Skis: specifications, types

General design features and main purpose of skis.

— Universal (all mountain). Alpine skis for general use, designed for carving skiing and designed primarily for beginners and amateurs. Suitable for different slopes and types of surface - with deep loose snow, with dense snow, with a smooth slope, with hillocks, etc. They have relatively low rigidity. On each individual type of surface, such skis are generally inferior to specialized models; on the other hand, they are convenient because they allow you to ski on different slopes with relative comfort without changing your skis.

— Freeride (free style). Freeride refers to skiing on mountain slopes outside of prepared trails, on untouched snow. This type of skiing is considered the most extreme because... unfamiliar slopes are unpredictable. Accordingly, freeride skis are characterized by increased durability. In addition, they are characterized by a fairly large width, a relatively wide waist (compared to all-mountain skis) and a soft tip and tail.

— Slalom / carving (aggressive skiing). Technically, carving is the basic riding style for most modern alpine skis. This category also includes sports skis designed for classic slalom on prepared slopes. They are stiffer than the all-mountains, but softer than the giant slalom models, and have a pronounced waist and a shallow-radius sidecut (see b...elow) to facilitate tight turns.

— Freestyle (stunts). This category includes skis designed for ski acrobatics and other types of riding associated with jumps and tricks in the air - slopestyle, halfpipe, new school, etc. Among these models there are specialized options, for example Aerials - for aerial acrobatics or P&P (Park&Pipe) for new school. In any case, "acrobatic" skis are relatively short in length and can be made in a "twin-tip" shape (see below). Note that mogul and ski cross are also usually classified as freestyle disciplines, but skis for them in our catalog are separated into separate categories (see below).

— For giant slalom. Giant slalom is a type of slalom that involves a long course with a large difference in altitude. Skis for this kind of skiing have a longer length and a larger cut radius than models for slalom/carving (see above).

— Mogul (hilly track). Mogul is a type of freestyle that involves descending along a track with a large number of bumps (the track may also have springboards for aerial acrobatics). Mogul skis are distinguished by a relatively small width and cutout radius, the absence of a pronounced waist, a soft tip, medium bending rigidity and high torsional rigidity.

— Ski tour (with ascent). A ski tour is an alpine skiing activity in which the athlete must climb the mountain to descend independently, without a ski lift. For ease of ascent, skis for ski touring should be equipped with camus (devices that prevent slipping backwards) and special fastenings that allow the heel of the boot to be released during ascent and firmly fixed during descent.

— Ski cross (group descent). One of the freestyle disciplines, closely approaching alpine skiing: skiers descend along a track with turns and jumps, and in the final races, 4 people start at a time. Skis for this type of descent combine a small radius of cut, which makes turning easier, and relative softness for “working out” irregularities. Inexpensive models are very close to universal ones (see above).

— Classic running. Cross-country skis are tech designed for movement on a relatively flat surface, incl. over fairly long distances (tens of kilometers). They are made long, narrow and, unlike mountain ones, have no waist; and running bindings rigidly fix the foot only in the toe, allowing the heel to move up and down. The classic style of running involves moving skis parallel to each other, ideally along a finished ski track.

- Cross-country skating. A type of cross-country skiing for moving in skating style - along a wide road, with movements reminiscent of the movements of a speed skater. They have a slightly shorter length than the classic ones described above, as well as a small edging along the edges of the lower part to ensure effective thrusts.

— Classic cross-country/skating. Cross-country skis, equally suitable for both classic and skating (see above). The design features are closer to ridge ones; It often happens that the declared type - “pure ridge” or universal - depends more on the decision of the manufacturer than on technical features.

— Short (skiboards). Very short alpine skis of symmetrical design, with a “twin-tip” shape and a wider width than classic models. They are divided into two categories - standard (length up to 110 cm) and longboards (110 - 130 cm). The first variety is intended primarily for trick riding; At the same time, the short design places special demands on skills, but allows you to perform tricks that are not possible on conventional skis. Longboards, in turn, are also suitable for freeride.

— Splitboard. Splitboards, in fact, are not skis, but a type of snowboard. The main difference between this device and a regular “board” is its collapsible design: a splitboard consists of two halves, which, when separated, turn into a pair of skis. The capabilities of such skis are similar to models for ski touring (see above): they are equipped with skins, bindings with a free heel and are well suited for independent ascent. To descend, the halves are connected back, the fastenings are rearranged, and when riding down, such a board is actually no different from a classic snowboard. Splitboards are valued primarily among tech who prefer mountains without a lift or other equipment, or for some reason do not want to use such equipment.

“Gender” and “age” of skis.

- Unisex. Skis designed for adults (as well as teenagers of appropriate height) regardless of gender. As a rule, they have a discreet or relatively neutral design; the size may vary.

- Women's. Skis designed for women have a slightly smaller size than unisex models. In addition, they are often made in a distinctive bright design.

- Children's's. The main feature of children's skis is their short length, which allows a child who has not reached adult height to ride them comfortably.

Approximate skill level the skis are designed for.

— Newbie. Equipment designed for those who have no (or little) skiing experience and are learning the basics of skiing.

— Progressive. Models for those who have mastered the basic skills of riding, but still need practice to use skis confidently.

— Average. Models for amateurs who ride regularly and in large quantities, but in relatively uncomplicated conditions.

— Experienced. Skiing for those who have surpassed or intend to surpass the experience of the average skier (go to more difficult tracks, learn new tricks); also suitable for the initial training of athletes.

— Expert. Professional models designed primarily for athletes.

The more “professional” a ski is, the more features it provides, but the price comes at the cost of difficult handling and the need for specialized skills. Therefore, when choosing according to this indicator of skiing, you need to soberly assess the level of the skier. Also note that some models may be suitable for several levels at once. For example, skis for advanced skiers can be comfortable enough for initial training, or vice versa, quite advanced and suitable for intermediate levels.

The length of each ski. First of all, stability and turnability depend on this indicator: the longer the ski, the easier it is to keep it on course and the harder it is to turn.

The choice for this indicator depends primarily on the height of the user, however, for different types and styles of riding (see above), recommendations for height will also be different, they should be clarified in each case separately from special sources. It is not worth neglecting the recommendations for size: skis that are too long will be bulky and make it difficult to manoeuvre, too short will be unstable and will fall heavily on loose snow.

The radius of the curved line that forms the sidecut of the skis. Such cutouts are typical for mountain models — they are necessary for successful cornering at speed. At the same time, the smaller the cutout radius, the more pronounced its curvature, the greater the difference in width between the toe / heel and the waist, and the higher the steering (smaller turning radius). In turn, for "high-speed" skis (for example, for giant slalom), the radius of curvature is usually small.

— Directed. Classic ski shape. In such models, only the toe is bent up, and the heel is straight, rectangular (or close in shape to a rectangle). The directional shape is designed only for forward movement — when moving backward, the heel is almost guaranteed to burrow into the snow, locking the skis. This, on the one hand, reduces the risk of rolling "in the wrong direction", on the other hand, it somewhat limits the possibilities for tricks.

— Twin type. Twin-type skis are bent up not only in front, but also in the back (moreover, the heel, usually, has the same width and shape as the toe). This allows you to ride them both forward and backward with equal success. This possibility is relevant primarily for trick riding, so twin-tips are used mainly in skis for various types of freestyle (see "Type and style").

— Partial twin-type. This category includes skis, both ends of which are rounded, but differ in width. At the same time, unlike the "full" twin types, the heel in such models does not necessarily bend upwards — it can be straight. For a number of reasons, this form is popular in a wide variety of types of alpine skiing.

The greatest width of the skis in the front.

The ratio of the width of the "nose", "waist" and "heel" allows you to estimate the radius of the side cutout (see above) — there is a special formula for this. In general, wider skis (with the same length) are more passable and less “fast” than narrow ones — they fall into the snow less, but they also go worse forward.

The smallest width of the skis in the middle part, usually, in the attachment area.

The ratio of the width of the "nose", "waist" and "heel" allows you to estimate the radius of the side cutout (see above) — there is a special formula for this. In general, wider skis (with the same length) are more passable and less “fast” than narrow ones — they fall into the snow less, but they also go worse forward.

The greatest width of the skis in the back.

The ratio of the width of the "nose", "waist" and "heel" allows you to estimate the radius of the side cutout (see above) — there is a special formula for this. In general, wider skis (with the same length) are more passable and less “fast” than narrow ones — they fall into the snow less, but they also go worse forward.

A ski base is called a skid (the lower part that is in direct contact with the snow and is responsible for sliding), but only if the base material is different from the core material. In cross-country skiing, such a design is found in isolated cases, but for mountain and stunt skiing, slippers are required. Usually, polyethylene with various additives is used as the base material; Here are the main types of such polyethylene:

— Sintered (sintered). The production technology of sintered polyethylene includes sintering under pressure and applying micro-notches directly at the factory. Such a material is strong, hard, glides easily and provides higher speed than extruded, but is more expensive and more difficult to repair. It is used mainly in professional skiing.

— Extruded (extruded). Slippers of this type are produced using a simpler technology than sintered ones and do not have notches. They are softer, have medium strength, slip less and are not suitable for high speeds. On the other hand, if the goal of the skier is not the highest possible speed, this option is also quite acceptable; while extruded polyethylene is much cheaper and easier to repair.

The material from which the main part of the ski structure is made.

- Wood. A traditional ski material that is still popular today; used in most skis of all types and price categories. Depending on the type and processing method, wood can be given different torsional and bending stiffness, this material has good strength and is quite inexpensive. However cross-country skis made of wood (see "Type and style") are somewhat more difficult to use than plastic ones. So, they need to be lubricated with the so-called holding ski ointment, and there are a great many methods of lubrication and types of ointment (in particular, different types of ointment are recommended for different temperatures). And in the thaw, such skis can get wet and glide poorly. On the other hand, wooden skis “grip” better and slip less.

— Plastic. Plastic is less suitable for serious loads than wood, therefore it is used very rarely, mainly in cross-country skiing. Such skis have a notch on the underside in the middle part where the boot is located, which allows them to do without lubrication. On the other hand, the plastic surface tends to slip when moving backwards, and lubrication may still be necessary in some conditions. Also note that plastic cross-country skis are made only for the classic course.

The design determines the cross-sectional view of the ski — primarily the overall shape, as well as the features of the top cover and sidewalls.

— Sandwich. In the "sandwich" (or "sidewall") design, the sidewalls covering the core are made separately from the top "cover". In cross section, the ski looks like a clear trapezoid; the core itself is usually made of several layers of dissimilar materials. The sidewall provides good strength and reliability, it allows the edge to effectively “bite” into the snow during turns and skating pushes; in addition, such skis are easier to repair than caps. Their disadvantages are a little more weight, as well as an increased likelihood of damage if the skis are accidentally crossed.

— Cap. In cap-type skis, the core is covered from above and from the sides by a continuous protective shell, due to which a trapezoid with rounded upper corners is obtained in the section. Such products are somewhat lighter than "sandwiches" and are not as prone to damage in collisions, but they have less rigidity, as a result — they are more prone to side slip and are less controlled at high speeds. And the repair of "caps" is much more difficult.

A characteristic that determines the ability to work out the loads created by skis, depending on the weight of the skier and the speed of laying turns.

- Soft (soft). Soft skis will fit light skiers (up to about 75 kg) to achieve rapid progress in classic skiing. Their block part is tightly pressed against the surface of the ski track, which slows down the speed of movement.

- Medium (medium). Skis with medium stiffness are addressed to people of average weight (75-95 kg). If you stand on such skis, they should leave a minimum gap between the block and the floor under load (about 0.5 mm).

- Stiff (hard). Rigid skis work out high loads well and are suitable for mastering fast skating when riding on relatively flat horizontal surfaces. Models of the Stiff class leave a gap of 1-2 mm between the floor and the last, they are also intended for heavy skiers.

- X-Stiff (super-hard). Super-hard skis will serve as a good purchase for a weight of more than 100 kg for adepts in skiing with the breeze. This category usually includes racing skis for skating.

Additional items included in the package.

— Sticks. Most skiing styles involve the use of poles. At the same time, such equipment is found mainly among children's skis; it is more convenient for an adult user to choose sticks separately, according to their specific skills and preferences.

— Fastening. Mounting brackets are included, eliminating the need to purchase them separately. At the same time, “native” mounts are most often optimally suited for skis, while with third-party mounts there may be difficulties. On the other hand, this option is not always optimal: it is more convenient for some skiers to choose bindings on their own, at their discretion.

Also note that if there are mounts, their model may be indicated in the characteristics — for example, the popular brand Atomic uses a designation of 3 letters and 2 numbers, like “XTE 10”. Knowing the mounting model, you can find detailed information on it and clarify how it fits certain requirements.

The year, or more precisely, the season for which the skis were produced. Each winter season is at the junction of calendar years, so the model year is indicated by two numbers - for example, 2022/2023, 2021/2022, 2020/2021, 2019/2020, etc.

Model ranges are constantly being replenished, and existing models are being improved. Accordingly, newer skis ( model year 2023 – 2024) are considered more advanced. On the other hand, updates may not match the rider's preferences (or even be insignificant), while the new models are noticeably more expensive than the old ones.

As a manufacturing country, usually, they indicate not the country of actual production of skis, but the “homeland” of the brand under which they are presented on the market. Most of these brands come from famous "ski" countries such as Austria or Switzerland ; in addition, there are quite a few companies from Germany, Slovenia, the USA and France on the market. At the same time, the factories where skis are actually produced are often located in other countries. Thus, sellers go to the trick, making skis more attractive in the eyes of the buyer. At the same time, this cannot be called an unambiguous deception: large brands, usually, strictly control the quality of products, regardless of the country in which they are produced. Therefore, it is worth evaluating skis primarily by the reputation of a particular brand, and not by the country of origin indicated in the characteristics.