Freeskiing
Check out Jesper Tjäder’s park-specific ski gear setup
What equipment does the Swedish freeskier use when pushing the limits of park skiing? We checked in with Jesper Tjäder to get the full lowdown
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Whether it is shredding the longest and most insane rail features or winning big-time Slopestyle competitions, Jesper Tjäder has a tendency to push beyond what most deem possible on a pair of skis. The 2023 Red Bull Playstreet winner is an extremely technical and clean rider that never forgets how to keep it fun.
For over a decade, the Åre-based skier has been at the forefront of the sport, pushing boundaries, landing world-first tricks, and inventing new types of features. Drawing on his depth of experience, Tjäder knows exactly what gear to use and how he wants it set up. Keep reading to find out what kit he's rocking this 2023 season.
See Jesper Tjäder and some of the world’s best freeskiers in action at the first-ever Red Bull Unrailistic competition coming to Åre, Sweden on the 26th-27th of April 2023. Get all the info here.
Probably just as comfortable in the air as on the ground
© Simon Rainer / Red Bull Content Pool
Skis
Tjäder is a two-pair-of-skis kind of guy. One pair for competitions and the other one for jibbing at home in the park. His go-to skis are the Head Oblivion 84 for comps as they are stiffer, more stable and quicker at turning, whilst the Head Oblivion 94 are his playful set, being both softer and wider.
94 is the width of the skis meaning they are 94 mm wide at the waist
© Judith Bergström
The go-to when at home, chilling and jibbing in the park
© Judith Bergström
Tjäder's weapon of choice when it comes to competitions
© Judith Bergström
84 wide at the waist, stiff, stable and quick to turn under the foot
© Judith Bergström
Ski boots
Despite being one of the best freeskiers in the world, Tjäder runs a pretty standard ski boot setup. His Head Formula ski boots with 120 flex are almost “straight from the shelf”. He doesn’t really do anything special with them apart from replacing the insole with a softer one in order to take more heavy impacts.
“These ski boots are based on a racing shell so they have a high level of performance but the toe box is a bit wider and the liner is softer, which makes the boot more comfortable (than a pure racing boot). It’s important not to have sore feet and these ski boots fit me perfectly without really needing much change" - Jesper Tjäder.
Tjäder runs a surprisingly standardised gear set up, including his boots
© Judith Bergström
Poles
The poles are probably the simplest piece of equipment in Tjäder's setup. He runs them 95 cm long, that way they are not in his way when doing tricks but he can still use them if he needs to create some extra speed.
Mismatch of poles - deliberate or not? We actually don't know
© Judith Bergström
Bindings
Tjäder has the Head Attack 17 bindings and runs them pretty stiff at 14 DIN. According to him, it's the perfect number.
Head Attack 17
© Judith Bergström
I feel like 14 is a perfect balance - the skis can fall off if they need to but they don’t release unnecessarily.
Helmet and googles
A Sweet Protection Looper helmet is what protects the Swedish freeskier's head. A lightweight yet safe helmet equipped with MIPS technology. He matches it with the Sweet Protection Boondock RIG Reflect goggles from his own range.
“It protects me as it should and I don’t notice that I’m wearing it. I don’t want to feel like I’ve got something in the way so that’s perfect. Then I run matching googles in the same colour with clear lenses at night and dark lenses during the day" - Jesper Tjäder.
Tjäder's helmet of choice
© Judith Bergström
Clothing
To be able to spin, flip and execute all of his tricks without any restriction of movement, Tjäder runs a thin outer shell layer both up top and down low. That way he has an optimal range of movement and nothing hindering him from going bonkers on the course. When it comes to gloves he prefers a thumb glove as they tend to be warmer and, of course, look cooler. But sometimes when going for certain grabs, like a tail grab, he needs to use the finger version as it just grabs better.
“I run thin clothing as it’s better when doing tricks. You do get cold, but then you just have to hope that the adrenaline keeps your warm instead, haha.”
His clothing comes from his own range called JT Legacy and JT Blizzard
© Judith Bergström
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