This opinion piece was submitted to us by Buck from Wisconsin
Over the past decade or so, I’ve noticed an unsettling trend – people skiing on skis that are too wide for them. It’s like everyone is walking around in clown shoes, and it can lead to serious problems.
So what’s the problem with wider skis?ย The wider the skis, the harder it is to turn and the more difficult it is to control your speed. This can lead to falls, collisions, and other accidents. It also leads to sloppy, ugly skiing, where people slarve their turns instead of carving them.
My feeling is that people often choose skis based on their appearance or what they think will make them look cool on the slopes. But the truth is that skiing is all about finding the right tool for the job and few skiers need powder boards as an everyday ski.
Skis that are too wide for you can also cause muscle strain, fatigue, and injury to your knees and hips. When you’re constantly fighting to turn and control your speed, your muscles have to work harder, which can lead to injury and exhaustion. Fatter skis also put more torque on your body when you roll the ski over to get on edge.
So what can be done? First and foremost, skiers need to take the time to choose the right equipment based on the conditions they’ll actually be skiing, not the ones they fantasize about. This means working with a professional ski shop and getting the advice of experts who can help you find the right skis for you.
Second, we need to make the carve cool again. It’s like everyone’s driving around in SUVs and forgetting that race cars are way more fun to drive.
So in my opinion, choosing skis that are too wide for you can be dangerous and counterproductive, so take the time to find the right equipment and practice the proper technique. That way, you can enjoy the slopes with confidence and safety.
Thanks for hearing me out. See you on the slopes.