You know how we make fun of the ski gear from years past? Like the neon ski suits or purple skis. But somehow the gear for the current year always looks hot, maybe flashy but always in a very fast way? Well, this year Salomon decided to skip looking hot this year and went straight to ugly. (Sorry Salomon, but I cannot lie.) The black and white lines down the length of the skis absolutly kill any chances they had of looking good. Maybe I should apply for ski fashion designer. Despite my critique of their looks, I am super excited to get to ski on these skis. Here's my theory: Ski manufacturers start with five stars to allot to each model of ski. (We're talking figurative stars here, like hotel ratings.) For example, a ski can have five star looks, but that leaves none for speed. Most ski manufacturers choose to divide the stars evenly because they have to look good so they can sell them to the masses (2-3 stars) and they have to be fast because some people are discerning about that. This year Salomon decided to have a speed ranking of four stars and only give the skis a one star appearance (they do, after all, have graphics and a smattering of color). So watch out for these ugly but fast skis come winter!