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July, 2025

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Wide skis for rails?

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MontanaMuggin
Posts: 444 - Karma: 1,642
Title says it all. How are wide skis on rails? By wide I mean like 95-100 underfoot
12 years ago
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Chunter
Posts: 2050 - Karma: 1,894
Dub
12 years ago
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blazer258
Posts: 1106 - Karma: 672
from what i hear it's harder to do switch ups and really fast spins, they can still do em, but since the base is so wide it takes more effort
12 years ago
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.cam.
Posts: 1852 - Karma: 48
Generally speaking they will weigh more and have more swing weight making switchups and spins out slightly harder but its easy to get used to and compensate. That said they are also more stable on rails.
12 years ago
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Twig
Posts: 6476 - Karma: 63,254
the added stability of the wide base makes setting an edge slower. I started out skiing on wide skis (110mm) in the park and the switch to skinny boards made a lot of stock tricks much easier (450s, switchups etc). Now that Im back on 108mm, some tricks are a lot harder again.

That said, overall I think i still prefer a wider ski if i could only have one ski, which is my current situation. You do work harder for the spins but there are more benefits than costs.

12 years ago
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MontanaMuggin
Posts: 444 - Karma: 1,642
This is helpful. Thanks man
12 years ago
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MontanaMuggin
Posts: 444 - Karma: 1,642
When you say skinny, how skinny?
12 years ago
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MontanaMuggin
Posts: 444 - Karma: 1,642
I'm sorry for all the replys. But what benefits do wide skis have that skinnys don't other than Stability
12 years ago
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tomPietrowski
Posts: 7296 - Karma: 18,734
Honestly in the park not many. Narrower skis will be better for nearly everything in the park. Look how few top guys use skis wider then 90mm for comps. It's out I the park a wider ski will make much more sense. So I you want a one ski quiver and don't mind sacrificing some park performance wider is the way to go.
12 years ago
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zahava
Posts: 7794 - Karma: 12,058
I ski Jmos (101mm) and yeah its harder to do quick swaps or pretzels, but for smooth 'skate style' tricks its way more fun. Regardless I will always suck at park so if you don't believe me heres some ye old video proof you can still be a madman on 'pow skis'.

One Life w/ Forster Meeks from Freeski Brands Productions on Vimeo.



The Life Bertquatic with Rob Heule (2013) from Rob Heule on Vimeo.



Gary Berta from Rob Heule on Vimeo.



12 years ago
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MontanaMuggin
Posts: 444 - Karma: 1,642
I have some fatter skis I use when it snows. But if it didn't snow more than 5 inches I'm in the park. So looks like ski less than 90 waist! Thanks!
12 years ago
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blindside
Posts: 5619 - Karma: 1,201
Depends what kind of stuff you prefer doing, but I'm a mainly rail oriented skier and I only ride fat skis (Gypsy 125 underfoot). They're very stable on rails, lock in much better on 50-50s, give you a lot of area to surface swap with and I find them just more fun in general.

Give it a try!

I also recommend rocker for the full fat ski experience. I guess nowadays most fat skis are rockered anyway though.
12 years ago
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Crispy.
Posts: 6127 - Karma: 7,764
They're really awesome for surface swaps!
12 years ago
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Twig
Posts: 6476 - Karma: 63,254
Wide skis do have other benefits, they are better for surface swaps, can be softer while maintaining decent stability making butters and ollies easier. They are also easier to press, one foot, 50-50 etc etc.

The reason comp skiers don't ride them is because they mostly do 'technical (spinny) tricks'. Lots of the top 'creative; urban/jib skiers are moving towards skiing widers skis... e.g. Henrik, Casabon, Rob Heule etc.

It depends on the kind of park skiing you want to be the easiest.

P.s OP by skinny, I switched to skis around 90 underfoot but found them less fun in general. Not denying i could do spinny tricks much easier though.
12 years ago
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JahFeels
Posts: 779 - Karma: 588
I ski my bentchetlers in the park and starting to like them a lot more than my blends. Just feel so much more stable.
12 years ago
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K-Dot.
Posts: 3790 - Karma: 8,349
I've found that skis in the 90-95 waist range are my favorite in the park. Honestly, unless you're spinning things like 6's or multiple switch ups, you probably won't notice an extra bit of ski on the rail. But you will notice it being more stable while landing and going out of the park.
12 years ago
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