Key Takeaway: The Lib Tech Park NAS Skis (Striped Man) 2007 are new-old-stock twin-tips from Mervin Manufacturing's original ski experiment — the same Washington-state factory that gave skiing its serrated Magne-Traction edge. At $199.90 (down from $620 MSRP, 68% off), they are one of the few honest bargains left for park skiers and collectors who value Made-in-USA craftsmanship.
Why This Ski Exists
Most "2007 skis" in clearance bins are forgettable. The Park NAS is not one of them. Mervin Manufacturing — the oldest major snowboard factory still operating in the United States, founded by Mike Olson and Pete Saari in 1977 — launched its ski line as N.A.S., short for "Narrow Ass Snowboards." It was the first time Mervin's patented Magne-Traction serrated edge technology, developed for Lib Tech snowboards and already stacked with Transworld Good Wood awards, was applied to a pair of skis.
The Park NAS was the result: a true twin-tip, center-mounted, freestyle-first ski, hand-built at Mervin's zero hazardous waste facility in Sequim, Washington. These are not rebranded overseas blanks. They are the same skis that Lib Tech's experimental division used to convince skeptical skiers that edge hold could be reinvented.
What Magne-Traction Actually Does
Traditional skis have a smooth, continuous sidecut. Magne-Traction replaces that with seven subtle bumps along the edge — think serrated steak knife, not saw blade. On hardpack and ice the bumps act like multiple contact points, so the ski bites where it needs to and releases where it doesn't.
In the Park NAS specifically, Lib Tech tuned the pattern around the freestyle rider's reality:
- Aggressive bumps under the foot — maximum edge hold exactly where your balance is centered, so you can lean into turns even on scraped-off afternoon corduroy.
- Softer bumps at tip and tail — a progressively catch-free nose and tail that forgives rail slides, box hits, and switch landings.
- Detunable edges — the design actively encourages you to file the tip and tail round so they don't hang up on park features. Most skis punish you for detuning. The NAS was engineered expecting you to.
The net effect, according to Lib Tech's own spec sheet, is that the skis "feel 10mm narrower on hardpack," letting you run a narrower-waisted park ski without losing bite when the conditions firm up. That is still a useful trick in 2026.
Who Should Consider the Park NAS in 2026
This is a deliberately specific ski. It makes sense for three types of buyer:
1. The Park Skier Who Wants a Second Pair
If you already have a daily-driver all-mountain ski and want a dedicated park setup without dropping $700 on new sticks, a $199 NOS twin-tip from a cult factory is hard to beat. The shapes that worked in 2007 — true twin, center-mounted, playful, low-swing-weight — are essentially the same shapes modern park skis use. Ski design for jibbing hit a plateau because the geometry works.
2. The Lib Tech / Mervin Collector
Mervin has made skis off-and-on since this era. The original N.A.S. run is the Lib Tech ski — first generation, first graphic series, first time Magne-Traction met snow in ski form. The "Striped Man" graphic is part of that origin story. New, in-wrapper pairs at 68% off do not stay in circulation forever.
3. The Buy-It-For-Life Skier
Mervin is one of the few factories still hand-building skis in the United States, using domestic woods, water-based sublimation inks, and a zero hazardous waste process certified since 1997. A brand-new NOS ski from 2007 is, in a real sense, barely aged: it has been sitting in a dry warehouse. Bases and edges off a fresh tune will perform exactly like a 2026 build.
Who Should Not Buy These
Be honest about the tradeoffs. The Park NAS is not the right ski for:
- Big-mountain or powder-focused skiers. This is a narrow-waisted park ski. If you want float in fresh snow, look at Lib Tech's wider current models or a dedicated powder shape.
- Racers or carvers chasing the latest sidecut tech. 2007 sidecut geometry does not compete with 2026 rocker-camber-rocker designs for groomer railing.
- Anyone who needs a binding package. These skis are flat — no bindings, no integrated system. Budget another $150–$300 for freestyle bindings and a mount.
Sizing and Mount Position
Lib Tech Park NAS skis were offered in the low- to mid-170s — typical park lengths for their era. Because they are designed true-twin and center-mounted:
- Size down 5–10 cm from your all-mountain ski length if you are learning switch or new to park.
- Ride your normal length if you are comfortable skiing switch and landing on solid landings.
- Have a shop mount on the true center line, not the traditional "boot center on sidecut center" line. The ski is designed to pivot around the binding.
Tuning for Park Performance
Lib Tech's original tuning guidance still applies:
- Round your tip and tail edges with a file — roughly from the widest point of the sidecut outward. This prevents hang-ups on rails and boxes without sacrificing the Magne-Traction bite under your foot.
- Keep the underfoot edges sharp at 1° base bevel / 2–3° side bevel for hardpack edge hold.
- Wax cold. A soft universal wax will gum up on a jib line. Use a harder cold-temp wax so the bases stay quick and don't drag on slow in-runs.
About the Merchant
This pair is listed by Evo, a Seattle-based specialty retailer that has built its reputation on niche ski and snowboard inventory. Evo is one of a handful of shops still willing to list legitimate NOS product at clearance prices rather than discounting current-year inventory. Stock on multi-year-old SKUs typically sells out quickly and is not restocked.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are 2007 skis still safe to ski?
Yes, provided they are new-old-stock and have been stored in a stable, dry environment. Ski cores are laminated wood with fiberglass and epoxy — they do not meaningfully degrade in a warehouse. The only service you should expect is a fresh base grind, edge tune, and hot wax before first use.
How does Magne-Traction compare to modern rocker designs?
They solve different problems. Rocker-camber-rocker changes how a ski engages the snow; Magne-Traction changes how the edge grips. Many current Mervin products use both. A flat-cambered Magne-Traction ski like the Park NAS still holds an edge on ice as well as — and often better than — modern rocker-heavy park skis.
Is $199.90 actually a good deal?
Against the $620 original MSRP, yes — that is a 68% discount. Against comparable current twin-tips (new Lib Tech, Line, Armada, or Volkl park skis retail $499–$799), it is genuinely well below market for a Made-in-USA ski from a legit factory. Just confirm the size matches your preferred park length before pulling the trigger.
Does it come with bindings?
No. Plan on $150–$300 for a freestyle binding (Look Pivot, Tyrolia Attack, or Salomon STH in the 12–14 DIN range for most skiers) plus shop mount labor of $40–$60.
Will the graphic date the ski?
The "Striped Man" artwork is from Mervin's earliest ski graphic series. If anything, it is becoming recognizable to collectors — not unlike early Burton or K2 graphics from the same era.
Bottom Line
At $199.90, the Lib Tech Park NAS Skis (Striped Man) 2007 are not a nostalgia trap — they are a legitimate working twin-tip built in the same Washington factory, on the same machines, by some of the same people who are building Mervin skis today. For a dedicated park setup, a collector's pair, or a second ski that will last the rest of your jibbing career, this is one of the rare sub-$200 skis in 2026 that is still worth mounting up.
Stock is new-old-stock only. Once it is gone, it is gone — these are not reproduced.