What skis are right for me?

Tapps wrote:wow thanks for the website its has the same sorts of things i have been looking at from snow and rock, to you think they will have some of them in resort ot try?

depends where you're going, some smaller places don't have the range.

maybe if you rented something you liked it might be available in the end of season sales?

Skis ah the great quandary....
(added after wrote this drivel, read the last paragraph first :wink: )

I would like to suggest several things to consider. I have sold skis in shops and have seen the evolution of the ski over several iterations. They don't build them like they used to, good thing!

Firstly buy a ski that's ski within your ability. Hills are littered with terminal intermediates who insist on skiing the latest racing kit. A proper ski for your level will enhance your experience. That's why ski manufactures spend millions on developing different skis. (a ski sure doesn't care about the size of your own gear! Don't let testosterone rule your skiing too :mrgreen: Now if you want to discuss cars or motorbikes .. but that's another blog)

Secondly length of ski is related to your weight! A ski never knows how tall you are it has no feelings in that regard. A ski "knows" how much you weigh! The pressure you can exert due to gravity, acceleration, and centripetal force is what a ski "feels" The heavier you are increases "down" forces.

Supplementary to weight, skis feel forces, G's if you will. If you are a tank you will need a beefier ski, if your are a feather weight you should ski softer flexing ski.

Thirdly - Snow type. If you ski on harder snow a shorter ski will work and if you hack in fluff a longer ski - more surface area to float on. The length issue come into play here too the if the ski is wider it will float if narrow it will need to be longer to achieve the same float.

Forth - a mitigating fact is the width in ski design. Wider skis which have less shape (side cut) will not carve a turn on harder snow they ski a straighter line. The arc of the side cut will determine turn radius.

Fifth thing is construction - weight mass of ski titanium vs steel, Glass vs carbon fiber..

Sixth thing is longevity - wood vs foam core..

Seventh .. base type hardness (see also longevity)

Eighth .. edge construction cracked edges vs solids and various combinations

Ninth ... cap vs laminate construction


AH blah blah blah... I've got verbal runs just read my favourite ski reviews at this site. They are usually considered the last word on ski tests. Read the descriptions of each category to get the best feel for the ski type mentioned.

http://www.skicanadamag.com/Gear/home.html

PS I drive a stoopid VW Vanagon '85 vintage and ride an old BMW M/C 1987 K. Just thought I'd add that - see my first tip...)

So long dude... J.

JamesA wrote:Skis ah the great quandary....


Forth - a mitigating fact is the width in ski design. Wider skis which have less shape (side cut) will not carve a turn on harder snow they ski a straighter line. The arc of the side cut will determine turn radius.

Hmmmm, when I learned to ski :mrgreen: straight skis with very little sidecut carved quite nicely on hard snow.

Perhaps those of us skiing in Europe, learn to carve turns without relying on the turn radius?

thanks alot, to all!

I have a pair of blades and they are good fun, but they are not a patch on my skis 8)

JamesA, your fourth point doesn't really ring true to my ears.

bandit wrote:

JamesA wrote:Skis ah the great quandary....


Forth - a mitigating fact is the width in ski design. Wider skis which have less shape (side cut) will not carve a turn on harder snow they ski a straighter line. The arc of the side cut will determine turn radius.

Hmmmm, when I learned to ski :mrgreen: straight skis with very little sidecut carved quite nicely on hard snow.

Perhaps those of us skiing in Europe, learn to carve turns without relying on the turn radius?

There's what people used to call carving and then there is actually carving. A lot of people still don't seem to know the difference. Very few people can carve reasonably tight turns on skis with sidecuts over 21M yet alone the 35M plus sidecuts of years go. You must be one of those few bandit.

Trencher

Trencher wrote:

bandit wrote:

JamesA wrote:Skis ah the great quandary....


Forth - a mitigating fact is the width in ski design. Wider skis which have less shape (side cut) will not carve a turn on harder snow they ski a straighter line. The arc of the side cut will determine turn radius.

Hmmmm, when I learned to ski :mrgreen: straight skis with very little sidecut carved quite nicely on hard snow.

Perhaps those of us skiing in Europe, learn to carve turns without relying on the turn radius?

There's what people used to call carving and then there is actually carving. A lot of people still don't seem to know the difference. Very few people can carve reasonably tight turns on skis with sidecuts over 21M yet alone the 35M plus sidecuts of years go :roll:

Trencher

Well this fella obviously can't hack it then, back in 1994. Do you want to tell him, given his reputation )

http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/1224631/getty-images-sport