By Rick Paris, founder
I started The Short Ski Shop with my wife Jane, and a couple of years later we launched Buzz. The reason was simple: when I opened the shop, I realised there was hardly any choice when it came to buying ski blades. There were just a couple of skis available, and the ski companies we dealt with seemed to produce them as an afterthought.
We wanted to give people more choice and better value, so we set about finding a ski factory. We found one in the mountains of Eastern Europe, with over 50 years of ski-making history behind it and a team who were passionate about snow sports.
Long before Buzz existed, I was a blade skier, and here’s the full story. I have an arthritic spine (I still do), and I was finding long skis harder and harder to use well. I honestly thought my skiing days were numbered, because I was struggling so much.
I’d heard that ski blades were super easy to use and turn, but back in 1999 I’d never tried them. Fast forward to 2002, when I got my hands on an old ex-rental set and loved every second on them. I enjoyed them so much that a few years later I started The Short Ski Shop.
Once the business was open, I noticed that many other people enjoyed blades too. They improved very quickly and seemed to have more fun. But it was still hard to find a short ski that was designed properly, because manufacturers didn’t seem that bothered and put in little effort. We wanted a ski that was genuinely good: a tight turning radius, easy to control, and built to last.
In 2009, we decided to stop complaining and build our own. After testing several prototypes, the first Buzz ski blades were available in 2010.
The principle was simple: make skiing easier and more fun, sooner. That’s why the Buzz Atom has a 6.2m turning radius, so it turns tighter and faster than anything you’d normally hire, and why it comes with full release bindings so it behaves like a proper ski.
Every Buzz ski is designed by me in the UK, and I’m closely involved in how they ski because I use them myself.
To build them, we work with one of Europe’s largest ski makers. That means the skis are made by a team with serious manufacturing experience, using the quality materials and processes you’d expect from a major ski producer, and it lets us focus on the design and the details that matter to short ski users.
After years of watching people try Buzz for the first time, one thing hasn’t changed: the smile when they realise they can turn, stop and enjoy themselves within a few hours. That’s what keeps us going.
Whether you’re a first-timer, returning after a break or a seasoned skier who wants a fun alternative, we’d love to put you on a pair.
Questions about which Buzz is right for you? Email us at info@theshortskishop.com. I read the replies myself.