Given the number of skis on the market today, it can be overwhelming to select a new pair of downhill skis for the coming season. This short guide should help to make the purchasing process easier to handle.
Out of all the possible things to consider, the primary factors I’ll focus on that dictate the characteristics of an alpine ski are waist width, flex, and materials, and shape.
Width
Width is a great starting point to look at the plethora of ski models available. Skis with a narrower waist width, around 80-90 millimeters underfoot, are ideal for carving and firm conditions. These skis offer the most control in classic east coast conditions, but usually lack the ability to float in softer snow. Most Vermont skiers would be best suited on a ski in this range nearly everyday. A narrower ski also takes less force and is easier on the joints to drive on hardpack and groomed terrain and when focusing on carving than a wider waist. However, when the snow gets softer, having a wider ski that can float on top, rather than sink through softer snow is advantageous, so any ski in the 95-105mm range strikes a balance of firm condition and soft condition handling. Skis in this width can also offer more stability in rough conditions than a narrower waisted ski.
Any ski wider than 105 millimeters (give or take) is going to perform best in soft snow. Greater surface area allows for the best floatation, at the expense of edge to edge control, carving capability and weight. Put simply, as skis get wider they gain floatation at the expense of on piste or on hardpack performance. Of course, plenty of wide skis can also handle firmer terrain well based on other characteristics, but using waist width to compare models can give a clear sense of what the ski is intended to do.
The widest ski we carry is the Atomic Bent 120 geared for deep snow, while the narrowest and best suited for carving include the Nordica Steadfast 80, Atomic Maverick 83, and K2 Mindbender 89Ti.
Flex & Materials
Flex is a characteristic of a ski that determines its forgiveness. This can be felt in any ski shop by bending the ski with your hands throughout several key flex points across the length of a ski. All skis should be progressively more stiff from tip and tail towards the underfoot, but each model is unique in the rate of stiffness and responsiveness from being flexed. Generally, beginner skiers should look for a softer flexing ski, because it allows for more forgiveness as a new skier progresses. More advanced skiers might look to a stiffer ski to push the ski harder at faster speeds, especially through challenging terrain. Most carving-focused skis will be stiffer to allow for more responsiveness, while freestyle skis and skis designed for softer, deeper snow will generally have a softer flex pattern. Despite these general guidelines, deciding on a ski based on flex comes to personal preference. For skiers who view the mountain as their playground and enjoy popping, spinning and cruising around the whole mountain, a moderate or softer flexing ski might be their first choice. For others who prefer a more directional approach and charge hard at higher speeds, selecting a stiffer ski that provides more support in technical situations may suit their style more accurately.
The flex of a ski goes hand in hand with materials. A stiffer ski can be achieved through manipulating the types of wood in the ski's core, or by adding another material to the construction such as Carbon or Titanal, a type of metal alloy (no, Ti in a ski does not stand for titanium). Both Carbon and Titanal skis offer more stiffness than their wood-only counterparts, but Carbon tends to make a ski more poppy and stiff while also reducing weight (best for uphill and ski touring) whereas metal alloys increase stiffness, dampness (think vibration absorption) and weight. Skis with metal tend to detract from uphill ease of use as well, but for a skier looking to prioritize downhill performance with a stiff feeling chassis, a ski with metal will smooth out the rough terrain the best.
Some of the softest skis we carry include the Line Pandora and Line Chronic, while the stiffest include the Nordica Enforcer and K2 Mindbender Ti models (Enforcer and Mindbender Ti both include strips of titanal). The Atomic Bent series of skis fall somewhere in the middle and offer a combination of playfulness and charging ability. The Elan Ripstick in varying widths and in both men’s and women’s versions utilizes carbon stringers to strike a balance of uphill performance by reducing weight while simultaneously offering a sturdy, descending-capable feel.
Shape
Ski shape describes the sidecut of a ski as well as the rocker and camber profile. Most modern skis offer a combination of camber and rocker, with rocker in the tip, which is how much the ski lifts up away from the snow. More tip rocker, similarly to waist width, allows for better float. Camber is the opposite of rocker, and encourages contact with the snow when force is driven into the ski. Skis can be either directional, meaning the tail does not lift up from the snow, or twin tipped, which allows for skiing switch (backwards) as well as easier release from turns. Tail rockered skis tend to feel more nimble and snappy and do not carve as well as directional skis. Freestyle and freeride skis will usually have some tail rocker to have that agile feel and the ability to land backwards, although there are directional freeride skis such as the K2 Mindbender series.
Length
While often overlooked, length is another factor to consider in selecting a ski, but can usually be selected after deciding on a model. Beginners should look for a ski around chin height, while more advanced skiers can choose one above eye level up to their own height. Advanced skiers will often choose a ski that is taller than they are, especially for fast, hard charging skier types, while more playful skiers could benefit from a slightly shorter overall length than someone looking to charge. Length is also impacted heavily by the shape of this ski: a heavily tip-rockered ski like the Salomon QST 98 or Nordica Enforcer will ski shorter due to the lessened effective edge that contacts the snow.
To conclude, there are quite a few factors to look for when selecting a new pair of skis. Hopefully by looking at these main components of a ski, it will be easier to narrow it down. As always, any of our staff are happy to work with you to meet your needs while shopping for alpine skis.
- Jamie Williamson,
Former Skirack Alpine Specialist
