All types of skis: list, description. Types of skiing

With the onset of winter, people switch from summer sports to winter sports. One of the most popular entertainment is skiing. That this activity brought joy and satisfaction and did not leave negative impressions, it is necessary to choose suitable equipment. All types of skis are distinguished according to their intended use, the level of craftsmanship of the person and the terrain on which you will have to ride.

The main components of skis

Skis are a device for traveling on snow. These are two absolutely identical wooden or plastic slats. Usually they have pointed or bent front ends. Attached to the legs with special tools. To use them you need ski boots. Moving is due to the ability to slide on the snow.

Types of skis and their main parts largely depend on the purpose of the equipment, but the following elements remain the same for all categories.

• The shell. The main material is plastic. The main purpose is to protect the core of the ski from external mechanical damage. It can be a load-bearing element. It consists of many accompanying materials, such as carbon, titanal, rubber, fiberglass, ceramics, Kevlar, graphite, etc.
• Core. The basis of the whole construction. He has the main load when driving. Reduces ski vibration by absorbing the energy of vibration. It is made of laminated wood. There are cores made of foam materials or polyurethane. Similar elements are used to make models for children and beginners.
• Kant. Thanks to them, all manipulations are carried out while driving. Increase the coefficient of rigidity of skis. Take a certain load. They are responsible for the skiing of the skis and should be easily processed by a file or by grinding.
• Coating. Provides ease of sliding and low coefficient of friction. Has high abrasion resistance. It is processed by special ski ointment. The best are considered sliding surfaces made of polyethylene. The structure of the coating is linear, oblique and "herringbone" type.

Classification of skis and their function

And now, in detail about what kinds of skis are of a type of construction.

• Classical. With a small neckline. They have great rigidity and an Alpine installation of fasteners.
• Carving. They stand out with a large lateral notch. Characterized by the least stiffness. The location of the fastenings is classical.
• Skiboards. Marked on the sides with a large neckline. This, in fact, carving skis, whose size is less than 1 meter in length. They have a lightweight fastening, not equipped with automatic triggering in the fall. They are divided into freeboard skiboards for free skating on prepared slopes and for trick skiboards.

It should be noted that there is still a more advanced modern classification of skis for use. It is presented below.

• Racing. Skiing for sports. They are often used by professional athletes in competitions on special slalom, giant slalom and downhill.
• Cross-country skiing for ski-cross. Designed for cross-country skiing on the ski slopes, which is part of freestyle.
• Freeride. Wide skis with a waist size of more than 90 mm. Their length is 185-195 cm. Designed for riding on unprepared routes and on the "virgin land".
• Olmounten. Universal skiing. They can ride on any terrain, on the descent. Suitable for different weather conditions.
• Carving. Shortened in length with a deep side cutout. Used in driving on specially prepared tracks. They are divided into groups. This is a raiskarv for experts, similar in design to sports. Frikarv - this carving skis expert level, but insensitive to the relief features of the terrain. They have high speed stability. Sportcar - for fans of the usual ride on the classic slope.
• Freestyle. Created for trick riding, jumping of varying complexity on the usual slope and snowpark, from cornices, rocks, etc.
• Supercar (Fancarv). Used for "carving" riding without sticks. Driving is carried out with a strong blockage of the hull on the surface of the slope. A large lateral cutout helps to develop a strong centrifugal force.
• Can i. They are used for driving and competitions on boograms (mogul).
• Rolling. They have a wide edging, a thick layer of plastic, a sliding surface. Suitable for multiple cycles.
• Junior. Children's and teenage skis.

There is also a special sports equipment for women, children, as well as professional junior skis.

More will demonstrate what kinds of skis there are, the photo below.

Classical skis gradually disappear into the past, and in their place come carving. The latter have a large lateral cutout, a modern design, they allow achieving static softness while maintaining torsion stiffness.

Types of skiing

Now there is a large number of ski resorts around the world. And this is not an accident, because skiing is now not only a sport, but also an excellent way of active recreation.

And now, in more detail about what kinds of skis there are in the level of man's readiness to perform mountain descents.

• Alpine skiing for beginners. The softest than the rest. Quickly enter the turn. The cost is lower, compared to equipment for athletes and experts. Available for the bulk of the population.
• Skiing for athletes. Hard and elastic. To ride them, you need to master the technique and have a good physical training. Have a high cost.
• Skiing for experts and advanced. Designed for people seeking to improve their skating technique. They have an average price level.

This sports equipment differs not only in its purpose, level of training, but also in its design. Thus, it is possible to determine the following main types of mountain skis in terms of design.

• Cap. Here the role of the "supporting layer" is performed by the upper rigid layer, to which the remaining layers are attached. The core is made of wood or plastic, and the sliding surface is made of polyethylene. Here lay the power layers, differing in the degree of rigidity. The outer coating is made of colored plastic and protects the internal substrate from mechanical damage.
• Sandwich. The structure consists of different materials. A similar structure resembles a sandwich. All layers closely interact with each other, which is reflected in the style of riding. The upper and lower layers of skis are made of hard materials. The core can have both a vertical set of components and a horizontal one. For their production, wood, plastic and other materials are used, differing in rigidity in different planes.
• Sidewall. Characteristic is the protection of internal layers, which are sealed around the perimeter of the ski. The side walls are above the edges, which provide additional protection.
• Monocoque. This is a modern design, the opposite of a sandwich and a cap. Here, the core has a coating of synthetic components or is in a metal sheath. This structure helps to achieve torsional rigidity and does not allow skis to twist under heavy load. The skis are stable at turns and gently pass along the arc. Insensitive to uneven terrain.

These are the main and most popular types of skiing. In fact, there are many more. The structure of skis is selected individually, based on personal preferences, skills and conditions, which will have to travel.

Cross-country skiing: varieties

All types of cross-country ski are divided according to the characteristics and type of movement into the following categories:

• For classical running;
• For the ridge run ;
• Combined type.

Classic use on the rolled track. Here athletes are moved with their two legs together, pushing away with sticks. The length of such skis, in contrast to skates, reaches up to 207 cm. They have a pointed end and are technically softer. On the sliding side are serifs. Before skiing, they are lubricated with special ointments to ensure good adhesion to the snow.

Ridge skis are used to run along a well-run track, but without a ski track. Designed for skating. Such a ride makes the whole body work, with synchronous movement of the lower and upper limbs. The maximum length of skis reaches 190 cm. They have an extremely rigid structure, especially the middle peasant. Under the pressure of the foot at the start, the inventory does not bend in the middle, which gives a good push at the very beginning of the ride.

Combined skis absorbed the technical characteristics of the two previous types. Their maximum length reaches 200 cm, which makes them universal and equally suitable for running on a rolled track, and for ridge techniques of riding.

For extreme driving and walking use the type of ski Backcountry. They are used in impassable terrain conditions. The base of the ski has an additional reinforcement in the form of a metal edge, and the structure is distinguished by a variety of materials. Are expensive and sold far from all sports stores. As a rule, they are purchased on order.

About children's and teenage skis

Children are put on skis at the age of 2,5-4 years, and adult criteria for the selection of equipment are applied from the age of fourteen when the child's growth begins to slow down. From this rule only junior athletes who professionally go in for sports retreat.

Types of skis for children are divided into 2 main groups. It's amateur and sports. Do not immediately choose a professional inventory, since amateur skies are softer and easier to manage. The rocker in the toe and heel provides a significant help to the child at the corners, even if he has little knowledge of the technique of skiing. Do not develop a great speed.

Children's skis have the following characteristics:

• Softness of movement;
• Deep narrowness along the sides;
• Composite core;
• "Cap" construction.

The most common mountain skiing for children are universal. Designed for well-laid mountain paths. As a rule, they are sold together with fasteners.

Twin-tipies are skis with two rockers. You can ride them both forward and backward. Easily end the attack from the jump. Distributed among adolescents. Their length ranges from 135 to 165 cm. Recommended for children who have a good knowledge of the technique of skiing, but not reaching for adult equipment.

Children's ski for freeriding. Broad, designed for driving in deep snow. Require at least minor expert skills. Their length starts from 140 cm.

Sports skis are made for children seriously engaged in sports. Suitable for those who are confidently skiing and have good physical training. Substantially different from classic children's models. They have all the parameters of adult professional ski models, but are adapted to the growth and weight of children.

Cross-country and downhill skiing Fischer

To date, there are several world brands that produce skis, whose professionalism is included in the list of the best. Just this is the company Fischer. Under this brand, you can find sports equipment for both a beginner skier and a professional. Types of ski "Fisher" are divided into mountain and cross-country.

For the production of mountain skiing, high-tech developments are used, such as titanium inserts in the field of installation of fasteners for edge protection. They give a slight deflection to the bar and provide a continuous grip of the edges of the Flowflex platform. A core with reduced density reduces the weight of the ski. In addition, these skis have a special sock for freeriding. Such elements increase the resistance to damage and reduce the efforts of the skier. Make inventory more manoeuvrable and easy.

Fischer skiing is also classified into sports (professional), women's, rental and children's.

All kinds of sports skis of this manufacturer are distinguished by high cost and excellent quality.

In the production of cross-country skiing, innovations such as:

• A toe made of carbonic high-molecular-weight laminate with a special hole;
• Special structure of the ski;
• Diamond coating of large grooves (design Plus);
• Core Air Core with carbon fiber and two-component construction;
• Strengthened edges;
• Single and double incisions.

All types of cross-country skiing are equipped with modern appliances, which are aimed at reducing the weight of skis and reducing energy losses. Designed for a quick return to the starting position of the ski. Adapted to undeveloped snow. Reduce the pressure on the skis and accelerate the sliding. Help to keep on the rise in any weather.

Produced for experienced and novice skiers. There are women's and children's.

How to determine the rigidity of skis

When choosing an inventory, not only the types of skis but their rigidity are taken into account. Check this option is easy. For these purposes, the ski should be placed on the floor and put a boot on it. Between the floor and the ski panel must pass a sheet. If it does not pass, then the skis are too soft and you should consider another option. Next on the skis it is necessary to become two legs. In this case there should not be any space between the floor and the ski. If it is, then the skis are too hard.

Types of skis and sticks according to growth

Any sports equipment should be chosen taking into account the growth and weight of a person. Types of skis and sticks are selected according to the following rules.

1. Each technique of skiing determines its individual approach to the choice of skis and sticks. For skate rides, skis should be placed next to you. Their length should be 15 cm above the head. The length of the sticks is selected as follows. From the growth of the skier is taken away 15-20 cm, this is the optimal length of the sticks. When the length of the sticks increases, the load on the hands increases. The maximum length should not be above the ear, and the minimum should not be below the shoulder line.
2. Types of skis for classical skating are chosen, adding to the growth of 25-30 cm. This is the optimal length of the ski board. The height of the sticks here should be 25-30 cm below the height of the person.
3. For normal walks, ski length should not be more than 15-25 cm more than the height of the skier.
4. When buying children's skis, the weight of the child should also be taken into account. Children with a weight of 10-20 kg will fit skis in length not more than 70 cm, for a weight category of more than 20 kg, skis should be 90 cm long, for children with a body weight of 30 to 40 kg, skis are 100 cm long. For experienced skiers, a large length. Children aged 40 kg pick up skis 10-15 cm below the growth, so that they reach them approximately to the chin. Sticks for a child are chosen to be 25-30 cm shorter than the height. The best ones are those at the end of which there are plastic "paws" or "stars". They help unrestrainedly to push off even from the friest snow.

Selecting a ski attachment

Types of skis and their destination affect the choice of fastening. In order to choose them, you need to take into account such parameters as the reliability of adhesion to the boot and ease of disengagement.

Ideally, if the entire inventory is from one manufacturer, then there will be fewer questions when installing ski bindings. In the store often fasteners are sold complete with skis, but they have a separate cost. All mounts for mountain skis are divided by the type of detachment from the shoes in case of a fall.

Each mount is designed for a certain load, which is calculated based on the skill, the weight of the skier and the number of expected falls. A good rider has a much higher load than a beginner. Also, when installing the fasteners, the weight of the skier should be taken into account. It is important and the number of falls, since in such situations it is necessary to quickly unhook the boot from the ski. Experienced skiers are advised to use more rigid mounts. Skis with a waist wider than 70 mm have fastenings with wide ski-stops.

Mounts are mounted either on a special platform or on the ski itself. The platform and fastenings under it must be of the same manufacturer. If there are no platforms, the holes under the mounts are drilled in the skis themselves.

About water skiing

For summer skating, water skis are suitable . They fall into two main categories: single and pair. The latter are figurative and hopping. Single are classified into curly and slalom.

Figured as short skis, slightly curved on both sides. Jumping is distinguished by its length and strongly curved front end. Slalom ski has a curved sock and tapers to the rear end. On one side of it is a keel. Water skis, unlike the winter ones, are wider, have a special configuration and are made of special material.

Pair types of water skis are chosen based on the weight category of the skier.

• In childhood, with a weight of up to 36 kg, skis of 100-132 cm in length and 13-15 cm in width are used.
• For people with a weight of 35-54 kg fit skis with parameters of length 150-152 cm and a width of 16.5 cm.
• If a person weighs in the range of 54-68 kg, then he needs an inventory of 167-169 cm in length and 16.5 cm in width.
• People in the weight category 69-90 kg are advised to prefer skis, whose length is 170-172 cm, and the width is 16.5 cm.
• People with a weight of 90 kg should ski, the length of which is between 175-182 cm, and the width - 17.5-20 cm.

If the weight is at the category boundary, then the option with large parameters should be preferred.

For today there are pair skis for women, children, people of a powerful complex, experienced water-skiers, etc.

Water skis can be made both from wood, and from the made foam plastic (пенополиуретана). The latter has light weight and slips more easily along the waves, unlike the tree.