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Skis
for the Better Skier - About Your Ski Equipment
There's been some improvement in ski equipment design since the earliest known skis were found
in a Swedish bog four thousand years ago. Today's sleek offerings are very
clever pieces of kit and within the last five years have seen a great leap
forward in design. You don't have to stand in the shop and lift your arm
as high as possible to touch the ski tips with your wrist any longer.
The
Correct Length of Ski
The suggested length now can be anything from 5cm (2") smaller than your own
height to 5cm taller as a rule of thumb. So clever are the latest models that
they will grip on ice, go reasonably fast, and float through powder snow. If you
have been stuck in a rut for years and have moved onto these shorter wider skis,
you should have noticed some improvement although they will not be suitable for
really fast work. The main thing is to try different pairs out and experiment
with them.
The Composition of Skis
It's an interesting fact in passing: skis were made solely of wood until
forty years ago when ski equipment manufacturers began to substitute wood with all manner
of composite laminates and core materials such as fibreglass, plastic foam, metal and even carbon fibre.
One make even adapted the honeycomb material used in the legs of the Eagle
space craft! They
have since found that none of these work as well as the flexibility provided by
wood, and have reintroduced wood as a major component.
Choosing the Right Ski Equipment - Hire Skis or Buy Skis?
If you decide to hire or buy ski equipment from a shop, try to go when it's
quiet. If you go when the shop is busy, the bloke in charge may briefly glance
at you, and judging the look on your face, ie: pure terror or cool omniscience,
will thrust a pair of skis at you without further ado. Be accurate about your standard of skiing as
shops nowadays are more willing to listen and provide useful advice!
If you are skiing for just a week consider ski rental and ask for the quality
skis. They will cost a bit more but as good ski shops get new skis in every
winter season, you could be skiing on brand new ones at Christmas or New Year.
If you are
buying ski equipment or hiring skis from the ski shop, take a good look at them
first. Check the undersides. Are the plastic soles in good nick? The edges
should be sharp and smooth. Test them to see if they
have any life left. Do this by squeezing them together, sole to sole, and
squeezing them firmly at the mid point. They
should be touching all down their length and there should be a good gap and a
certain springiness when you release the pressure....
Extracts from
'Secrets of Better Skiing' by Simon Dewhurst
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