Where to turn?" might be the defining question for assessing which skis to consider buying this season. Most skiers who have been on top of ski industry innovations are by now convinced that shape skis are indeed the significant improvement in product development for more then a decade now. That said, several quantum leaps in advancement have infused the ski arena with skis that are increasingly versatile and with expanding flight envelopes.
The past two seasons in particular have witnessed a jump in ski widths which allow for an enhanced all mountain experience. Skis now are nimble and fun on the groomers but ready to float to heaven on the powder. Skis which came to be known as "mid-fats" with mid-body widths of 70-72 mms were initially considered by non-visionary buyers here in the Midwest to be too wide yet now, skis with 72 mm waists are marketed as primarily groomer skis, 80% on and 20% off piste.
Ski reviews in hand, skiers hit the stores on a quest for the ideal ski. Some of the terminology we read about which includes "carvers," "cruisers," and "all-mountain," give us a flavor for what skis can do but are less than empirical as descriptors. Other terms are vague yet appeal to the skier's mindset, such as "freestyle," and "free ride." So let's explain these terms and get ourselves using a common language to help you articulate your needs to your friendly neighborhood ski salesman.
There are two basic elements which contribute to the description for performance of skis. These include overall shape or side cut and width. The shapelier the ski, the greater the width differential between the tip and tail compared to the narrower middle section. These days the reference for this aspect is determined by its TURN RADIUS. Most skis will list the dimensions of the tip, midsection, and tail in millimeters and the radius as "r." A short turn radius would be 10 meters and a long radius might be over 20. A world cup GS (Giant Slalom) ski might have a turn radius of 54 meters at the extreme. The radius is the theoretical line that the ski would create at stress from the center of a circle to the arc of that circle when the ski is turned at maximum stress. The width of the ski can be wider or narrower depending on the skier's needs. A narrower ski is quick acting and the skier's force will more readily be translated into energy into the snow. Wider skis, tip thorough tail, have a greater surface area and the result is better floatation on the powder for example. Width, not length is the primary determinant of floatation. Snowshoes float on snow and they aren't particularly long.
Carving skis are generally quick on edge, responsive and dynamic. The stronger the skier the greater the "punch" or responsiveness the ski will be requested to give back. There are carving skis for every level of skier up to world cup slalom racers. As implied by the introduction, it is now possible to own a beautiful carving ski that will be at home in the powder or crud as well as the groomers. This is the arena I live for on the slope. Generating high G-force turns without generating decapitating speed! As my daughter Alana still states, "If you aren't turning you aren't learning."
Now, combine the two concepts of ski width and turn radius and you will see that it is possible to have a ski with a mid-body of 66 mm. and a turn radius of 11 meters as well as a ski with a mid-body of 76 mm and a similar 11 meter turn radius. Similar side cut shape but the latter is wider overall. It will no doubt be a tad heavier as well though perhaps designed for a similar level skier. Arc 'em or park 'em!
One other advantage of a wider ski is that there is less of a chance of "boot out." This has been the bane of expert skiers as they get such a high banking of the ski into the snow that the boot on the lean over hits the snow and lifts the edge off the snow causing the ski to slide away and the skier goes down despite the fact that he was flawless in technique. A wider ski moves that boot away from the edge enough to decrease the possibility of an unintended fall.
How this all works is magic! Shape skis are only of use if torsionally stable. That is, the twisting action of the ski sideways to its length is minimized end to end so that the ski stays strong on edge. In the past, for a ski to be strong on edge, the construction methods usually created a ski that was stiff tip to tail as well. They were tough in the bumps in particular. The advent of wider skis, especially those we see this year, is the result of dramatic improvements in material science which results in light weight yet strong skis. Skis are built to be torsionally resilient, so they hold while on edge, yet longitudinally forgiving, so that they will engage the bumps and respond in softer snow. Combine this with the advent of integrated bindings, which allows the ski to flex smoothly despite having a rigid boot mounted in the middle and the result is ski strong on edge yet able to undulate with the terrain and perform like a dream in the bumps. For skiers who took time off from the sport and came back now that the kids are older, the new skis make them realize that they were good bump skiers for the first time!
Turning skis with various radii will take you on significantly different arcs. A slalom ski or slalom carver type ski will engage on edge and encourage the skier to work the ski across the fall line. (The "fall line" would be the line your growing snowball would take if rolling down the hill determined by gravity.) A short radius ski does not force that arc but will if stressed by the skier. Even a short turning ski will go straight if not otherwise engaged. An "all mountain" ski might have a more relaxed turn radius of between 14 and 18 meters for example. A ski of this type, compared to the carvers mentioned earlier, want to turn a bit later instead of sooner. A GS or Giant slalom ski will still arc a turn but that arc will be significantly greater still. Strong skis with longer radii want to go down hill and fast. I refer to these skis as "point and shoot!" They are in a hurry to mess up your hair (assuming you aren't wearing a helmet) and get you to the lift line.
Where to turn? , we see now, is qualified by whether you want to turn high to that tree you are approaching or arc below it. Where to turn is influenced by the ski width as the wider ski will turn more readily on the powder side of the ropes than will a narrower ski.
Let freedom ring! Know no boundaries and go where your heart leads you. "Free ride" skis are a general category of skis designed to go off piste. Often 84 mms wide or wider, this huckster takes the lift up and is seeking stashes of deeper snow on the other side of the ropes. The wider the ski the better the float yet on piste response may still impress you. Skis up to 120 or even 130 mms live for powder and riding off of helicopters. Some Free Ride skis have twin tips to allow for catching air and landing backwards. Others will say it will help the ski release from the turn.
So for you dude or dudette, if your turn location is somewhere in the air but over the half pipe or engaging a rail, then a "Freestyle" ski is in your future! Twin tip skis go up in the park or half pipe and air turns are generated by gyrating bodies in flight. These skis are a significant portion of all ski sales these days and of great appeal to the "comeback" skiers. These are former snowboarders envious of the bigger air they witness the freestyle skiers taking in the pipe and park. These skis do not sport integrated binding systems nearly ubiquitous on most other skis as these riders are looking for a quick feel for the boot into the ski and do not want the additional leverage provided by a higher binding that carvers and racer types are seeking. Wider brakes will come with the appropriate binding that your salesman will provide you.
So where you turn on the slopes is initiated by your first turn into the ski shop. Make the trip and enjoy the ride and remember one good turn deserves another
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