Choosing a New Pair of Skis

Buying a new set of skis is great fun. The technology involved is making skis more versatile and easier to use while being higher performance. How many pairs of skis does one need? Simple. There is no such thing as enough. If you can only have one pair of skis for all conditions, the one ski quiver is the answer. Based on the type of snow you plan on skiing the most frequently, that ski will probably be around 82-95mm wide under your foot giving it the most optimal performance in the widest variety of terrain and snow conditions. At that width, it will handle most powder days and still be reasonably quick edge to edge on firm snow.

If two pairs of skis are in the budget, then you can definitely cater to the snow conditions more effectively. Getting a hard snow, charging down the fall line ski, with no speed limits is great for the firm days while complimenting it with a soft snow ski that is over 95mm wide at the waist gives you more versatility.

Ultimately, a three or four pair quiver is the ideal (coming from a ski shop employee)! A full on powder ski makes those Utah/Jackson Hole trips unforgettable. No matter how you look at it, the skis of today are much more fun and versatile than they were a scant few years ago.

Getting in to the conversation about A: Rockered designs, B: Turned up tails is far too complicated and subtly determined than a short article can elaborate on. Please come in to McU Sports and we can help you determine what is best for your skiing style and desires. The research that manufacturers are putting into rocker technology is changing continually with not a lot of consistency put into it yet. It seems to have started a few years ago with little more than a shotgun approach. As new designs came out and ultimately succeeded or failed, it steered the design concepts towards better designs. The evolution is staggering. Every year, we go to an on snow demo in order to test drive the following winter’s product. We ask ourselves what can possibly be changed on skis to make them more fun? Every year, we walk away from the demo astounded at the new product.

From a necessity standpoint, skis are a frivolous purchase. The only way that skiing can and will survive and thrive is by making advancements that allow skiers to have more fun with less effort and potentially access new terrain. Support your local specialty ski shop; we can and will make better memories for you, your family, and friends than a day shopping at the mall or online can provide.

Chuck