Ski equipment to help carve out a clean path

By ANDREW FOSTER

Ski design has become highly sophisticated and skis that seem great on the other side of the world may be very disappointing on Mt Ruapehu.

A ski designed specifically for soft snow may not perform well on hard ice and a modern carving ski will perform better than a straight ski on ice.

Confused? Well, alpine sports equipment can get fairly technical, but ski shop staff are usually gear freaks and full of good advice.

The advent of the carving ski has all but made the traditional straight skis obsolete. A carving ski, which is wider in the tip and tail than at the waist, makes for easier and more advanced turns and this means more fun.

The carving ski, proved on the racing circuit, has evolved in several different directions.

The category that dominates the industry in North America and Europe are the free-ride or mid-fat skis.

Free-ride is a term used for a ski that is designed to go anywhere on the mountain. Mid-fat refers to the medium width.

In general, a wider ski will perform better in softer snow and a narrower one is preferred by those who demand quick edge-to-edge performance on harder snow.

For those of who are planning a trip to the Northern Hemisphere or the South Island, a good all-round mid-fat ski may be ideal.

The days of skis more than 200cm have long since disappeared, along with the concept that a skier's feet should be kept as close together as possible.

World cup slalom racers are now using skis less than 180cm and giant slalom skis less than 195cm.

Instructors and racers have realised that keeping the feet about shoulder-width apart offers a much more athletic stance, which results in better balance.

One problem aspect of skiing can be boots. Not too long ago, those wanting comfort bought rear-entry boots and those who wanted good performance needed front-buckle models.

Because of the poor performance of the rear-entry boot, manufacturers have concentrated on improving buckle boots.

The only satisfactory way of finding the right boots is to try them on.

Probably the worst thing you can do is to buy boots that are too big. A ski boot should fit like a good running shoe and not allow the foot to move about inside.

Remember that a new boot will expand with use by about 12 per cent and a boot that feels like a slipper in the shop will become too big after several days' use.

A ski boot that feels too small can be easily corrected by expansion and other techniques.

A competent bootfitter can be of invaluable in making sure that your ski trip is a really enjoyable one.

* Andrew Foster teaches skiing and snowboarding at Whistler, British Columbia, and throughout the Canadian summer works at The Snow Centre in Parnell.