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by Bill Jones, Ski
Instructor CSW #20: "New shaped skis are just a fad; the fad won't last." There have been so many fads in skiing that it is easy to understand why many thought shaped skis were just another fad. Experience shows the shaped skis are not a fad, however. They are common today and so prevalent that the earlier-era models are the ones that stand out. A curious situation has developed, however. Beginner and intermediate skiers almost universally are on shaped skis. One sees more upper-level skiers--especially older ones--on earlier-era skis, although still a much lesser number than is on shaped skis even in this group. This situation is curious because it is these older-model upper level skiers who could most benefit from the shaped skis if they would only invest a few hours learning how to use them. They would add carving to their skill package, find turns easier to make, and generally improve their skiing enjoyment, becoming more efficient and versatile in their maneuvers. On the other hand--and here you have a personal observation from your author--beginner skiers are often challenged by the shaped skis. Beginners (as do all skiers) find skidding a ski very useful in controlling speed, yet the shaped skis tend to go up on their edges and to carve around the turns with more speed than the beginners can handle. So be it. The industry's rental shops have switched over to shaped skis and that is all that is available. Beginners and we instructors are left to deal with this issue. And of course most beginners don't know any better, but this instructor taught beginners before there were shaped skis and is still teaching beginners, and so has his opinion based on that experience (Most instructors have not had this experience). Meanwhile the beginners, believing that shaped skis are best, want them. An argument can be made that using shaped skis at first then avoids the problem of then adjusting to the shaped skis as skill levels improve. A good experiment would be to try out groups in various combinations of ski styles and measure how well the different groups learn. Probably won't happen. main CSW page  "SKIING
IS A SLIDING SPORT"--a skiing web manual: Skiing Web Manual
Contents Why Read
This Skiing Web Manual That First Skiing Lesson A
Little Skiing History Motion in Skiing CONVENTIONAL SKIING WISDOMS Skier Excuses Fear in Skiing Conditioning for Skiing Equipment and Technique Skiing Equipment How Skis
Work How
to Develop Balance on Skis A Skiing Turn
Simplified The Final Skiing Skill:
pressure management Tactics for Terrains and Snow
Textures and Racing Skiing Tips and Tales--a potpourri Exercises for Developing Skiing Skills Children and Skiing Age and Skiing Gender & Skiing Culture
& Skiing Skiing Ethics and Survival Slope Safety Skiing
Environment Glossary Acknowledgements SkiMyBest Website Contents This "CSW #20; 'New shaped skis...'" page last modified
January 9, 2022.
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