More rocker in the tail again helps with planing and keeps the skis agile, for ditching speed in the steeps or sliding them out just for fun. There’s an early rise in the tip, which makes it easy to get on edge at the start of a turn and helps with float in fresh snow. No matter who I handed these skis to - from a 14-year-old ripper to his groomer-loving weekend warrior dad, a 55-year-old ski instructor to accomplished experts - everyone raved.Įlan borrowed the shape from the original Ripstick 96, a ski I already really liked. This version of the Ripstick will please everyone - a rarity in the world of skiing.

Intermediate skiers may prefer the regular version over the Black.

When the snow has melted I add my own observations to the tester feedback and check out what other ski reviewers are saying. But over the winter I make a point of getting out on every new model for at least a run. The testers record their observations and opinions on comment cards.ĭuring the testing, I’m pretty busy adjusting bindings and chatting sidecut, construction and performance, so I only get to ski a handful of the skis. Over two days we test more than 40 pairs of skis that vary from the widest powder planks to the race-ready bombers.

Most of the major ski manufacturers send me the skis they will debut the following winter and I assemble a team of testers, weekend warriors, full-time ski instructors and ski bums to try them out. How We TestedĪs technical editor at Ski Canada Magazine, the Great White North’s largest circulation ski publication, I organize a ski test every spring at my local ski hill, Mount Washington Alpine Resort. And remember that rocker makes a ski feel shorter. Otherwise, aim for about your height or a little less.

The length of your last pair of skis is a good place to start. “I can hate a ski in one length and love it in another,” says Ben Rabinowitz, a ski advisor for Backcountry. That’s especially handy for making steep terrain easier. Tail rocker helps release a ski at the end of a turn. The longer the tip rocker, the easier it is to start a turn and the more a ski wants to float in fresh snow. Rocker makes skiing easier by making the ski feel shorter because less ski is in contact with the snow. And 13 meters could probably carve a circle. Do you make lots of turns or prefer to open it up and ski straight and fast? Most skis list their turn radius, and it often varies slightly with ski length. All-mountain and park skis land anywhere in between. Powder skis are on the other end of the spectrum, 110mm and wider. Narrower widths – say 60mm to 80mm – are best for nimble and precise carving. The width of a ski determines how easy it is to get from edge to edge, how much it wants to float in soft snow and how easy it is to carve. Four Factors to Consider Before You Shop Waist Width

Perfect Feet by Stuart Mogul