What Skis Are Best For Me?
By Don Jewkes | Submitted On August 24, 2009
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Whether you're looking to buy or rent/demo skis the following may be helpful information how to select the best skis for you.
First you must decide what is best for you, to rent/demo (renting top of the line models, not rental stock skis) or buy? Beginning skiers or those just trying out the sport to decide if it's for them, it makes sense
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With a numerous skis to be had on today's market, choosing can be overpowering. Deciding what skis will cater to your ability level, gender and your goals can be difficult. You must consider the ski conditions you will ski the most, your honest ability level, your terrain preference and type of skiing (racing, downhill, or off piste, for example), and how much experience you have - number of days, years on skis -when choosing skis. With honest answers to these questions you can start generating a list of what skis may be right for …show more content…
These include all racing and race carving skis, cross skis and recreational carvers. This is the choice of many teaching pros and advanced expert skiers. Typical waist measurement is 71mm or less. Turn radii are typically 15 meters or less depending on length skied. Typically these type skis are skied short.
Tactical, multi-condition, aggressive all mountain, good everyday skis for skiers for whom the relationship of the ski to the snow is of paramount importance. These skiers roam the entire mountain, or at the other end of the spectrum, simply cruise around the groomed on flat edges. These types of skis are the most popular with wide-ranging selection to choose from. Waists are generally in the 68 to 82mm range, with a turn radius from approximately 15 meters to 19 meters
Freeride Skis are for those who enjoy the freedom of the backcountry. If you want a ski that can take you into the backcountry as well as the rest of the mountain this is the one current label that seems to work for everyone. Many do have twin tips and many can do double duty as deep snow skis and park/pipe skis. Still, in my view these wide skis focus on deep snow and crud expertise. Formerly called deep snow, or powder, or "big mountain" skis. Waist range from low 80's to over 100 mm under foot with a turn radius from 15 up to 35
Another key ingredient to the track is the paddles. Paddles are the pieces coming off of the track itself, a picture these paddles is shown below. This is what provides the traction for the snowmachine to move. In today's market these paddles come in sizes ranging from 1 inch to 3 inches. The saying "bigger is better" does not hold true for these paddles though. When the paddles get to big the rotating mass actually bogs the machine down and reduces performance. Polaris Industries have found, through the use of physics and other tests, that the most efficient paddle length is 2.4 inches. This length gives the most grip in deep snow while still being semi-economical on trails.
Polaris from the beginning set out to not only beat themselves with new designs but also every competitor. They always want to give the rider the full effect and control over their vehicle. This all starts with the body build of the machine. When polaris started to compete and really started to build their high end machines they focused on the body. Polaris industries want to thin it down while keeping the ability to work under the hood, without compacting everything together. They also made the body to weigh less and be more aerodynamic than their main competitor Ski Doo, which they definitely accomplished when they came out with the Iq and Assault Rmk back in 2006. “Polaris Sled Review” Nov. 4th 2013, Nov. 28th 2013, Snowest.com
Cross-country skiing is as much of a competitive sport, as it is a back country one. Cross-country skiing is enjoyed by people of all ages, and can be relatively inexpensive. There is no need for lift tickets and with a little maintenance equipment can last for decades. As a result of its broad audience, many people don't realize that physics plays a large role in cross-country skiing. This web page was designed to briefly describe some of the concepts behind the physics of skiing, and give a basic understanding of both the sport and the science.
When Ski-Doo first launched their snowmobile brand with BRP, they created a sport that is widely used today by many people across the globe. John Deere was more of a tractor company, but that didn’t stop them from being one of the greatest companies in history and making their first snowmobile. John Deere Snowmobiles are not produced today, but are still a collectors item for the people that do still own them. All of these...
Skiing is a sport enjoyed by millions of people around the world. The adrenaline rush that skiers get from flying down the slopes is unmatched, but all too often the cause for this rush is overlooked. Physics plays a crucial role in skiing, and without it, there would definitely be no skiing. The concept of skiing is simple. You attach a ski to each foot, go to the top of a hill or incline, and slide down, turning side to side.
Competition Between Snowboarding and Skiing Snowboarding and Skiing are common and different in the subjects of culture, technique, and equipment. There are similarities on and off the mountain as well as major differences. Snowboarding was influenced in the beginning by skiing and it is now growing rapidly. Skiing has been taking part in the boarding culture to regain some ground hey lost to the boarding craze. This culture will be shown through a comparison in a “Battle of the Mountain.”
Taking care of responsibilities is an important part of life. “Carry Your Own Skis” by Lian Dolan focuses on how this impacts what people are like and how prepared they have become. While “The Washwoman” by Isaac Bashevis Singer shows how these responsibilities affect other people. Showing how prepared you can be will influence how people view you. So no matter where people live or what job they have, it is important to remember what needs done.
As for choosing equipment, the skier should pick out poles that are as tall as
I approach the rugged mountain, shielding my body from the nasty frost nipping at my exposed skin. The sun ever so lightly peeks over the horizon as I strap on my skis, lightly dusted with a thin layer of fresh snow. Although my body shivers unceasingly, I feel comforted by the surges of adrenaline pumping through my body. I skate briskly toward the ski lift to secure my place as the first person in line. On the slippery leather seats of the lift my mind races, contemplating the many combinations of runs I can chain together before I reach the bottom of the hill. I arrive at the peak of the mountain and begin building up speed. Floating on the soft snow, weaving through the trees and soaring over rocks, I feel as if I am flying. The rush of adrenaline excites me. I feed on it. I thrive on it. I am ski; I live for speed; I am an evolving technique and I hold a firm edge.
If anyone has ever heard about or watched skiing it is probably alpine skiing. Alpine skiing is the most traditional and popular type of skiing. Some of the necessary pieces of equipment needed for skiing are, helmet, gloves, ski pants and jacket, goggles, ski poles, ski boots and bindings, and last but not least skis. There are ten alpine skiing events in the olympics they vary from Downhill and Slalom, to Moguls and Slopestyle. Alpine skiing has been around since about 600 BC in modern day China. Earlier skiers used one big pole or spear not two like modern day skiers. Until the mid 19th century skiing was only used for transportation, but since then it is mainly used as a recreational sport.
Skiing has been a significant part of my life since I was three. The slopes fill me? with more joy than anywhere else. Throughout my years skiing, my Dad and my older brother Trevor have helped me. Following in their footsteps, I have progressed in both the way I ski and the difficulty of slopes I attempt. When I began skiing, I was scared and needed lessons. I could not complete any slopes except bunnies and greens (the easiest slopes). Through many days spent on the slopes challenging myself, my skill improved. I wanted to ski with my dad and brother, and knew I had to practice in order to even try keeping up with them. Determination to join them and be together skiing made me work harder than I have worked before to improve a skill. This story will help you see some of the challenges I faced and successes I achieved as I began to ski, and improved both my skill and mindset.
Pieter and I were determined to become proficient water skiers, while Rhea had knee issues that limited her participation. The Gibson Girl only had a forty horsepower motor, which wasn’t sufficient power for faster skiing or for doing tricks like skiing barefoot. I remember using the Comfort for some of our skiing before Dad traded the outboard for a sixteen-foot Gar Wood Junior, which had an inboard motor and more power. Pieter and I spent hours practicing the basics of getting up efficiently, skiing across the wake and then jumping the wake. It wasn’t long before we developed a passion for mastering slalom skiing. I wanted to ski all the time during that period.
Thin air encompasses me as I commence the final day of skiing at Vail, Colorado. Seven days of skiing elapse rather painlessly; I fall occasionally but an evening in the Jacuzzi soothes my minor aches. Closing time approaches on the final day of our trip as I prepare myself for the final run of the vacation. Fresh off the ski lift, I coast toward the junction of trails on the unoccupied expert face of the mountain. After a moment of thought, I confidently select a narrow trail so steep that only the entrance can be seen from my viewpoint.
Skiing, as a sport has existed since the early 1800’s, although depictions of skis have been discovered throughout Europe dating back thousands of years. Skiing as a recreational activity became popularized in the mid 1800’s however it did not arrive in the United States until around 1841. Once the concept of skiing reached the states, it took off. The United States continued to power advances in skiing for decades, with the introduction of rope tows, then actual ski lifts. By the 1950’s several ski areas had begun snowmaking and trail grooming, two American born inovatio9ns which ensured better skiing conditions and launched the US far ahead of Europe in ski technology (Fry 38). Skiing continued to evolve throughout the 1900’s, constantly changing and adapting to improve athlete performance and recreational experiences. Skis and equipment changed quickly and frequently, ski bindings, which...
Challenge plays an essential role in defining a sport; it provides the individual with the feeling of achievement in success. Skiing poses challenge even in its simplest foundations. Skiing on a poor quality hill, with icy snow and poor upkeep can sometimes create more challenge than a well-groomed slope. Skiing in the backcountry away from lifts and other people in freshly fallen snow provides an opportunity for the best of skiers to test t...