” I ski with two different skis on each foot so I can double my productivity,” bobby says, with a wry grin that leaves you feeling like he’s only half joking. Ok, ok. I know your all dying for me to cut the chit cat and get to the point. “What’s the best ski for 2009,” is the question everybody asks when they catch wind of what’s happening in the chair 2 parking lot. I think I can sum things up with the classic statement, “Evolutionary not revolutionary”. Many skis come back unchanged or only slightly modified for 2009. Even the worlds most popular ski, the K2 Recon, only sees slight modifications. Believe it or not, this is a great thing because skis haven’t been this good across the board… ever. My advice is to buy now. Skis are at the best prices they have been all year and with a similar set of products coming out next season take your discount now and use the money you saved to go skiing.