Radar Lithium Vapor Water Ski 2024

The Radar Lithium Vapor Water Ski 2024 brings elite-level design and performance to serious slalom skiers at a more accessible price point. Built from the exact same mold as Radar’s Pro Build Vapor, this ski shares the championship-winning shape trusted by world-class athletes—but is constructed with a PVC core to make it lighter on your wallet without sacrificing on-the-water capability. Tuned for high-performance course skiing between 30–36 MPH, the Lithium Vapor is designed to run anything from 15 off to 41 off with consistency, power, and control.

At its core, the Lithium Vapor uses durable, high-rebound PVC foam that has proven itself for decades in competition-grade ski construction. This is wrapped in a layer of Sigmatex carbon for refined flex and power transfer, bonded with Radar’s plant-based Bio Resin, and finished with a low-drag Race Base for ultimate glide and early turn initiation. Whether you're chasing your first 32 off or aiming for tournament-level buoys, the Lithium Vapor delivers reliable edge hold, efficient acceleration, and a connected feel that helps you move smoothly from edge to edge. This ski is precision-built for course performance, yet forgiving enough to boost confidence and consistency in every set.

Key Features:

• PVC CORE – Tested and proven response. The lightweight PVC core delivers a firm, stable ride with sharp rebound characteristics that make it ideal for shortline skiing. Its proven reliability and dynamic flex help maintain optimal energy through turns and across wakes.
• SIGMATEX CARBON – Consistent flex every time. A high-strength carbon fiber weave provides torsional rigidity and dependable performance pass after pass. The ski flexes exactly where and when you need it, allowing you to stay in control at high speeds and under heavy load.
• BIO RESIN – Plant based and better. Radar’s bio-based resin system is both environmentally conscious and structurally strong, offering better bonding, improved dampening, and long-term durability for the ski.
• RACE BASE – Earlier lines and easier turns. This ultra-low-friction base allows the ski to move cleanly across the water, helping skiers engage the edge earlier in the turn and carry more angle through the wakes with minimal drag.
• ENDURO TIP/TAIL – Built for speed. Strategically reinforced tip and tail sections ensure durability under aggressive turning loads and maintain integrity during high-speed transitions. This design helps keep the ski fast, smooth, and responsive.
• RADAR LAB MADE – Thanks Herb. Designed and refined in the Radar Lab—the brand’s hub for R&D and innovation—the Lithium Vapor is shaped by decades of elite waterski design experience. It’s built with precision, tested by pros, and engineered for serious performance.

Optional Binding: Carbitex Vector BOA

Elevate your setup with the Carbitex Vector BOA Binding, Radar’s high-performance boot that blends cutting-edge materials with all-day comfort. Featuring Carbitex OmniFlex carbon textile panels, this binding delivers directional stiffness for powerful edge engagement while allowing enough flexibility for natural fore-aft movement. It’s the ultimate combination of responsiveness and freedom.

The integrated BOA® Fit System offers precision fit adjustment with the twist of a dial, eliminating pressure points and keeping your foot securely locked in throughout your set. Built on Radar’s lightweight Feather Frame chassis, the Carbitex Vector BOA maximizes energy transfer and responsiveness, helping you ski harder, turn tighter, and feel more connected to your ski. Whether you're free skiing or cutting deep into shortline passes, this binding keeps you locked-in and fully dialed.

ADVANCED SKI TECH

Shape
The wide spot on the ski has moved forward and width has been added from the middle of the ski through the tip. This gives the ski a more tip to tail taper and more support through the front part of the ski. The increase in taper presents the ski with a slightly more tip-up riding attitude and allows the ski to pull through the turn in a more connected, powerful way. The result is less body movement needed to get tight radius turns. The new ski also has slightly less volume in the tail. By reducing this surface area, the tail of the ski is able to smear outward while also staying planted in the water. Ultimately, the updates in shape help it to ride much closer to the ideal line for any given speed and rope length.

Rocker
The tip rocker on the new Vapor starts just after the wide spot. This relieves tip pressure and increases forgiveness, allowing a skier to have a bigger platform to stand on coming into the turn. This also helps keep the ski keep moving outbound in the transition and makes the ski incredibly more predictable in the turns it creates. Moving back from the wide spot, the rocker lines are all new. These new lines create a ski with increased tail rocker which softens the way the ski rotates or carves through the turn. The result is a feeling of increased angle from a wider place with an instant acceleration.

Concave
The additional concave depth running throughout the bottom of the ski is one of the most noticeable differences in this new shape. This channels more water directionally from tip to tail, resulting in significantly more side-to-side drive and holding power. More drive and hold allow a skier to be faster as they near centerline which results in a more up-course path. Another result from an increased concave is increased pressure on the bevels, allowing the ski to feel extremely connected to the water. This gives a skier the freedom to control the path of the ski with more ease.

Bevels
The front of the ski carries a sharper, more angular bevel design to harness the increased water flow from the new concave design. This gives the skier more ability to feel how the water interacts with the tip of the ski to create sharper, more predictable turns. In the tail of the ski, the bevel is softened, allowing the water to wrap around the bevel easier. The tip of the ski pulls harder through the turn while at the same time, the tail is able to smear while staying planted in the water. This feathered approach makes the turns feel much more natural and less forced.

Thickness
Sidewall height carries constant to provide balance for the increased lift created by adding width. In an effort to keep the ski nimble, sidewall thickness is reduced to produce the connected, tight turning radius of the ski.

Edge Angle
The Vapor width allows the ski to achieve maximum edge angle both in the turn and while cutting. This width sets the precedent in our line as the pinnacle of performance both in the course and while free skiing.