A 'Need to Know' Glossary for Skis

by Fernando Z. SEO

Skiers and the skiing industry seem to sometimes have their own language that upon overhearing would mean nothing to the general public.

So while friends may understand when you tell them you're off on a weeklong heli skiing package holiday, how many of them would understand the different performance benefits of a range of tapers, or what dampening refers to?

For them (and perhaps to add to your own knowledge) here's a short need to know glossary for the planks beneath your feet.

Camber - A ski that curves convexly from tip to tail. When you lay these skis on the floor the centers will be raised off the ground. Designed to use the skiers weight over the curve to their advantage, spreading pressure along the length and increasing edge hold.

Dampening - The name given to the reduction of vibration throughout the ski caused by riding over uneven surfaces. The more effective a ski's dampening, the better the edge control it will have. However, liveliness is often sacrificed through extreme dampening.

Mold - The set into which the materials are placed to become skis. Huge amounts of pressure and intense heat are applied to the mold, effectively binding the components with the added help of generous amounts of epoxy.

Pre-preg - Laminates that have been prefabricated and used with the intention of strengthening the cores of the skis. They are produced by filling epoxy into sheets of fiberglass that are then cured before being placed into a mold.

Rocker or Reverse Camber - A pair of skis that curve concavely from tip to tail. Lay these skis on the ground and the centers will lie flat and the tips and tails will rise from the surface. Many different styles and shapes of rocker are available, giving different ranges of added flotation in powdered snow.

Sidecut - The amount that the ski narrows at its waist. Smaller sidecuts enable quicker turns, whereas larger sidecuts, found on downhill racing skis, offer a greater carving ability.

Taper - The taper is measured by the differences in widths between the tip and tails of the skis. A largely tapered set of skis will hook up a lot less that those with smaller tapers. However a smaller taper will result in effortlessly initiated arcing turns.

Torsional Rigidity - The rate of resistance a ski has to being twisted. This increases the ability for skis to be made lighter without compromising on strength. Often achieved by enclosing wooden cores in a fiberglass wrap, then soaking them in epoxy, followed by curing.

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