Best skiing: rating and features

Alpine 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? Maybe in childhood memories of fashioned snowmen, about skiing from snow-covered hills, hidden in the subcortex of the brain? Most likely, this is the case, because many of their lovers talk about an unforgettable feeling of returning to a carefree childhood, and therefore they specially take a vacation in the ski season.

How can one not recall the quote from Ernst Hemingway’s work “... we rushed, bending down ... surrendering to speed in this endless fall, in the hiss of noiseless snow dust. It was better than any flight, best of all in this world! ”

About skiing

Suppose a person decided to join this sport for his pleasure. The writer Roman Nadiryan ironically described this moment: “Ivan Veniaminovich was the first to ski. The heart was beating fast, breathtaking. The knees were trembling. What to do next - he did not know. It happened on the train. "

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

A beginner, going to a ski resort, can only get a helmet and special boots on his first trip. Inventory for him, taking the first steps, it is better to take on arrival at the box office.

Then it will become clear to him, he will figure out what kind of ski is worth buying. In any case, it is better not to do this from the start. What common mistakes should he be warned against? Beginners should not buy professional equipment and hard skiing. Ratings by price categories, that is, the principle “the more expensive, the better” do not work here. They only disorient the teapot.

Adept’s business plan should be something like this: first reach a universal level, and then choose the favorite direction of skiing.

After a minimum of two years, having gained experience, yesterday's beginner will be able to specialize in skiing according to his taste. Modern skiing is divided into universally recognized areas that are Olympic disciplines:

• Freeride - off-piste skiing.
• Carving - driving along a prepared track with “cut” corners: fast and short, or long and arched.
• Slalom - a descent in which an athlete must pass through all the "gates" placed on the highway.
• Mogul - descent from a slope with mounds.

Manufacturers of ski equipment

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

• Atomic is an Austrian company that has established itself as a manufacturer of equipment for champions, part of the Amersports corporation.
• Elan is a Slovenian company that invented revolutionary fastening. A recognized leader in the manufacture of functional mid-range skis.
• Fischer is a world market leader, the oldest company (1936) from Austria. Associated with most Olympic medals won by skiers.
• Head is an Austrian company, a leader in technology. Her skis are adaptive to the type of snow cover and ride speed.
• Nordica is an Italian manufacturer of alpine skiing and equipment.
• Scott is an American company in the market of ski equipment since 1998.
• Völkl is a monopolist of alpine skiing equipment in Germany; products are known for their quality factor.
• K2 is an American high-tech brand. Mounts are installed without drilling holes.
• Salomon is initially a French company, then acquired by Adidas. Now a member of Amersports Corporation.

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

Obviously, before this you need to systematically consider the skiing itself.

Ski classes

Let's try to use the generally accepted international classification of alpine skiing. For easier perception, we present the information in a table.

We analyze it. Category A, B skis are too cool for beginners. They are designed for professional speed climbing, as well as hard ice cover. Taking the first steps in this sport is recommended, depending on age, category D, E, and then C.

However, with all the “advantages”, such a classification is useless for determining the rating of ski brands, because their primary sign is specialization.

Functional classification

Current ski models of these companies have their own history of development, improvement and testing. Their characteristics are improved every year. Amateur athletes will not be mistaken if they choose within the framework of any of the above brands. Nevertheless, in this article we will determine the best brands for 2016/2017.

To do this, we first segment the ski rating based on preferences in the methods of descent of the skiers themselves. To do this, we’ll attach ourselves to the version of YourSki magazine, which identifies the best ski models within each segment:

1. For skiing and relaxation (Allround).
2. Track wagons without restriction in turning radius and riding style (Allmountain).
3. For carving tracks with short and frequent turns (SL / SC).
4. For carving and slalom with high-speed turns of large and medium radius (GS / RC / XT).
5. With skiing prepared, but also envisaged going beyond them (Freeski).
6. For skiing within the ski resort off-piste (Frontside, Freeride).
7. For skiing outside the ski resort, off-piste (Backside, Freeride).

In the future, the leading models in each of the seven categories mentioned will be indicated.

Allround rating: skiing and relaxation

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

In fact, the rating of alpine skiing for beginners cannot be uniform, there will be two, depending on two possible goals that neophytes can set for themselves.

A beginner longing for an exciting and healthy outdoor recreation will choose the rating skis covered in this section of the Allround article. The poetess Lydia Romanova once remarkably remarked about such an adept:

“I quit smoking, I got up on skis,

Life has decided to start a new one!

And like a schoolgirl, she ran

Charge your body with health! ”

In another case, if a beginner is a convinced athlete, has good physical fitness and wants to achieve results in the future, it is reasonable for him to choose skis from the Allmountain category, which we will consider a little later.

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

1. Black Magic manufactured by the American company Scott. Effective in any riding mode, stable in cut driving, comfortable on a rolling bend.
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 skiing style.

However, in fairness, we will not be silent about the successful brand RTM 75 iS from the German company Völkl.

Allmountain Universal Ski Rating

These skis are tailored to any style. They are maneuverable: with their help, the athlete can turn both in large and in small radius. Allmountain demonstrate an enviable cross-country ability on a broken and excellent traction with an icy hard track. They are characterized by comfortable lateral slippage and an optimal turning trajectory, as well as stability at speed. The book of the author R. Mark Elling “Universal Skier” will help to understand the features of Allmountain for beginners. We recommend her.

Unforgettable impressions give beginners the first, so far not very confident, downhill. They are fascinating. One of the athletes said this: "Skiing is like a waltz with a mountain, and the mountain leads."

Due to the dynamism, skis of the Allmountain category are recommended for beginners with good physical fitness. The ranking of universal skiing for the 2016–2017 season is known:

1. ProMtn 80Ti from the Austrian company Fischer. Demonstrate excellent carving, as well as decent cross. Lightweight and comfortable for the skier.
2. RTM84 UVO from the German company Völkl. Dynamic and controllable with a “cut arc” trajectory.
3. iKonic 80Ti from the American company K2. Really versatile and easy to manage.

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

• Vantage X83CTI of the Austrian brand Atomic. The model is stable and confident on the sports track.
• Model The Ski by American manufacturer Scott. It is technological and controllable in terms of rigidity depending on the nature of the track. Convenient in all riding options.
• Model Strong InstinctTi of the Austrian brand Head. Remarkably shows itself on turns of any diameter.

Having mastered universal skiing, a beginner can consider himself a skier, that is, a person striving to winter as badly as possible.

Alpine skiing for short runs with frequent turns

Learning this subspecies of alpine skiing can help the book Kaniowski "Carving technique for dummies." For skis in this case, springiness, dynamics, grip of edges on an 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 brains are the main item of equipment for a skier.

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

1. Racetiger SC UVO. High rates 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 skiing, you can proceed to the development of the next level of training of an athlete - downhill. Variability in the diameter of turns, grip of edges on an icy slope, and a confident course along a broken and soft track characterize it.

Here, specialized skiing is already in demand. Their rating in the season 2016-2017. opens a German brand:

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

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

Freeski Rating

Amateur skiers call this method of skiing the border between the prepared track and freeride. With him, insignificant crossings by the skier of the borders of the route, various tricks are allowed. The style is not limited here: it is free to choose a sliding maneuverable or cut.

Obviously, for this, easy to control, spring should be skiing. The rating of such models is led by the American brand K2:

1. Model Marksman combines maneuverability and speed on the highway with a remarkable passage of virgin land.
2. The Punisher 110 of the American brand Scott demonstrates developed capabilities in small jumps on a hilly terrain.
3. TST from the Austrian company Armada, known worldwide as a pro in equipment for Freeski. Skis, as their owners claim, are "weightless and obedient."

Freeride

When skiing along the sides of resort tracks, speed stability and edge grip on hard or icy slopes, significant vibration damping, and adaptability to different styles of descent are valuable. The alpine skiing rating for freeride is also led by the tech-based American company K2:

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

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

Outside Resorts Freeride

After years and years of training, experienced skiers visit many resorts and overcome various routes. Tens and hundreds of kilometers of runs in the asset. Great! ..

But what next? And at this time, their views glide along the untouched virgin lands, along the glacial descent, along the crests of the rocks, gradually lowering their terraces with terraces. And now they are already thinking up the gorge. There comes a moment when the body and soul of a skier ask for something unfamiliar, fresh, new - to lay down their routes unknown to anyone.

Off-piste routes are dominated by loose and untrammeled virgin lands; here specific requirements are imposed on skis: speed stability and maneuverability.

The ability to damp vibrations is also important. Connoisseurs of “wild” (non-resort) freeride (and there are many in the world) believe that it is for him that he needs the best skiing. The rating of alpine ski brands in this category is headed by the same American brand K2:

1. The Pettitor model confidently rolls along the slopes for any quality and depth of snow, while maneuvering remarkably.
2. Scrapper124 from the American company Scott demonstrate amazing versatility and unpretentiousness.
3. Cyclic 115 of the Austrian brand Head shows stable downhill in deep snow.

However, Pinnacle 118 from K2 and Super 7 HD from Rossignol are advancing on the heels of the leaders in terms of their characteristics.

Conclusion

To summarize, considering the best models of skiing for the 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?”.

The brands whose rating we reviewed above were in high demand in the 2016/2017 season. Among the three leaders are two American (K2 and Scott) and one German (Völkl) companies:

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

Thus, the rating of ski manufacturers identified the companies that are most actively investing in promising developments of new models of skiing. The traditional leader - the Austrian company Fischer - was in fourth place. However, the success of the Slovenian brand Elan is welcome.