How to choose the best ski for you?
There are many questions that we may need to ask ourselves when buying our own skis. First of all, you don't need to be an expert, but you should familiarise yourself with some basic and very useful concepts to have a clear idea of what you're looking for. The most basic thing you should know is the TYPE OF SKI you need.
These are the most common:
· PISTE – for carving enthusiasts who ski for pleasure, always remaining within the marked boundaries of groomed ski slopes.
· ALL MOUNTAIN – for those not only brave enough to carve on the slopes themselves, but also off-piste, on ungroomed terrain and varying types of snow.
· FREESTYLE – for skiers who do tricks and manoeuvres both within and outside the snowpark, looking for optimal manoeuvrability both on the snow and in the air.
· FREERIDE – for those who avoid slopes altogether, tackling wild terrain in search of fresh snow and steep slopes.
Working in synergy with its CONSTRUCTION, there are four measurable components of a ski that determine its behaviour, and, in turn, whether a skier achieves the desired results (higher or lower speed, more or less reactive or flexible, more or less effective on different types of snow and for turns, skidding, jumps, etc.): LENGTH, SIDECUT, TURN RADIUS, and PROFILE.
LENGTH. Many factors come into play when choosing the length of a ski. The main factor to consider is your personal profile: height, weight, physical condition, technical ability, style (aggressive or conservative), etc. Another is the type of skiing you practise and your personal preferences, such as your favourite type of terrain.
You can take your height as a starting point and apply slight adjustments, either increasing or decreasing the length accordingly. A smaller length is recommended for beginners or intermediate skiers, who are normally more conservative, while a longer length is better suited to more aggressive and advanced skiers.
SIDECUT. Refers to the width of a ski at its tip (the upper part of the ski, i.e. the part that enters turns, hence why it curves slightly upwards), waist (the central and narrowest part of the ski, located just behind the front of your boot) and tail (the lower part of the ski, which may also be slightly raised to make it easier to exit turns).
TURN RADIUS. Refers to the distance between the edge of the ski and the centre of the circle drawn by a ski while turning. This value is determined by combining the measurements for its LENGTH and SIDECUT.
PROFILE. The upward- or downward-curved shape of a ski. This ensures optimal on-snow contact when you put your weight on it, providing greater edge hold and precision. The technical term for the downward-curved shape is CAMBER, while ROCKER refers to the upward-curved shape. You may find a combination of both types of profiles in some skis, distributed across their various sections.
CONSTRUCTION. Depending on the materials used (wood, fibreglass, injected polyurethane, metal alloys, etc.) and their availability, a ski may be “harder” or “softer”.
The rigidity of its flex or torsion mainly causes a ski to return to its original shape before or after. The ski will therefore be more or less reactive or accelerate more quickly or slowly while exiting a turn and entering the next. Although you need to possess great technical ability and be in better shape to use them, the most rigid skis and more stable and vibrate less than the softest skis. The softest skis are more flexible, best suited to conservative skiers or beginners.
