 Poster: A snowHead
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Morning all,
I was just idly wondering about the science of skis. On a recent trip, I rented a set of Rossi Experience 84s in a 178cm (my own skis are 74mm underfoot, 176cm long). They were immediately faster and more stable, whilst still being easy to turn. And there was no chatter. So, much better all round.
It got me wondering about the relative benefits of going longer vs wider. In my head, which is admittedly an ill-informed place at the best of times, my assumption is that a longer ski would be faster, and that a wider ski would give more float. But where does stability come into it? And surface area? How would a shorter, fatter ski perform against a longer, thinner version of the same model, for example?
Thanks,
Martin
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Longer skis are more stable because you have more ski fore and aft. A longer contact makes for easier balance so you feel stable at higher speeds. They also need to be stiff enough not to flap about crazily so it's not all in length.
Float is about supporting weight so in theory going wider should have more effect because the skiers weight is concentrated under them. Rocker makes that a bit trickier as it creates a similar effect to a boat hull which can be increased with longer bendier tips.
A shorter, fatter ski that was similar to a longer, thinner ski such that they shared the same surface area and build qualities should float better but be less stable at speed.
Google ski boards. 
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Legend! Thanks, meh. That makes a lot of sense. Hopefully some of the other progressing skiers reading will find it useful too.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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IMHO once i got to "advanced intermediate" (whatever that means!) I have never regretted going longer and wider. That is... except one time when i ended up in a narrow chute of approx 170cm wide... with 192 skis 
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Haha... why is there no 'like' button on here?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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But then there is the added factor of ski technology.
The manouverability far greater and chatter far less on a "fatter" ski today than it was 10/20/30 years ago.
There is still compromise but it's not so great as it once was.
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