Do you really need a wide ski for powder?

[Josh Matta]

Damn, those 70s videos almost brought a tear of joy to my eye, they reminded me so much of my youth. Thank you @Goose and @Philpug! Shoot, I still vastly prefer that "old" powder bounce feeling to any other style -- and I admit to still enjoying Three Dog Night music.

I'm a bit older now, so with tongue firmly in cheek, here goes (best read with a Paul Hogan Crocodile Dundee accent):

1. Those aren't tight trees!

2. That isn't real powder!

3. That isn't how a plane turns!

lol

If you go back and read I my first post was no you do not need fatties to ski powder....and you dont.

Tight trees in powder on the other hand......you probably do.

 

[cantunamunch]

I need more popcorn

Did someone say skinny, flat, trees?

 

[François Pugh]

Great videos. The K2 Demo Team video really shows that sinking/floating rhythm that skinny skis mandated. Face shots were easy to come by if you had the skills. Fat skis are fun but it takes a ton of deep, light snow to get that sensation on them. Some claim you sink just as much on fatties but that has not been my experience.

I wouldn't say skinny skis mandated that sinking/floating rhythm; so long as the slope was steep and long enough, you could make SG turns no problem. It's more that the rhythm opened up more options.

 

[Ken_R]

Did someone say skinny, flat, trees?

yeeeah, sending it!

 

[CalG]

Just because I like the music
All the required bouncing and all, It looks so exhausting........ ;-)

 

[Ken_R]

Just because I like the music
All the required bouncing and all, It looks so exhausting........ ;-)

tree hugging technique

 

[Uke]

Back then I didn't bounce the skis, the skis bounced me. Minimal effort required, could do it once a day, every day, all day long.

uke

 

[Goose]

Damn, those 70s videos almost brought a tear of joy to my eye, they reminded me so much of my youth. Thank you @Goose and @Philpug! Shoot, I still vastly prefer that "old" powder bounce feeling to any other style -- and I admit to still enjoying Three Dog Night music.

!

Off topic I know (sorry folks) but yea....I love the old TV videos too. They do (at least for me) take us back to a good time and place.

 

[newfydog]

All the required bouncing and all, It looks so exhausting........ ;-)

Yeah, when I got my first fat skis, some 200 cm sno rangers, maybe 80mm, I thought they were fun but you didn't get much exercise. Fat skis are like ebikes, you don't need 'em but they are great inventions.

 

[Monique]

Back then I didn't bounce the skis, the skis bounced me. Minimal effort required, could do it once a day, every day, all day long.

uke

FWIW, there are fat skis with camber

 

[Alexzn]

Nope, don't need them, but they sure come in handy.

Need proof: Ask my wife about her experience skiing powder before and after we bought her a pair of DPSs

 

[Magoo]

I grew up on Bachelor in the 80's early 90's you could ski Outback chair out of bounds in the trees and have a wonderful hard working powder day. If I magically had that kind of energy again for a day I'd be up for it. Lots of work but so fun.

 

[CalG]

fun is difficult to deny and a hard thing to measure... Please... Fat ski advocates. Don;t deny the fun that has been had.

That YOU didn't have THAT fun does not mean it didn't happen.

It's like the meme "Pictures or it didn't happen" , Well take a hike, it didn't happen for you ! And I don't give a flying F****

 

[Ken_R]

On the next big pow day im takin PHAT skis. Whoever wants to waste a perfect pow day on shitty skinny skis by all means.

 

[Ken_R]

fun is difficult to deny and a hard thing to measure... Please... Fat ski advocates. Don;t deny the fun that has been had.

That YOU didn't have THAT fun does not mean it didn't happen.

It's like the meme "Pictures or it didn't happen" , Well take a hike, it didn't happen for you ! And I don't give a flying F****

Oh, fun was had, but also a lot of pain.

You remember when they sold streamers for skis? or leashes?

 

[Jim McDonald]

After 10 screens and almost 200 posts, all I'm getting out of this is people like what they like and don't want anyone crapping in their easter baskets.
"Need" is a funny word. Does anyone really "need" to ski at all? Maybe if you live in a snowed-in cabin 10 miles from the nearest road.
Otherwise, you're skiing because you want to, not you need to. And I hope you're having fun and/or improving, or learning something about yourself doing it.
And that's all I've got to say about that.

 

[CalG]

Leashes and streamers allow a rapid recovery after having so much enjoyment that you had to ROTFL! ;-)

There is just no other way to look at it.

Ski Brakes just don't get you back up and running like skinny skis , tethers, and long thongs do! ;-)

 

[Missile Bandits]

]Why don't more people ski alpine slopes, trees, and powder on cross-country skis? Decent surface area when you consider L x W.

One reason is that cross country gear does not release.

I never liked the GS skis. too long and too stiff. I liked the 195 all mtn. Not too soft mind you. I wanted a ski that would work for me. The "up / down" motion in powder is not "a lot of work" . It happens pretty easily. It's used more in the "heavy" powder than the light stuff. We in the east have been getting some "Colorado" powder these last couple years. Must be the climate change thing.

We used to go into the trees because the runs were all skied out. That is where you could find fresh un-cut powder. Trees or steep stuff. The steep stuff was for the advanced skier back in the day. You could not just bomb straight down like folks are doing now. You had to be able to turn, control speed, and avoid rocks and trees. On a ski that sunk. The wider skis make it too easy to ski. i'm there for the challenge.

Lost skis were a problem for us in Tahoe. I saw many a frustrated skier searching. That was one reason for skiing the "fresh" snow. You could find your track, and then your ski. I used to leave my poles where I ended up as a reference point and then use the tail of a ski to search with. A few times the ski would continue down on it's own under the snow on that "base" under there. A few times it was seen by chair riders. other times by other skiers skiing down. I live by the rule that I want my tips under the snow. Sure, I could lean back and not fall in the tougher stuff, but then I would not be "happy" about it. I live for the challenge.

I stopped snow boarding in powder because I could not sink the bd. I put my front foot farther forward to get it to sink. But then it would sink too far. Stuck. So I stay on skis.

 

[cantunamunch]

On the next big pow day im takin PHAT skis. Whoever wants to waste a perfect pow day on shitty skinny skis by all means.

Talk to Gary Wayne in Whistler. Those DPS are 40mm too skinny compared to what they build.

https://www.tetongravity.com/story/ski/Garywayne2013-Review-348

Yes you read that right. 180mm waist. Stop wasting your perfect pow days.

 

[David Chaus]

Ski Brakes just don't get you back up and running like skinny skis , tethers, and long thongs do! ;-)

In that case, there is no substitute for Burton bindings.