On women's skis

[liquidfeet]

Can someone explain to this newbie what side cut is?

Skis used to be kind of straight, from tip to tail. As on the left, below.

Now they are hour-glass-shaped, as on the right. At first the new skis were called "parabolic," or "shaped" skis, but people don't use those terms any more. Nor do they call the straight skis "traditional" any more. They call them old-school, or straight skis. Shaped skis are now just skis.

My little graphic's labels are old, but it is the only one I could find.

How much "sidecut" a ski has reflects how much narrower the waist (middle) of the ski is compared to its tip and tail. More sidecut means the waist is narrower in comparison to the two ends; less sidecut means the difference is not so dramatic. Sidecut is not measured; it's a relative term.

Skis with more sidecut will want to make shorter turns when tipped up on edge on hard snow than skis with less sidecut. "Turn radius" is a measure of what radius turn the ski will make if tipped gently on its side. So turn radius (usually the measure in meters is written on the ski with the letters TR in front of it) is the closest thing we have to a measure of sidecut.

 

[Skisailor]

True, I guess I didn’t think of all the other instances. I’ve definitely heard of people using them to raise up their calf above the boot top.

If you need heel lifts, they do put you forward. I can see how they will push you back if they’re used unnecessarily. So I wouldn’t say that the opposite is true, but rather sometimes true.

I think they put most people back. When the heel is lifted, we have to compensate by moving our hips back or we will tip over. That’s why lifting the toes (gas pedals) are so popular among ski racers. But it’s easy for any of us to see how it might affect us. Use something thick like two books (to exaggerate the effect and make it more obvious) and put them under your heels. Where do your hips go? Then try the books under your toes - it sends you forward to stay in balance.

 

[elemmac]

I think they put most people back. When the heel is lifted, we have to compensate by moving our hips back or we will tip over. That’s why lifting the toes (gas pedals) are so popular among ski racers. But it’s easy for any of us to see how it might affect us. Use something thick like two books (to exaggerate the effect and make it more obvious) and put them under your heels. Where do your hips go? Then try the books under your toes - it sends you forward to stay in balance.

I may be in the minority if this is the case, when I lift my heels it weights the ball of my foot, which is where I want to ski from. This is such a minor adjustment that’s normally taken care of with my boot ramp angle and binding ramp. If I add something to my toes, it sends my weight onto my heels. There is a case where if you get too high in the heels you need to shift your hips to compensate, but I feel like that’s so far from the height a heel lift is that it’s tough to make the comparison.

 

[marzNC]

Skis used to be kind of straight, from tip to tail. As on the left, below.

Now they are hour-glass-shaped, as on the right. At first the new skis were called "parabolic," or "shaped" skis, but people don't use those terms any more. Nor do they call the straight skis "traditional" any more. They call them old-school, or straight skis. Shaped skis are now just skis.

My little graphic's labels are old, but it is the only one I could find.
. . .

Good graphic!

For those who never skied on straight skis, note that they were not only relatively narrow and straight but also longer. My carvers now are 148cm. The straight skis I bought in the early 1980s (still have them in my closet) are 170cm, meaning well over my head since I'm about 154cm tall.

I was an intermediate not making parallel turns on straight skis. Turned out that my natural stance was perfect for the first "shaped" skis I demo'd back in 2000 during a rare trip out west. I've had plenty of other fundamentals to learn in the last decade, but the width of my stance was fine.

Quite glad that ski design evolved to make it less effort to make a turn. Bonus is that skis are a lot lighter to carry with all the new materials being used. From what I remember, not sure I would be as much of a ski nut otherwise.

 

[Jenny]

Looking forward to hearing how it goes!

I’m looking forward to seeing how it goes, too. But I’ll have new skis and new boots this year, so there may be no real way to know just what the change that magically turns me into an advanced skier is!

 

[santacruz skier]

I’m looking forward to seeing how it goes, too. But I’ll have new skis and new boots this year, so there may be no real way to know just what the change that magically turns me into an advanced skier is!

What skis did you get?

 

[Jenny]

What skis did you get?

BP88 - demoed them here at the end of the year and made about half a turn before I decided I liked them! DH got on them, too, and enabled me. I never liked the older version, but these were fun.

 

[santacruz skier]

BP88 - demoed them here at the end of the year and made about half a turn before I decided I liked them! DH got on them, too, and enabled me. I never liked the older version, but these were fun.

Oh agree. Took them out one day at Taos in 2018 and kept them for the rest of the week. Enjoy!

 

[Bookworm]

Skis used to be kind of straight, from tip to tail. As on the left, below.

Now they are hour-glass-shaped, as on the right. At first the new skis were called "parabolic," or "shaped" skis, but people don't use those terms any more. Nor do they call the straight skis "traditional" any more. They call them old-school, or straight skis. Shaped skis are now just skis.

My little graphic's labels are old, but it is the only one I could find.

How much "sidecut" a ski has reflects how much narrower the waist (middle) of the ski is compared to its tip and tail. More sidecut means the waist is narrower in comparison to the two ends; less sidecut means the difference is not so dramatic. Sidecut is not measured; it's a relative term.

Skis with more sidecut will want to make shorter turns when tipped up on edge on hard snow than skis with less sidecut. "Turn radius" is a measure of what radius turn the ski will make if tipped gently on its side. So turn radius (usually the measure in meters is written on the ski with the letters TR in front of it) is the closest thing we have to a measure of sidecut.

That’s what I thought. I just started skiing on parabolic skis last year. Before that, I’d only skied on straight skis.

 

[santacruz skier]

And now check these 100mm womens skis out:
https://www.skiessentials.com/Chair...arisons-womens-100-mm-all-mountain-ski-guide/

 

[marzNC]

And now check these 100mm womens skis out:
https://www.skiessentials.com/Chair...arisons-womens-100-mm-all-mountain-ski-guide/

Oh my, so many fun skis to check out! Picking out a Top Five list is too hard. Interesting the DPS Yvette now comes in 100mm as well as 112mm. Would love to test the Yvette 100, the Kore 99 W, and the Santa Ana 100 on the same day, mainly because they have relatively low turn radius numbers.

2020 Armada Trace 98, 17m @ 164cm, 127 / 98 / 119

2020 Atomic Vantage 97 C W, 17m @ 164cm, 128.5 / 97 / 117.5

2020 Blizzard Sheeva 10, 17.5m @ 180cm, 133 / 102 / 122.5

2020 DPS Yvette 100 RP Alchemist, 15m @ 163cm, 130 / 100 / 115

2020 Elan Ripstick 102, 17m @ 170cm, 143 / 102 / 120

2020 Fischer My Ranger 96 Ti, 17 @ 174cm, 128 / 95 / 120

2020 Head Kore 99 W, 15.1 m at 171, 131 / 97 / 118

2020 K2 Mindbender 98Ti Alliance, 15.6m @ 168cm, 134 / 98 / 120

2020 Liberty Genesis 96, 14m @ 158cm, 130 / 96 / 117

2020 Nordica Santa Ana 100, 15.5m @ 169cm, 131 / 100 / 119

2020 Rossignol Sky 7 HD W, 16m @ 164cm, 128 / 96 / 118

2020 Salomon QST Lumen 99, 19m @ 174cm, 130 / 99 / 112

2020 Volkl Secret 102, 16.3m @ 163, 140 / 102 / 123

 

[santacruz skier]

Oh my, so many fun skis to check out! Picking out a Top Five list is too hard. Interesting the DPS Yvette now comes in 100mm as well as 112mm. Would love to test the Yvette 100, the Kore 99 W, and the Santa Ana 100 on the same day, mainly because they have relatively low turn radius numbers.

2020 Armada Trace 98, 17m @ 164cm, 127 / 98 / 119

2020 Atomic Vantage 97 C W, 17m @ 164cm, 128.5 / 97 / 117.5

2020 Blizzard Sheeva 10, 17.5m @ 180cm, 133 / 102 / 122.5

2020 DPS Yvette 100 RP Alchemist, 15m @ 163cm, 130 / 100 / 115

2020 Elan Ripstick 102, 17m @ 170cm, 143 / 102 / 120

2020 Fischer My Ranger 96 Ti, 17 @ 174cm, 128 / 95 / 120

2020 Head Kore 99 W, 15.1 m at 171, 131 / 97 / 118

2020 K2 Mindbender 98Ti Alliance, 15.6m @ 168cm, 134 / 98 / 120

2020 Liberty Genesis 96, 14m @ 158cm, 130 / 96 / 117

2020 Nordica Santa Ana 100, 15.5m @ 169cm, 131 / 100 / 119

2020 Rossignol Sky 7 HD W, 16m @ 164cm, 128 / 96 / 118

2020 Salomon QST Lumen 99, 19m @ 174cm, 130 / 99 / 112

2020 Volkl Secret 102, 16.3m @ 163, 140 / 102 / 123

Don't forget the Blizzard Sheeva 10. Skied 2 days in Tahoe storms and super fun with short TR in the 156. DPS Yvette 100 on my list.

 

[contesstant]

The DPS Yvette is a NICE ski. I'd happily own a pair.

 

[santacruz skier]

The DPS Yvette is a NICE ski. I'd happily own a pair.

Did you try the 100? I love everything I read about it. I know you have/had (?) Sheeva 10's and I thought they were an incredible ski. My thing is I'm petite and lightweight so need a wide ski to be somewhat manageable and not overly stiff . The review from ski essentials of the newer Santa Ana 100 seems like it's pretty darn stiff with two sheets of metal. Maybe even too stiff but then I didn't particularly like the SA 100 from a couple years ago that I demoed. I thought it was kind of noodle-y in the Sierra Cement. And I tried one day on the 161 and the following day the 153. The 161 was better on the groomers but still not that impressive. The Sheeva 10 was much better (for me). I know, we're all different and just because it's the "it ski" doesn't mean everyone is going to like it. Can you imagine if we all had the same ski????? How boring!!

 

[Jenny]

Can you imagine if we all had the same ski????? How boring!!

Picturing trying to find mine on the rack . . .

 

[contesstant]

Did you try the 100? I love everything I read about it. I know you have/had (?) Sheeva 10's and I thought they were an incredible ski. My thing is I'm petite and lightweight so need a wide ski to be somewhat manageable and not overly stiff . The review from ski essentials of the newer Santa Ana 100 seems like it's pretty darn stiff with two sheets of metal. Maybe even too stiff but then I didn't particularly like the SA 100 from a couple years ago that I demoed. I thought it was kind of noodle-y in the Sierra Cement. And I tried one day on the 161 and the following day the 153. The 161 was better on the groomers but still not that impressive. The Sheeva 10 was much better (for me). I know, we're all different and just because it's the "it ski" doesn't mean everyone is going to like it. Can you imagine if we all had the same ski????? How boring!!

I did ski the 100, both the Alchemist and the Foundation, in a 171, which is pushing it in length for me. It was so maneuverable. Smooth. Easy. Skied much shorter than its length. I haven't pulled the trigger on a pair for two reasons: Cost, and how it will handle denser snow and crud.

The SA 100 is IMO pretty darn stiff and I had to work hard to ski it in a 169. The version from 3 seasons ago is much softer (I own it, I love it in soft snow, and not much else.) I wish I had gotten on a pair of Sheeva 10s in a 172, as mine were too short in a 164 and I've not skied the 172 yet.

Those reviews have me eyeing the QST Lumen 99 pretty hard. I skied the 92 and it was really nice. I did not like the previous version of that ski at ALL. I am not sure about a ski with a 19m turn radius, however. I'd like to try a Ripstick, but a ski that's dedicated right and left is not my favorite, and definitely not the hubby's favorite, who will end up tuning said skis probably more often than he'd like because of the wearing of one edge on each ski.

 

[santacruz skier]

I did ski the 100, both the Alchemist and the Foundation, in a 171, which is pushing it in length for me. It was so maneuverable. Smooth. Easy. Skied much shorter than its length. I haven't pulled the trigger on a pair for two reasons: Cost, and how it will handle denser snow and crud.

The SA 100 is IMO pretty darn stiff and I had to work hard to ski it in a 169. The version from 3 seasons ago is much softer (I own it, I love it in soft snow, and not much else.) I wish I had gotten on a pair of Sheeva 10s in a 172, as mine were too short in a 164 and I've not skied the 172 yet.

Those reviews have me eyeing the QST Lumen 99 pretty hard. I skied the 92 and it was really nice. I did not like the previous version of that ski at ALL. I am not sure about a ski with a 19m turn radius, however. I'd like to try a Ripstick, but a ski that's dedicated right and left is not my favorite, and definitely not the hubby's favorite, who will end up tuning said skis probably more often than he'd like because of the wearing of one edge on each ski.

Yes that salomon qst and ripstick looked good.. agree about dedicated right and left ski. Think my old Rossi bandits had that. So your old Sambas had 18 MM TR and my black crows have 18 TR also. That's why I want to try a shorter TR ski.... think would be better in bumps and trees. A longer TR is great on groomed but in Tahoe nothing stays groomed after an hour and we usually search out the ungroomed!

 

[contesstant]

Yes that salomon qst and ripstick looked good.. agree about dedicated right and left ski. Think my old Rossi bandits had that. So your old Sambas had 18 MM TR and my black crows have 18 TR also. That's why I want to try a shorter TR ski.... think would be better in bumps and trees. A longer TR is great on groomed but in Tahoe nothing stays groomed after an hour and we usually search out the ungroomed!

If I get out on any of these I'll report back Not sure what the shop will have for demos this season.

 

[Abbi]

Picturing trying to find mine on the rack . . .

Luckily most shops where we get skis tuned in Vermont put our name on it. I got halfway to the lift one day with a pair of @ski diva skis!

 

[ski diva]

Luckily most shops where we get skis tuned in Vermont put our name on it. I got halfway to the lift one day with a pair of @ski diva skis!

Thief!