Key Symbols in sample reviews
Skis showing this symbol are Skis of the Year.
Skis showing this symbol are good 1-Ski-Quiver candidates, although not all are for every skier.
Skis showing the star symbol are the skis grouped by category.
Camber Profiles
elite-level carvers
traditional camber, including twin tips, no pronounced tip or tail rise (other than normal twin tips)
early rise ("rocker") tip only, including long rocker - no tail rocker, usually cambered underfoot
rocker tip and tail, may or may not have some center camber
Performance Characteristics and Other Symbols and Review Details
Not only are we totally independent, accepting neither 'advice' nor 'direction' from ski manufacturers, we do not consider rehash of manufacturer claims to be true reviews. We do not include supplier comments except as necessary to explain a unique feature.
We sell nothing (except subscriptions, of course), accept no advertising and have but one goal: to help skiers find the best equipment and use it for maximum performance.
How a ski performs for whom on what terrain and in what conditions according to our 100+ non-professional test skiers is what our reviews are about; real reviews for real skiers.
(test card)
Clean carve: High edge carving ability, edge moves cleanly forward through the snow.
Smooth Drift (formerly Soft Edge) : Lower edge angle; edge moves laterally across snow, as well as forward through it. There is a continuum from hard carve, with no lateral movement of the edge, to side-slip, in which there is no edge engagement and the entire edge moves laterally; soft edge is that area between. Most turns, even by top skiers, have some degree of edge softness built in. Think of a well executed feathered-edge turn as the "instructor turn." This characteristic is of key importance in determining a ski's ability to accept traditional technique and its ability to respond to various degrees of edge feather —we pay strong attention to this characteristic.
Accurate: Does the ski run precisely with relatively little tip wander and deflection? Can the edge be aimed at specific points on the snow?
Stability: Stability at speed and under shock and vibration. Is the ski a solid platform?
Rebound: Rebound energy. Does the ski store energy to power into and through the transition? This does not necessarily mean that the ski becomes air born between turns, something top skiers try to minimize (never mind WC slalom racers; even though they are often off the ground bet wen turns, they are in fact trying to maintain contact while skiing on the edge of what is possible on skis)
Quickness: How fast does the ski react to direction change? (not exactly the same as rebound, but good rebound usually means good quickness). Especially, how fast does the ski roll up on edge?
Lightness: Does the ski ski light or heavy? Not necessarily a function of actual physical weight.
Relaxing (formerly forgiving): the opposite of demanding. Does the ski insist that you stay right on top of it, with no relaxation, or will it cover up and smooth over minor wobbles, glitches and bobbles? Is it possible to relax or does the ski demand constant high energy input?
Builds Confidence: (NEW in 2011) Inspires confidence, encourages experimentation, promotes a sense of skill, allows skier to ski more aggressively, to ski in "the zone." The opposite is a ski that creates tension, that causes the skier to be tentative, to hold back, to ski defensively. Please be aware this is the most subjective rating, is reasonably valid only for skill levels and technical styles indicated in the review.
Reference size
177
The size indicated in red is not necessarily the principal test size, although that often works out to be the case.
The red size usually is what each company designates as "reference size" and it is the length for which the side cut and turn radius are given in our reviews. In many cases, the reference size is the principal length—the length appropriate for a "target" skier and, often, it is the "build" size. In other words, it is the the size the company developed and tested before creating a production run of multiple sizes.
Specifications
125/75/105 tip in mm/waist in mm/tail in mm
(17m) turn radius in meters
Terrain symbols
groomed terrain
hard snow, western "ice"
*New England/Midwest/Northwest/Quebec ice and marble—the kind that reflects light and repels ball peen hammers
50% + on groomed
50% + off groomed
extreme bumps
"normal" bumps or bumps that build on a snowy day; crud, uneven chop deep powder
powder
big mountain-Snowbird, Jackson, etc.; serious natural terrain and conditions, Alaska, for example
masters race
race
Skill levels and technical styles
Pro: Name is somewhat limiting, although professional skiers make up much of this group. Includes: top level club, NCAA, development team and 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. Almost all ski full time.
Expert: Former pro-level skiers who currently ski many 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 high level recreational skiers for whom coaching, instruction and camps are major skiing activities, who focus on technical skills and who ski 50 or more days.
Strong: Many long-time skiers who do not pursue coaching. Some instructors, some patrollers, many long time recreational skiers, some shop employees; these skiers use traditional technique.***
Sport: Recreational skiers for whom skiing is a passion pursued for the thrill of accomplishment. Take lessons, attend camps, explore new terrain and 3-dimensional conditions. Often first on the lift and last off.
Leisure: Many, if not most, recreational skiers for whom skiing is less all-consuming passion than just another form of active recreation. May choose skiing vacation as one alternative among several: golf, cruise, beach resort, etc.
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 mountains and amenities but who do not focus on technical improvement. May feel tentative in mildly challenging conditions. May ski 5 or fewer days.
Confidence symbols—valid for terrain and skill levels shown in any given review
builds confidence
neutral or, in a few cases, impossible to determine based on test results
detracts from confidence
Suitable speed range
extremely unstable at speed
versatile, unstable above 25mph±
stable at speed, may be sluggish below 15 or so
best kept in gates or on closed courses
responsive at low speed, stable at high speeds, versatile
How fast do skiers ski?
We've been asked how one would determine one's own speed. While these symbols refer more to the ski's ability to handle speed than to the skier's typical skiing speeds, there is a simple way to determine how fast one skis.
If under normal circumstances you pass all or most of the skiers you encounter, you ski fast.
If some skiers pass you and you pass others, you likely are skiing in the recreational speed range.
If most skiers pass you, then you are probably skiing at slow speed.
Comments
Difficult terrain and conditions demand well-developed skills. 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 he or she is, although an inappropriate choice can render a skier less skilled.
Ice is in its own class of difficulty. No ski can replace technical skill for holding (and handling) ice, but quite a few can assist the strong skier. Note, too, that ice comes in several varieties. The most challenging is what many call "eastern" ice, which may be rock hard ice, or the even more challenging "marble."
Note: 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.
Definitions
Terms we use in reviews and articles
Technical skis:
designed for modern technique on the frontside, carving, racing and skill development.
Tactical skis:
the most versatile skis—designed for all mountain skiing in which conditions range from flat ice to broken deep snow, including bumps and crud — some models also fit into the Technical group — many well balanced "1-ski-quivers."
Freeride skis:
or deep snow and backside conditions — rockers, especially, render off-piste skiing easier for less-than-expert level skiers — includes some crossover models designed for park and pipe but acceptable in off-piste skiing.
While those are the 3 major classifications, some other descriptive terms that we use include:
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 seventies waists and turn radii approximately between 16 and 18m. Versatile and suitable to skiers who spend 50%+ of their time on the groomed, but who also venture off-piste and into bumps.
Big Mountain Carver:
Similar to All Mountain Carvers in turn radius, with waists of 82 to 88mm +/-. 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 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." 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, or "finish", of the turn.
Further, when the skis are pointed straight down the fall line, there is no inside (or outside) ski.
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 then becomes the downhill ski at the bottom of the turn.
There is always an uphill ski and a downhill ski in any traverse that is not 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 skid or smear (see below-they're not the same thing) 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.
Binding delta angle:
Angle created by 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; angled created by difference in height between heel and ball of foot. Likewise can present balance problems if sub-optimal, especially if used with a binding that has too much delta angle. Read more about ramp and delta angles
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.
We add terms from time to time, but this is a basic vocabulary for our key technical terms in skiing and equipment.
Camber & Rockers
2012 reviews include symbols that designate 3 camber-profile families.
camber-profile symbols
Many ski companies describe profile configuration, in part, by dimensions: L X H, where L is the length of rise and H is the height of rise.
2012 reviews identify three simplified profile families: rocker, early rise and traditional camber. The new symbols designate profile family only and are not meant to be model-by-model definitive, but simply to divide ski designs into three general and understandable groups. We do not differentiate between twin tip and and flat tail models, nor between modest early rise and more dramatic "rocker" tip design.
Rocker profile
Skis with negative or some camber and pronounced rocker design tip and tail, what some call 'powder rocker' (or—less kindly—'barrel staves'), are designated as rockers. These are most effective in deep snow.
Early rise profile
Skis with highly rockered tips that are also traditionally cambered, what some companies call 'park rocker' or 'resort rocker', we designate as early rise, as we do skis with traditional camber, flat tails and more modest tip rise. Skis like this tend to handle crud and other bumpy features well and are as a rule less technically demanding than skis with traditional camber, especially on hard snow.
Traditional profile
Skis with none of the above are designated traditional camber. These are the most technical skis, including—but not limited to—actual race skis. These skis deliver the highest level of performance on ice, groomed and hard snow and are the choice for developing technical skills, including carving skills.
Some company literature is less than clear; definitions and labels vary by brand and it is not feasible for us to physically inspect each of the more than 320 models reviewed, so we may get a few wrong.
For more on each company's proprietary designs and configuration labels, please refer to the catalogs.
Above all, remember the paramount rule: When in doubt, take it out!
Skills and Technique
Modern vs. Traditional technique
Traditional technique emphasizes steering, in which tips are pressured and steered into the turn, up & or down unweighting is frequently used to initiate the turn. Often referred to as "elegant, feet-together style." Put another way, modern technique depends on 4-edge skiing and tipping; traditional technique emphasizes big-toe edge skiing and weighted ski steering.
Terms we use in reviews and articles:
Extension/retraction:
Shortening and lengthening legs at various phases of the turn—keeps upper body quiet and centered.
Along with arm and hand use, extension/retraction may well be the most under-appreciated fundamental skill in skiing. Lack of dynamic e-r renders carving (especially on ice), bumps, deep snow and steeps more difficult than is necessary. It is a signal characteristic of true expert skiing.
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 . . . effective on ice.
Smear:
Ski tip and tail follow on the same track, but using a lower edge angle which allows some lateral movement across the snow. Effective in deep snow, on steep slopes, in bumps or crud. Facilitates speed management (control) as opposed to maximizing speed, which is what carving does. This turn allows free riders to shed speed in difficult conditions. AKA "rocker technique"
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/or uphill, with most weight on the tails of the uphill ski rather than beneath the arch of the downhill foot. The downhill ski takes off, tail first. One of the leading causes of ACL injury, according to experts.
Angulation:
Occurs when upper and lower body operate independently and skier's center of mass is over the center of the turn. Used primarily in short-to-medium radius turns.
Inclination:
Little lower/upper body separation. Valuable in fast, high-g long radius turns. Also common in low-energy turns at intermediate level.
Ability level definitions: PSIA vs Realskiers
Please note: Our ability scale is different from P.S.I.A.'s, particularly in that our scale is exponential, a bit like the Richter Scale. In other words, each level is an order of magnitude higher than the next lower level—10 is much more skilled than 9, which is many times stronger than 8 and so on. The higher the level, the more difficult it is to reach the next higher level.
This is, in part, what makes skiing a true lifetime sport.
PSIA ability levels
1: first time
2: make wedge turns in both directions on gentle terrain—may have skied a few times or have taken a beginning lesson
3: more confident, can make linked wedge turns on gentle terrain
4: tentative intermediates who can link turns but ski cautiously—speed control is primary—may be able to perform low level parallel turn—may have taken several lessons
5: more accomplished intermediates who are more assured on blue trails, ski mostly parallel but may revert to a wedge to start turns or stop—cautious on slightly steeper or icy blues
6: make confident parallel turns on intermediate trails but tend to avoid more advanced runs—goal for most is to improve and learn to ski more difficult terrain
7: ski well on blues, can "get down" most blacks—sometimes venture off-piste—seeking to become adept on all terrain and in all conditions—many committed recreational skiers, especially those who take destination trips
8: strong technique on all terrain and in all conditions—in fact, often described as "strong" skiers—can handle moguls and make carved turns—many first year instructors or habitual ski camp attendees
9: seek terrain challenges, possess efficient technique—many instructors, patrollers—most often working professionals
10: national team members, professional free ride athletes, ski film stars, some demo team members, most high-end ski coaches—rare, the best skiers in the world
Realskiers ability levels
(PSIA levels 7/8) Sport developing technical skills
Skiers' Responsibility Code (NSAA)
- Always ski in control, able to stop or avoid other people or objects.
- People ahead of you have the right of way—It is your responsibility to avoid them.
- Don't stop where you obstruct a trail or are not visible from above.
- Whenever starting downhill or merging into a trail, look uphill and yield to others.
- Always use devices to help prevent runaway equipment.
- Observe all posted signs and warnings—keep off closed trails and out of closed areas—before using any lift, you must have the knowledge and ability to load, ride and unload safely.
Trail Markers (US)
The most important thing to understand about trail ability-level markings in the U.S. is that there is no standardization; each resort and are is essentially free to mark trails as it sees fit. Of course, natural customer service concerns generally keep these markers in reality, but the definition of reality can vary dramatically. For example, a green designation at one of the high-macho big mountain resorts like Snowbird, Squaw or Jackson may more resemble a black at a non-challenging area in Connecticut or Ohio. Be sure to find out the local standard at any resort to avoid challenge surprises. That said, here are rough meanings for each of the 5 most common designations: |
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The round green trail sign indicates gentle and generally highly groomed terrain suitable to beginners and lower level casual skiers (and, of course, to any higher ability level) | |||
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Trails and slopes marked with blue squares are the most popular terrain at virtually any resort and are suited to what are loosely referred to as "intermediates" and above. Generally groomed, but can deteriorate under traffic throughout the day. |
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Black Diamond slopes and trails are recommended for strong skiers and often represent a "goal of passage" to intermediates aspiring to expert status. But, it is important to note, not all black diamonds are created equal. There is a big difference between a steep groomed trail and one filled with natural snow conditions and obstacles like large moguls. | |||
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True experts only. Double blacks, if accurately marked, represent the most challenging conditions typically encountered in a resort setting, at least inbounds. Generally a designation to be respected to the utmost. | |||
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Rare designation usually reserved for off-piste and out-of-bounds terrain that can be literally death defying. Regions referred to as "You fall, you die" zones deserve (but don't always have) this ultimate marker designation. Best approached under the watchful eye of certified mountain guides or top instructors who specialize in what used to be called "extreme" skiing. | |||
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