The best skiing: rating and characteristics

Skiing today, with the development of appropriate resorts and infrastructure, is becoming not only a sport, but also a hobby for an increasing number of people. What is their phenomenon? Perhaps, in the memories of childhood concealed in the subcortex of the childhood about the fashioned snowmen, about riding from snow-covered hills? Most likely, so it is, because many of their fans talk about an unforgettable feeling of return to a carefree childhood, and therefore they take a special holiday in the ski season.

How can you not remember the quote from the work of Ernst Hemingway "... we rushed, crouching ... surrendering speed in this endless fall, in the hissing of noiseless snow dust. It was better for any flight, better in this world! ".

On mountain skiing

Let's say a person decided to join the sport in their own way. The writer Roman Nadiryan ironically described this moment: "Ivan Veniaminovich got up for the first time on skis. Heart was beating rapidly, breathtaking. Their knees trembled. He did not know what to do next. It happened on the train. "

Perhaps, the neophyte can be advised to be simpler, the first year does not even think about steep turns and speeds. Graduality is the mantra of skiing.

Beginners, going to a ski resort, can on their first trip only buy a helmet and special shoes. Inventory to him, making the first steps, it is better to take on arrival at the box office.

This is then "clear" for him, he will figure out what skis are worth buying. In any case, it's better not to start from the start. What common mistakes does it take to warn him yet? Beginners should not buy professional equipment and hard skiing. Ratings by price categories, ie, the principle "the more expensive, the better", do not work here. They only disorient the "teapot".

The business plan of an adept should be something like this: first to reach a universal level, and then choose the favorite direction of skiing.

At least two years later, having gained experience, yesterday's newcomer will be able to specialize in mountain skiing according to his taste. Modern skiing is divided into universally recognized areas, which are Olympic disciplines:

• Freeride - off-piste skiing.
• Carving - movement along the prepared track with "cut" turns: fast and short or long and arc-shaped.
• Slalom - descent, in which the athlete must pass through all the "gates" posted on the route.
• Mogul - descent from a slope with mounds.

Firms producing skiing equipment

Currently, many companies produce high-tech skiing. The ratings of these firms are high, and the brands are famous, they are on the lips and the kings of the ski slopes, and amateurs:

• Atomic is an Austrian company that has established itself as the manufacturer of inventory for champions, part of the Amersports corporation.
• Elan is a Slovenian firm that invented a revolutionary fastening. Recognized leader in the production of functional skis of the middle class.
• Fischer - the leader in the world market, the oldest company (1936) from Austria. Associated with most of the Olympic medals won by skiers.
• Head is an Austrian company, a leader in technology. Her skis are adaptable to the type of snow cover and speed of driving.
• Nordica is an Italian manufacturer of mountain skis and equipment.
• Scott - the American company, in the market of ski equipment since 1998.
• Völkl - a monopolist of ski equipment in Germany, the products are known for their Q-factors.
• K2 is an American high-tech brand. Fasteners are installed without drilling holes.
• Salomon is originally a French company, then bought out by Adidas. Now he is a member of the Amersports corporation.

Thus, we decided on the companies-legislators of the ski fashion. In the future (at the end of the article), we will try to identify the leaders from their totality and make an objective rating of producers.

Obviously, before that you need to systematically consider themselves skiing.

Classes of skis

We will try to use the generally accepted international classification of mountain skis. For easier perception, the information is presented in the form of a table.

Let's analyze it. Too steep for beginners skiing category A, B. They are designed for professional high-speed overcoming of descent, as well as hard ice covering it. Making the first steps in this sport is recommended, depending on age, category D, E, and only then - S.

However, with all the "pluses" such a classification is useless for determining the ranking of ski brands, because their primary attribute is specialization.

Functional classification

The current models of mountain skiing of these companies have their own history of development, improvements and tests. Their characteristics are improved every year. Amateur athletes are not mistaken if they choose within any of the above brands. And yet in this article we will determine the best brands for 2016/2017.

To do this, we first segment the rating of mountain skiing based on preferences in the ways of descent of skiers themselves. To do this, let's tie to the version of YourSki magazine, which determines the best models of mountain skis inside each segment:

1. For riding and rest (Allround).
2. Track universals without restriction in the radius of rotation and the style of riding (Allmountain).
3. For carving routes with short and frequent turns (SL / SC).
4. For carving and slalom with high-speed and medium-speed bends (GS / RC / XT).
5. With skating on the tracks prepared, but there is also an exit beyond their borders (Freeski).
6. For skiing within the ski resort outside the slopes (Frontside, Freeride).
7. For skiing outside the ski resort, outside the slopes (Backside, Freeride).

In the future, the model leaders in each of the seven categories mentioned will be listed.

Allround Rating: Skating and Recreation

For the theoretical preparation of debutants Allround, we recommend the American textbook "Skiing lessons" - an ordered collection of instructions from various trainers. It is useful and has good reviews.

In general, the rating of mountain skis for beginners can not be the same, there will be two, depending on two possible goals that the neophytes can set for themselves.

A newcomer, thirsting for an exciting and healthy outdoor recreation, will choose the rating skis of the Allround category article covered in this section. Poetess Lydia Romanova somehow remarkably said about such an adept:

"I quit smoking, I got up on the skis,

Life decided to start a new one!

And, like a schoolgirl, she ran

The organism is charged with health! "

In another case, if a beginner is a convinced sportsman, has good physical training and strives to achieve results in the long term, it is reasonable to choose skis from the Allmountain category, which we will consider somewhat later.

Let's evaluate the skiing for active recreation, in other words, consider the Allround rating. Olympus best models will look like this:

1. Black Magic produced by the American company Scott. Effective in any mode of riding, they are stable in cut handling, they are convenient on a sliding turn.
2. Progressor F18 of the Austrian company Fischer. Successful on any track and easy to manage.
3. GT76 TIEVO Italian manufacturer Nordica. Equally good for any track, for any style of riding.

However, for the sake of justice, we will not keep silent about the successful brand RTM 75 iS from the German company Völkl.

Allmountain mountain skiers' rating

These skis are suitable for any style. They are maneuverable: with their help the sportsman can turn both on the big, and on a small radius. Allmountain demonstrate an enviable patency for the broken and excellent grip with the icy hard road. They are characterized by comfortable side slip and optimal turn trajectory, as well as stability at speed. Will help to understand the features of Allmountain newcomers book author R. Mark Elling "The mountain skier is universal." Recommend it.

Unforgettable impressions give the beginners to training the first, yet not very confident, descents. They fascinate. One of the athletes said this: "Skiing is like a waltz with a mountain, and the mountain leads."

Because of the dynamic nature of the ski, Allmountain categories are recommended for beginners with good physical training. The universal ski rating is known for the season 2016-2017:

1. ProMtn 80Ti from the Austrian company Fischer. They demonstrate excellent carving skating, as well as decent cross-country ability. Easy and comfortable for the skier.
2. RTM84 UVO from the German company Völkl. Dynamic and controllable with a trajectory "cut arc".
3. IKonic 80Ti from the American company K2. Really universal and easily manageable.

In addition to the leader models, they are worthy of praise:

• Vantage X83CTI Austrian brand Atomic. The model is stable and confident on the sports track.
• The Ski model of the American manufacturer Scott. Technological and controllable for rigidity, depending on the nature of the route. It is convenient in all variants of skating.
• Model Strong InstinctTi Austrian brand Head. Remarkably shows itself at corners of any diameter.

Having mastered the universal skis, the novice can consider himself a skier, that is, a man who aspires to winter the winter as hard as possible.

Downhill skiing for short runs with frequent turns

The book "Carving Technology for Dummies" by Kaniovsky can help those who are learning skiing. For skis in this case, springiness, dynamics, grip of edges on the icy track are important. However, this is not all. The athlete should calculate his trajectory, commensurate with the steepness of the slope, it is good to see the track. And most importantly - do not forget that the brains are the main subject of equipping the skier.

Specialized for "cut" corners belonging to the category SL / SC mountain skiing. The rating is headed by the German company Völkl:

1. Racetiger SC UVO. High indicators of rail stability and dynamics.
2. X-Race SW165 from the Slovenian company Elan. Excellent handling and sliding.
3. X-Race SW 165 French-American company Salomon.

In addition to the leading models, RC4 Worldcup SC products from the Austrian company Fischer deserve recognition.

Speed carving, GS / RC / XT slalom

Only having learned the confident technique of mountain skiing, it is possible to pass to development of the next level of preparation of the sportsman - downhill. Variability in the diameter of the turns, the adhesion of the edges on the icy slope, a confident course along the broken and soft track characterize it.

Here already in demand specialized skiing. Rating them in the season 2016-2017. Opens the German brand:

1. Code Speedwall UVOS from the German company Völkl. Amateur skis are as close to sports as possible on speed and dynamics of turns.
2. GSX Fusion Slovenian brand Elan. Excellent show themselves on the slope of a soft and broken, maneuverable.
3. Redster Doubledeck 3.0 XT Austrian company Atomic. Wonderful dynamics of turns. Enviable grip with icy track.

The rating of mountain skis for carving is not a dogma. It all depends on the individuality of the skier. For example, some respondents prefer the Worldcup iSpeed Rebels model from the Austrian company Head for dynamics and comfort, and some - RC4 The Booster Curv of the Austrian brand Head.

Freeski Rating

This way of skiing amateur skiers is called a borderline between the prepared track and the freeride. With it, minor intersections by the skier of the boundaries of the route, various tricks are allowed. There is no limit to the style: freely choose a sliding maneuverable or cut.

Obviously, for this easy to manage, springing should be skiing. The rating of such models is headed by the American brand K2:

1. The Marksman model combines maneuverability and speed on the track with a remarkable virgin land.
2. Punisher 110 of the American brand Scott demonstrates the developed opportunities in small jumps in hilly terrain.
3. TST from the Austrian company Armada, known in the world as a pro in equipment for Freeski. Skis, as their masters say, are "weightless and obedient".

Freeride

When riding along the sides of the resort trails, high-speed stability and traction of edges on a hard or icy downhill are important, considerable vibration damping, adaptability to various styles of descent. The rating of skiing for freeride is also headed by the technological American company K2:

1. The Marksman model is maximally adapted to descent on the virgin soil and, in addition, it has good characteristics on the track.
2. Sky 7HD from the French company Rossignol, specializing in freeride - Rossignol. Outstanding opportunities for speed control, trajectory.
3. Confession of the German brand Völkl. It has high dynamics and cross-country freeride.

The leaders of the rating are worthy of competition, the brand of the Austrian brand Atomic - Backland FR 109, the model Enforcer of the Italian brand Nordica, QST106 of the French-American company Salomon.

Freeride outside resorts

After years and years of training experienced skiers visit many resorts, overcome various routes. Tens and hundreds of kilometers of descents are active. Great! ..

But what's next? And at this time, their glances slide over untouched virgin land, along a glacial descent, along the crests of rocks, gradually, with terraces lowering their height. And now they are already in thought climbing up the gorge. There comes a time when the body and soul of the skier are asking for something unfamiliar, fresh, new - to lay their routes, unknown to anyone.

Outside the resorts, the loose and untouched virgin land prevails, here specific requirements are imposed on skis: speed stability and maneuverability.

Value also has the ability to quench vibrations. Connoisseurs of the "wild" (non-competitive) freeride (and there are many such in the world) believe that it is for him that they need the best skiing. The rating of the skiing brands in this category is headed by the same American brand K2:

1. Model Pettitor confidently rolls on the slopes for any quality and depth of snow, while doing great maneuvering.
2. Scrapper124 from the American company Scott show amazing versatility and unpretentiousness.
3. Cyclic 115 Austrian Head brand show a stable downhill on deep snow.

However, the heels of the leaders in their characteristics come Pinnacle 118 from K2 and Super 7 HD from Rossignol.

Conclusion

Let's sum up, having considered the best models of mountain skis for a season 2016-2017.

After analyzing the winners in seven categories (Allround, Allmountain, SL / SC, GS / RC / XT, Freeski, Frontside Freeride, Backside, Freeride), we will be able to answer the question: "Which companies produce top-end skiing?".

Brands, whose rating we reviewed above, in the season 2016/2017 enjoyed high demand. Among the three leaders - two American (K2 and Scott) and one German (Völkl) companies:

1. K2.
2. Völkl.
3. Scott.
4. Fischer.
5. Elan.

Thus, the rating of manufacturers of mountain skis was determined by the companies most actively investing in promising developments of new models of mountain skis. The traditional leader - the Austrian firm Fischer - was in fourth place. However, it is worth to welcome the success of the Slovenian brand Elan.