La Sportiva N.A., makers of technical climbing, mountaineering, Mountain Running®, hiking footwear and ski mountaineering hardware, is set to enter the ski market in 2011

with the debut of five new ski models including the fat, light and rockered Hi5 (135-105-125/$799) and the perfect one ski quiver GT/GTS (123-89-111/$629) A spokesperson for La Sportiva touted the Hi 5 as having a "massive Hi-rise shovel rocker combined with a flat tail, traditional camber and 105mm underfoot which make this ski the most versatile powder/backcountry/skimo tool on the market." “With La Sportiva entering the ski mountaineering market next year, we want to align ourselves with enthusiasts and organizations that are as passionate about mountain sports as we are,” says Laura Fryer, La Sportiva N.A.’s marketing manager. La Sportiva will also be releasing HiGlide Precut Skins and RSR Race Skins to round out their line. In support of their ski mountaineering line debut, La Sportiva is launching The White Room (http://www.lasportivawhiteroom.com/), a ski blog focused on the world of ski mountaineering.