The last time I went ski-ing was about 10 years ago. My skis look hopelessly dated now because everyone seems to have curved (parabolic) skis now. What’s the point of them? Are they for certain conditions only?

My eldest lad wants to learn, so I need to look like an expert when I’m talking to him!

lol
My first advice would be
DO NOT TEACH YOUR ELDEST YOURSELF it will only end up in tears

Parabolic aren’t very different, it’s jsut much easier to start the curve, and you can usually get sharper (smaller circle radius) curves.

On the other hand you really need to use both legs during the curve and ont only the bottom one.

They usually tend to have a little bit of float if you do very long and fast schuss, but nothing dramatic (specially since most of brands now have an anti bobbing system)

hope it helps

Parabolics just do half the work for you as to turn on old, straight skis you had to force them to bend or curve to create the turn. As they now have the bend in, its easier to… well, what Juan said, start the curve and turn tighter.

Dunno if you can even buy straight skis anymore, but serious carvers are for on Piste hooning about. The more advanced you get, the stiffer they get so harder work but you’ll be good enough by them to use em properly. I’d stick the lad in ski school as its a hoot and you learn quick while having a laugh. The hire shops will know what skis to give him.

The young ‘un has lessons booked for next weekend with a real ski instructor (benzeeknees) at the local snow place. But I might have a spin while he’s on the slope.

I must get some modern skis, my old 195 GS skis look prehistoric on me at 5’5″.

I was on 215 being 6’1”. Great times but the new ski’s are so much more fun. Learn to turnwith both legs and carry all your speed through the corners. It’s hair raising when you finally realise how fast you are going :O)

Aye, the days of “who’s got the longest skis” machismo are long gone. Shame really, as I was on a manly 215 back in the day, now I’m on distinctly girly 170…

How does one calculate what length you need these days anyway?

jojoA1 – Member
How does one calculate what length you need these days anyway?

It’s not the length – it’s what you do with it. . .

It’s not the length – it’s what you do with it. . .

That’s what we say when we don’t want to hurt your feelings…

Hey – it must have been -10C !!

Ski length is generally to about chin height, longer for off piste stuff and for those who like to go fast, shorter for the park and for those who like tight turns and moguls.

Parabolic skis just make it easier to turn. Having skied with both old and new the difference if ridiculous, you can turn so much faster and smoother with news skis than you ever could with old.

I would go to snowHeads and ask what you need to know, there are a fair few knowledgeable people over there.

How does one calculate what length you need these days anyway?

Rule of thumb: it should come up to your forehead (phnarr phnarr)

It’s not just height, it’s you weight and experience as a skier.

I too would give the lad lessons.

Having skied for 20 years, the way skiing is taught is totally different than a few years ago. No more pole planting and extending etc. It’s all rolling the front of the foot and turning slower, ‘cos the ski’s do most of the work for you.

Recreational skiers still find it hard to carve, even on todays easier skis.
All great fun.

Ski length is about your size minus 5-10 cm, unless you want puff skis in such case your size is good (or you can go towards very very wide skis), you might be able to find some Y shapped so the back end still “slide like old ones” good for “godille”.

Make sure ski and fixation are adapted to your weight and skills.

Whoops – my post should have mean’t put the lad in ski-school.

When he gets good, you can buy him some double ended skis, great fro trick snd jumps ( is that what you mean’t Foxy-boy)?

no I mean Y shaped skis 😉
Standard parabolic are called X shaped. As both front and end side of the ski are wider than the centre. In the Y shaped skis, only the front is much wider. What bunnyhop is talking about are jumpy skis, with both ends curved up (a bit like an half pipe snow board compare to apline ones)

Hope it helps
Juan

There is a good ski shop down the road from Kingston, someone surely knows the one – near a bike shop. Anyway, they used to support Team GB and when I was choosing my skis they told me to check manufacturer’s suggestions as they vary a bit. I ended up buying Blizzard SkiCross 10 or something from a shop in Scotland. Great on rough pistes of Poland as well as smooth well-prepared ones in Spindleruv Mlyn, Czech Republic. Kinda Cannondale Prophet of skis I reckon.
Basically – seek help from good shops, take your time and buy skis you really want. Have fun!

Imagine the advances in bike technology in the last ten years. You are talking about at least as much progression in skis! Go to a shop and trust the staff or get some advice on Snowheads.

Newer ski’s have simply sharper edges and they are more erganomically designed, big improvements on the old ones. 🙄

And yes, hire someone to teach your eldest, it will be hard under normal circumstances to teach him but you have not bben skiing for ten years so don’t go there. 🙂

Well there is at least one expert around then, isn’t there eistrar!

New carving skis make it easier to ski in the old style but there are whole new techniques to learn to maximise their potential. It’s worth getting a carving lesson. Proper carving is a lot of fun but an old style, legs together Tyrolean bum wiggler will struggle to pick it up immediately. If you like using pistes that is, powder technique is pretty much the same! 🙄

Rent for goodness sake (says he with three pairs in the wardrobe)

It will make much more economic sense to rent until you are sure that you are going to be making a habit of the addictive white stuff

It will also give you chance to try some different types, decide whether you are a piste basher or more of an all-mountain type, etc etc