A guide to Skis!

So its that time of the year, whether you are a first time skier, or a much more experienced rider, its always a pain trying to find your way through what to rent or buy so this might make it easier!! There has been a huge leap in ski technology in the past 10 years and in the last 3 there has been the game changing introduction of Rocker and the possibilities it brings.

Skis are odd, anyone could pick up the highest end tennis racquet and use it, not so with skis; the higher end stuff will be too stiff and difficult for beginners to control. Like boots and the previous advice Coolum, it’s very personal with lots of factors that influence your choices. The bigger and stronger you are the stiffer the ski you will need, on test days I have skied equipment I love and other testers hate the same ski, a lot of it is down to how you ski and what you like.


Nearly all-recreational ski holiday renters will be on piste or all mountain skis.

There are many categories of skis to choose from and multiple ways to define each category so for the purpose of this they have been broken down into 8 core categories. Some testers use wider bands or more categories but these will cover everything. Any questions let me know!

So here we go:

Beginners

Waist of 68-78, Radius 12-15m, Rocker None

Ideal length, around nose height on the user.

Used in: Bunny slopes, Blue cruisers, first time reds

Normally Cap construction skis and a composite core. To be honest if it is your first time on skis, you want the cheapest skis you can, as the higher end skis are not designed for beginners and will make your life hell. Trust the rental shop as long as the skis they are giving you are in good condition no big gouges out of the base and reasonably new bindings, you have nothing to worry about.

On-piste

Waist 68-78 radius 12-19m Rocker Sometimes

Ideal length – varies on preference.

Example Salomon X-kart, Head Ishape, Elan Amphibio

Used on Blues, Reds, Blacks the first forays to the side of piste, first attempts to carve

The best Piste ski will be sandwich construction skis with a wood core, the radius and length will vary depending on the user. For those that prefer short slalom turns, they will have a smaller ski with a 11-13 M radius, for a bit of everything 13-17m radius and for wider faster turns it will be about head height or more and at the 17-19m end of the range. The last 2 seasons, some companies have introduced a small Rocker to on piste skis as it helps initiate turns quicker and pull the skis through the arc of the turn.



All mountains Skis

Waist 78-90, radius 14-18, Rocker, nearly always.

Used on Blues, Reds, Blacks, to the side of piste, Showing off under lifts., Bumps.

Ideal Length Nose to head height.

Example: Salomon Enduro, Atomic Nomad, Head Rev 85 Pro, Dynastar Outland 87


This is the ski most people will use and makes up most off the rental and retail market. The old joke was, it was a ski that did everything badly but modern skis have managed to provide a balance. They have become the ski of choice for most who spend the majority of their time on piste but would like to start to venture into the off piste or slightly beyond the slopes but in view of the lifts You will still be 80% on piste maybe 20% off


Freeride

Waist 90 -105 radius 15-22, Rocker Yes

Used on Off Piste, they only see the piste if there is no snow or if they are on there way to an off piste section.

Ideal length Above head height but not by much!

Example:Salomon Q98 (Yours truly is riding them this year) Cham 97 – I love these!, White Dot one

So this is what you will progress to when you decide to switch from piste to predominantly off piste. These skis also make up the majority of touring skis for those that are to cheap to pay for a lift pass, like to earn their turns. Once you go above 90mm in the waist, piste performance will start to be impacted. Carving will become more difficult as will short turns. But in the off piste they are much more stable, provide more float in powder and give a great platform for exploring away from the resort.


Park & Pipe (Freestyle)

Waist 86-90, radius 14-20, Rocker No Twin tip Yes

Used on: In the park, some backcountry and off piste.

Ideal Length; Personal choice

Armada Al Dente, Nordica Badmind, Head the Show

It is hard to think that its 12 years since the 1080 inspired by Mike Douglas and the new Canadian Airforce changed skiing forever! Unintentionally it became a massive success as the first all mountain ski. Now most modern park skis are utterly useless outside of the park. Due to the advancement of all mountain and Freeride skis, Park skis have become more specialise. Features include re-enforced edge armour and harder wearing materials. Including the Petex base These skis are designed for hitting rails and big jumps not much else these days.

Big Mountain

Waist 105-140 (No Really!!!) Radius about the same as a 1950’s Bus Rocker Yes, Revers Camber Yes

Ideal Length: The bigger the better remember you are compensating for something here!

Used in The back country, Deep Powder, hucking cliffs, Clinging for dear life to icy pistes where they don’t turn. Proving your virility & manliness.

Salomon Rocker, White Dot Preacher, Moment Death Wish,

Unless you do your seasons in Japan, or the Western North Americas these skis will be of limited use, you will normally see them attached to people with ABS backpacks and beards! In Europe their natural habitat is Chamonix and Verbier. Their sole purpose is the be used at high speed on steep faces and in the back country. If you find yourself lapping the piste on these you are doing it wrong!!


So lets clarify the techy buzz words Used above.

Core: The stuff in the middle between the pretty graphics and the base, cheaper ski and kids skis tend to be composite materials, the best core is a wood core supplemented by various other materials depending on the ski.

Sidewalls: The bit between the edge and the top sheet (pretty colours on top), sidewall-constructed skis are more stable and give better grip.

Cap Construction: Basically the top sheet stretches over the ski to the edges, very forgiving soft flex skis perfect for beginners..

Flex the amount of torsional twist and bend you can apply to the ski’s, race skis will be very stiff with little flex but beginner skis will be soft with lots of flex!

Radius: The designed natural turning size of the ski when tipped on the edge and given in Meters, effected by ski length, sidecut, Each category above will have a defined turn radius but it is variable.

Sidecut and Shape: Refers to the dimensions of the ski at its widest points of the tip, Tail and waist and will define the ski type and appearance. Basically how curvy or straight the ski is! Also comes in a reverse version for big fat powder skis.

Waist: Or width underfoot, each category above will have a sample waist size by type but again this may vary.

Rocker: A really new concept but one with lots of potential, you can thank Shane McConkey! It is basically a ski that is bent up at the top where if laid on the floor the tip wont touch the ground! Originally designed to give float in deep powder and make skis more versatile on piste, it is now used on piste skis to help engage the skis earlier in the turn! It’s a big buzz word right now and features on a lot of skis.

Camber: Think of the Arch on your foot now use it on a ski! Camber is almost like an arch under the centre of the ski that allows you to flex the ski when pressing on it through your bindings and providing rebound through the end of the turn to help start the new one.

Edge: the very thin metal that runs down the side of the ski that grips the snow

Petex: the material used to construct the base of the ski

Topsheet The pretty pictures on the top of the ski

Bindings: the bits that hold you in or throw you out. Designed to stop you twisting you knee

Standard Release Value, DIN, When the rental shop asks for your height, and weight its not for their own personal use. Its so they can set your bindings to a pre determined scientific formula to ensure the safety of your knee.

Twin Tip: does what it says on the tin, the same at the front and the back designed for skiing switch and the park!