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Why is a ski shaped... like a ski.

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03gade
Posts: 856 - Karma: 3,263
Basic ski shape question here. Every ski but some park skis is non symmetrical, yet we reference a turn "radius". Why? What is the disadvantage while carving of a symmetrical shape, and why does taper in the tail help with a skis performance? What is the reasoning behind a basic ski shape?
Dec 21 2014 8:58PM
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.lencon
Posts: 6753 - Karma: 17,178
Are you talking about any ski with sidecut?
Dec 21 2014 9:03PM
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03gade
Posts: 856 - Karma: 3,263
yeah
Dec 21 2014 9:07PM
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03gade
Posts: 856 - Karma: 3,263
not versus flat skis however
Dec 21 2014 9:08PM
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.lencon
Posts: 6753 - Karma: 17,178
Well skis with sidecut help you turn. I know first hand. I was on a old pair of straight skis and you don't use your edge to turn. You just hop around. Super tiring. Skis with sidecut just help you turn with your edge.

Your question is a tad bit broad without me giving out LOADS of detail on ski shapes.
Dec 21 2014 9:14PM
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03gade
Posts: 856 - Karma: 3,263
Yes but what I am asking is why, from a carving a turn on hardpack situation, is a ski wider up front than in a tail and not just a perfect arc, or even narrower in the tip and wider in the tail. I know why skis are shaped, but what determines this specific, consistent formula of a wider tip than tail.
Dec 21 2014 9:35PM
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.lencon
Posts: 6753 - Karma: 17,178
03gadeYes but what I am asking is why, from a carving a turn on hardpack situation, is a ski wider up front than in a tail and not just a perfect arc, or even narrower in the tip and wider in the tail. I know why skis are shaped, but what determines this specific, consistent formula of a wider tip than tail.


There's a lot of reasons for that. Consistency, weight, type of ski, shape/geometry, etc. just a bunch of different factors
Dec 21 2014 9:41PM
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RudyGarmisch
Posts: 25443 - Karma: 13,844
The reason the center of sidecut is back has to to with the way your weight is positioned when you're in a carve, shins against the fronts of your boots. Most mounts are back from true center of the ski as well, hence the larger tips if your center of sidecut stays around the ball of your foot...
Dec 22 2014 12:48AM
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k2andcannoli
Posts: 644 - Karma: -36
It's all about turn initiation. A wide tip, narrow waist, and a gradually widening tail is the best shape for a ski if your goal in construction is primarily carved turns. Rocker adds to this by bringing the contact point toward the skier and still allowing the ski to take advantage of its hour glass shape when edged.
I remember skiing on some old elans from the beginning of shaped skis, the tails were the same width as the tip maybe 100 and the underfoot was maybe 65. They carved one turn great but to get the skis to come into the next turn was very difficult. Because the ski was symmetric it just wanted to do donuts.
Dec 22 2014 6:33AM
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