We’re really very passionate about all of our sports, and of course, the kit we rely on every day. We love the latest gadgets and gear just like most people. This summer, we’ve been helping people do their thing for 40 years. That’s right, it’s our birthday, and as part of our celebrations, we’ve been looking back at the evolution of the kit we rely on every day.
In the 1980s, when we sent our first guests away, sailors were only just cottoning on to the notion of apparent wind, mountain bikes were fairly new, and shock absorption was giving skiers a new lease of life.We’ve always strived to be at the forefront of sports technology, from being the first to own a commercial 505 fleet, in the 90s, to working with Mark Petchey in 2015. So the aim of these guides is really to celebrate how far our sports have developed.
We wouldn’t have been able to offer the holidays we do without our brilliant sports brands. We’re hugely grateful to all of our partner brands, but here are just a few comments on the evolution of sports from Topper, TREK, and Salomon. We’ve also got videos to show how far each sport has come.
“Funnily enough, it was forty years ago that the legendary Topper dinghy was launched, so Topper and Neilson share a birthday!”
“The original Topper remains popular to this day and is now a Recognised International Racing Class and an integral part of the RYA Youth pathway to the Olympics.”
“The next significant breakthrough in terms of sailboat design came in the 1980s with the introduction of affordable, high-performance, one-design racing dinghies such as the ISO, Buzz, Laser 4000 and the 29er, which all came with powerful rigs, an asymmetric spinnaker, and trapezes.”
“As some of the new generation of high-performance racing dinghies became more and more extreme like the 49er and 18ft skiffs, Topper recognised that there was a need to have a range of boats that could be used by beginners as a pathway into performance sailing.”
“So Topper developed an ultra-modern range of dinghies and catamarans under the Topaz brand name.”
“The innovative construction method delivers hulls that are stronger, lighter, stiffer and more durable. These boats are ideal for learning to sail, teaching and for family recreational sailing because they are so affordable and durable while remaining lightweight and fun to sail.”
Read more about the evolution of dinghies.
“The development of the cycling trade has been incredible. It comes on leaps and bounds each year, pushed by factors such as how and where bikes are ridden, and the sheer number of people now wanting to ride for fitness, commuting, and recreation. Bikes are constantly being made lighter, with more advanced materials being used - especially the development of carbon fibre.”
“With such a fast-growing, competitive industry, you find every product needs to be made exactly to spec. Any drawbacks or faults will result in a loss. This is a good thing as you find the quality of the bikes and accessories have never been higher, resulting in many great products available, no matter your skill level.”
“If you look at a mountain bike 10 years ago and compare it to a current model, the changes to the aesthetics and how it performs are astounding. With so much research and development going into the bikes each year, specifically the parts on the bike - alongside the geometry - means the bikes are more capable than ever before.”
Read more about the evolution of road bikes.
“Skis have come a long way in the past 40 years in three key dimensions: shape, length and construction. The shape is the most visible one for sure, with 2 main innovations in the cornerstone decade of the 90s.”
“On one side parabolic skis, narrower at the binding than at the ends, have allowed for easier carved turns. On the other, twin-tipped skis created a new discipline - freestyle - with a new generation of tricks where skiers could land and ride backwards.”
“Salomon has been instrumental in this sports evolution, with the creation of the first twin-tipped ski: the iconic Teneighty. These innovations in shape reduced the length of skis commonly used, from 210 cms down to 170 cms, with increased stability and manoeuvrability.”
“As for construction, a major breakthrough from the traditional sandwich technique happened in the late 1980s, with the monocoque construction, patented by Salomon, that has upped the level of performance in terms of edge grip and predictability.”
“Accessibility to skiing has been vastly improved thanks to these shorter and more responsive skis, but the importance of boots and bindings should not be underestimated, as comfort and safety are paramount for the practice of our sport!”
“Wood and composite are the two key materials in a ski construction. New variations of wood are always sought to build the core of the ski, which is its backbone and most of its weight. From poplar to ash to karuba, the latest cores balance power and weight in unprecedented manners.”
“When it comes to composite, we have switched from regular fibreglass to sophisticated weavings of high-end materials such as carbon and koroyd. Salomon’s latest piece of material science is called CFX or Carbon-Flax, which is a great example of weaving between composite and natural fibres to deliver precision and dampening in a lightweight package for all-mountain skiers.”
Read more on the evolution of skis
This summer, it’s your chance to get out and experience the best sporting events around. Whether cycling tours, tennis tournaments or sailing weeks take your fancy, you can get a piece of the action by watching the experts do their thing.
Work and a busy home life can take a lot out of you and make it difficult to find time for yourself. In fact the average UK adult hasn’t learnt or tried a new active hobby in the last five and a half years.
...the uplifting rush of mastering something new.
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