Reference size

Instead, the red size is what each company designates as "reference size," and it is the length for which side cut and turn radius are given. In almost every case, the so-called reference size is the principal length—the length appropriate for a"target" skier.

Common terms definitions

Here are simple definitions for several key terms that we use in our reviews and instruction articles:

1-Ski-Quiver: An especially versatile ski that can handle all terrain and conditions well, in may cases as well even as dedicated, more tightly focused skis handle conditions for which they were designed. These are the skis that most skiers who own but a single pair should consider seriously and first.

All Mountain Carver: Skis with mid-seventies waists and turn radii aproximately between 16 and 18m. Versatile and suitable to skiers who spend 50%+ of their time on the groomed, but who also venture off-piste andinto bumps.

Big Mountain Carver: Similar to All Mountain Carvers in turn radius but with waists of roughly 85mm. 1-ski-quivers for skiers who spend significant time off-piste but who also regularly cruise the frontside.

Frontside: Groomed trails.

Backside: Everything else.

Fall Line: This is the line a canon ball would follow were one rolled down the slope. It can be straight down the hill, like this . . .

or it can be what we call a "double fall line" that appears when the trail or slope is on a side hill, like this

Inside (ski, boot, hand, arm, etc):

The ski, boot or appendage that is closest to the center of the turn, like this:

This can be confusing. We try to avoid terms like "left" and "right", as, for example, in the diagram above, the right ski is inside at the top of the turn, but becomes the outside ski at the bottom of the turn.

Further, when the skis are pointed straight down the fall line at the apex of the turn, there is no inside (or outside) ski, like this (or when skis are running straight)

Outside (ski, etc.):

The other, non-inside ski, the one that is farther from the center of the turn.

Uphill and Downhill (ski, boot, appendage):

Notice in the diagrams above that the outside ski is the uphill ski at the top of the turn, neither uphill nor downhill at the apex of the turn and morphs into the downhill ski at the bottom of the turn.

There also will always be an uphill ski and a downhill ski in any traverse except when both skis are running straight down a single (not double) fall line.

Traverse:

Skis are parallel and not turning and crossing the slope at any degree other than straight down.

Low angle edge:

From flat on the snow to a fairly low edge angle. Also called a "soft" or "non aggressive" edge.

allows the ski to drift or smear (see below) across the snow.

High edge angle (also Hard,Aggressive or Railed edge):

causes the ski to slice into, rather than smear across, the surface, creating various degrees of carving.

Feather:

The essence of edge control. A feathered edge is one that is reduced from a hard edge to a soft edge. The ability to feather an edge is one hallmark of an expert skier.

Carve:

The ski slices into the snow during the turn, creating a strong, narrow arc; typically the tail follows exactly in the track made by the tip. World cup turns . . . extremely effective on ice.

Smear:

Ski tip and tail follow on the same track, but using a lower edge angle creates some lateral movement across the snow. Extremely effective in deep snow, on truly steep slopes in bumps or crud. Creates sped management (control) as opposed to maximizing speed, which is what carving does.

Skid:

Out of control turn in which the tails accelerate down the hill faster than the tips and do not follow in the same track. Often results in a fall and usually begins with a wedge turn entry, in which the skis are not parallel. The skier leans back and up hill, ends up with most of the weight on the tails of the uphill ski rather than beneath the arch of the downhill foot and the downhill ski takes off. One of the leading causes of ACL injury, according to experts.

Angulation:

Occurs when upper and lower body operate independently and skiers center of mass is over the center of the turn. Used primarily in short-to-medium radius turns.

Inclination:

No lower/upper body separation. Valuable in fast, high-g long radius turns. Also common in low-energy turns at intermediate level.

Retraction/Extension:

Lengthening and shortening the legs at various phases of the turn, which keeps the upper body quiet and balanced.

Binding delta angle:

The difference in height between the heel pad and afd of the binding.

Too much creates fore/aft imbalance in the skier's stance.

Boot Ramp Angle:

Similar to binding delta angle. Likewise can present balance problems if sub-optimal, especially if used with a binding that has too much delta angle.

Footbed, aka Orthotic:

Custom molded or "off-the-shelf" moldable after-market boot insert that conforms the bottom of the inside of the shell, called the zepa or boot board, to conform to the shape of the individual skiers foot. Provides superior support, snow feel and foot-to-ski contact. Absolutely essential to high performance skiing and skill development.

This hardly exhausts the list and we may add terms from time to time, but this is a basic vocabulary for the key technical terms in skiing and equipment.

PSIA Ability Level Definitions

Terrain/condition symbols

Realskiers skill level ** symbols

Speed range

Pro: Name is a bit limiting, although professional skiers make up a large percentage of this group. Includes: top level club, NCAA, development team and second-tier World Cup athletes, many coaches, some instructors, some patrollers, many professional freeriders, most ski film stars, most professional ski testers, many industry members. The best skiers on the hill. They advance the sport and change how we ski. a.k.a. World Class Skiers. Most ski 100+ days, most ski full time.

Expert: Former pro-level skiers who currently ski considerably fewer days per season than working pros. Includes ex-NCAA athletes, former coaches and instructors, other racers and athletes, many coaches, many instructors, some patrollers, some professional freeriders, most junior and development athletes, many ski testers, many industry members, a few committed recreational skiers for whom coaching, instruction and camps are major skiing motivations.

Sport: Many recreational skiers for whom skiing is a passion pursued for the thrill of accomplishment. Often take lessons, attend camps, explore new terrain and 3-dimensional conditions. Often first on the lift and last off.

Strong: Many long-time skiers who do not pursue coaching. Some instructors, some patrollers, many long time recreational skiers, some shop employees, generally strong skiers who use traditional technique.***

Leisure: Many, if not most, recreational skiers for whom skiing is less all-consuming passion than it is another form of active recreation among many.

Casual: People for whom skiing is primarily a social opportunity, who accompany skiers of other levels, people for whom the heart of the experience is enjoying the mountains, amenities but who are unlikely to focus on technical improvement. May feel tentative in mildly challenging conditions. May ski 5 or fewer days per season.

* Difficult terrain and conditions demand well-developed skills; there's no way 'round it! These symbols indicate that a given model is effective in a given condition, but we assume adequate skills. Alas, no ski can make a skier better than she is, although an inappropriate choice can render a skier less skilled in practice than he is in reality.

Ice is in its own class of difficulty. We place the ice symbol last, unlike other terrain symbols that appear in descending order of appropriateness.

And, just because a ski does not have an ice symbol does not necessarily mean that it isn't ice-effective. The ice symbol simply denotes skis that are known to be effective ice tools.

We should add that Eastern ice is in a class by itself, as any Eastern skier knows. Some of our ice symbols may be optimistic for true eastern boilerplate. Please email with questions about specific models.