Ski Club 2.0 Home
Snow Reports
FAQFAQ

Mail for help.Help!!

Log in to snowHeads to make it MUCH better! Registration's totally free, of course, and makes snowHeads easier to use and to understand, gives better searching, filtering etc. as well as access to 'members only' forums, discounts and deals that U don't even know exist as a 'guest' user. (btw. 50,000+ snowHeads already know all this, making snowHeads the biggest, most active community of snow-heads in the UK, so you'll be in good company)..... When you register, you get our free weekly(-ish) snow report by email. It's rather good and not made up by tourist offices (or people that love the tourist office and want to marry it either)... We don't share your email address with anyone and we never send out any of those cheesy 'message from our partners' emails either. Anyway, snowHeads really is MUCH better when you're logged in - not least because you get to post your own messages complaining about things that annoy you like perhaps this banner which, incidentally, disappears when you log in :-)
Username:-
 Password:
Remember me:
👁 durr, I forgot...
Or: Register
(to be a proper snow-head, all official-like!)

Ski Stiffness - Explanation pls

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
So when reviewers say a ski is stiff, do they mean stiff for them personally at their weight or are they referring to all weights of individuals when using a ski?

if you weighed 50kg surely 90% of skis are stiff to you, where as a 100kg skier would be at the other end of the spectrum

Just always been curious...
snow conditions
 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
DanFuller wrote:
So when reviewers say a ski is stiff, do they mean stiff for them personally at their weight or are they referring to all weights of individuals when using a ski?

if you weighed 50kg surely 90% of skis are stiff to you, where as a 100kg skier would be at the other end of the spectrum

Just always been curious...


or are they saying it is stiff relative to other skis of the same length in the same category?
snow report
 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?
For skis does stiffness matter @davidof?

Or is it torsional rigidity that is the key?

Along the length? Or just the important 12”?
ski holidays
 You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
If the stiffness is anything like snowboards, which i believe it is, the stiffness dictates how much the skis are able to bend/flex.
As a general rule of thumb, the stiffer the material, the more stable they are, easier to hold edges with and faster upon releasing pressure after a turn .
Soft skis are meant for freeriding and to aid absorb bumbs and landings.
ski holidays
 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Reviewers will normally (or should be) talking relative to other skis.
ski holidays
 You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
I've always assumed that it's in comparison to other skis, that's certainly what I mean. If you're a powerful skier then weight doesn't really come into it, I'm probably carrying a few KG more than Shiffrin but I'm pretty sure she could virtually fold up my skis.
snow conditions
 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
@SnoodlesMcFlude,

to be more specific powerful means "ski fast and with lots of angulation". Obviously you need a bit of strength to ski like that but the forces that bend the skis come form gravity rather than your muscles.
snow conditions
 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
@jedster, Ski Racing is a power sport. Slalom in particular requires a lot of leg strength to be able to apply and reduce pressure on the skis in different parts of the turn.
latest report
 You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
not sure we've said anything contradictory have we?
ski holidays
 Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
@jedster, I'm disagreeing with:
Quote:
... the forces that bend the skis come form gravity rather than your muscles.

Getting slalom skis into reverse camber above the fall line is totally dependent on your muscles.

I have bought a couple of pairs of race skis that were too stiff for me, one each of SL and GS.
latest report
 snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
what do you mean by above the fall line?
Fall line goes up and down the mountain - how can you be above it? Realise this is probably my ignorance on terminology

Do you mean initiating the carve early on the uphill ski?

What are your muscles pushing against?

You can actually apply pressure by locking your leg straight and shifting your weight over it
snow report
 And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
@jedster, I'm not looking for a physics discussion, but if being powerful is just speed and angulation then why do skiers spend so much time developing their legs to be powerful? I think 'a bit of strength' is drastically underselling just how strong a top level FIS skier is.
latest report
 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
DanFuller wrote:
So when reviewers say a ski is stiff, do they mean stiff for them personally at their weight or are they referring to all weights of individuals when using a ski? ...

I guess you need to ask them. When I've reviewed snowboards, I hope I've made it clear what I mean.

My view...
If you're riding a board at the correct size (nominal length), then the stiffness of it is a design function.
If I have a board which is "too stiff" [for me], I'd usually downsize by one. If that's a noodle, then I'll pick a different model or manufacturer.

On hardpack, you'd ride as SL and a GS race board with different stiffness, because you're likely to be riding at different speeds.
An SL board has a (fairly high in public areas) maximum speed; a GS board is happy much faster. Both would be described as "stiff" (laterally and longitudinally) if they were to be used by novices, who don't generally attain those speeds in a carve.

In powder, different mechanics are at work - you're using the base not the edges, and you need a different flex pattern to accommodate the differences in what the nose and tail are doing.
Typically the nose is reasonably stiff so it doesn't flap about, and the tail is soft to allow nuanced speed control.


Some manufacturers (eg Lib Tech) have been known to have as many as 13 different board sizes for a single model.
You have to ride them to see which works, but you're just picking the flex you like from that set of 13.
=> There's no such thing as one of these which is "too stiff" - you just bought the wrong size.
ski holidays
 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
SnoodlesMcFlude wrote:
@jedster, I'm not looking for a physics discussion, but if being powerful is just speed and angulation then why do skiers spend so much time developing their legs to be powerful? I think 'a bit of strength' is drastically underselling just how strong a top level FIS skier is.


I would have thought core strength is more vital than leg strength as I’ve seen racers work out and I squat more than 90% of them.
snow conditions
 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
How many reps of your body weight can you do? How about when you hold the weight when flexed for three seconds each rep?
latest report
 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
jedster wrote:
what do you mean by above the fall line?
The first part of the turn, top of the turn, beginning of the turn, above the fall line all sort of mean the same thing.
latest report
 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Pejoli wrote:
How many reps of your body weight can you do? How about when you hold the weight when flexed for three seconds each rep?


I weigh 92kg. Can squat 150 at a 2second concentric for 5 sets of 10. 100 easily at 3 secs
snow report
 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?
Both core and legs are vital, no weak links. Jump squats etc target the muscles in a way more specific to the forces skiing places on them.


http://youtube.com/v/qoIdYjw3u7M
ski holidays



Terms and conditions  Privacy Policy