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Reprints From The Professional Skier

Fall 1999 - "Shaped Skis for Children: Fit To Be Tried" by Alison Clayton

This article is reprinted from The Professional Skier. All copyrights apply. Please see our copyright and disclaimer notice page.

With the rapid infusion of shaped skis into the snowsports scene, it's no wonder that children's instructors and parents are still clamoring to find out what these skis have in store for kids. After all, racers are skiing faster on shorter skis and adult beginners are experiencing a sharper learning curve on them. Some people even suggest that shaped skis are the power steering" of the ski world! So, shouldn't children be allowed to get in on the fun? The answer is yes, as long we follow a few guidelines.

Ages

First off, let's clarify some things with regard to age. For the purposes of this article, the term "children" includes kids from age 3, the age at which many kids are introduced to skiing, to around 14 or 15, the age at which children grow into the size range of adults. Obviously, we can't treat this as one group because of size and strength considerations. Think of 3 to 6 year olds as smaller, lighter, and less muscularly developed, and children age 7 and up as heavier, stronger, and more coordinated. Realize too, that the children in these separate groups vary in skiing ability.

Sizing The Skis

The most critical factor in choosing the correct shaped ski for a child is getting the size right--assuming, that is, that the child is big enough to be on shaped skis in the first place. Children who weigh less than 45 pounds and have not skied before are generally not suitable candidates for shaped skis. For a shaped ski to be effective, the skier must be able to apply enough pressure at the center of the ski to decamber it and thereby push the belly of the ski into the snow. The 45-pound limit arises from the fact that the shaped skis currently available for children require this much weight for the ski to bend. A child who is too light to bend the ski will find that the ski's tips and tails catch and drag in the snow.

A few ski areas that got on the shaped-ski rental bandwagon learned this the hard way. The rental shops were sizing kids' skis in the traditional way; beginners got skis that reached to the chin; intermediates were fitted with skis that reached to the nose, and advanced children received skis that reached to the top of the head. After all, we've been measuring children's skis this way for years.

The problem was that a lot of the kids were leaving the rental shop with shaped skis that were too long with respect to the children's weight. Once the lesson got underway it was obvious the kids couldn't flatten their skis on the snow, which resulted in skis crossing and hooking up in positions that didn't even vaguely resemble skiing. When this happened, frustrated kids' instructors made a beeline back to the rental shop and requested traditional sidecuts for their students. "Shaped skis don't work for kids!" they professed. Shaped skis were off to a bad start in the kid's world, and all because of an improper sizing method.

Thanks to some persistent manufacturers, rental shop attendants around the country were soon brought up to speed on proper sizing parameters for shaped skis. In fact, in January 1998 one of the ski companies sent representatives out on an "educational tour" to ensure that rental shop employees were aware that correct sizing is critical for children's success on the new products.

General guidelines quickly took shape, starting with a 45-pound minimum weight requirement for beginner children. The shortest shaped skis--those around 90 centimeters--were deemed suitable for children, weighing between 45 and 70 pounds, and 100-centimeter skis were considered a good fit for beginners weighing between 70 and 90 pounds. (Remember, these are just guidelines. All ski companies have recommendations geared toward their products.)

Once everyone understood the weight-to-length ratio and that the length had more to do with size than ability, things turned around. Only then did ski instructors start to buy into the fact that shaped skis could work for children--as long as the kids fit into the size range. Smaller children are going to have continued success on conventional-sidecut, short-length skis.

Of course, as with any rule there are exceptions to the weight-to-length ratio for young skiers on shaped skis. If a child weighs less than 45 pounds but already knows how to ski, chances are good that the forces he or she generates in a turn will be enough to bend the ski. Many very young children who are creating some speed and have a well-developed ability to turn are having a lot of fun and success on shaped skis.

Why Shapes Work

Most instructors have had the opportunity to ski on shaped skis. Many who weren't fully convinced of their merits from the start are true believers now. The wonders of the shaped ski's design promotes easier turn initiation, rounder turn shape, better control of each turn's shape, and better edge hold. We can economize our movements, yet ski efficiently and effectively by using our bodies.

Although adults have to tone down movement on shaped skis, children at younger ages move in a way that is innately suited to the design of the shaped ski. Because kids between the ages of 4 and 7 naturally make movements that involve the entire body, they're quite comfortable making lateral movements across their skis. Rather than the articulated movements that older children and adults can make, small children typically use their skeleton to support their weight and rely less on their muscles. The invention of shaped skis allows these movements to enhance the turn shape, as the child simply shifts sides and stands against the edge of the ski. The ski's design does the rest.

Since children are great experiential learners, simple cues work well for them. Think about standing on the sides of your feet; first both left sides, then both right sides. This is a simple concept to convey to any child, and the effect of using these movements on skis with contemporary sidecut works like magic. Tipping the skis on their sides at the same time produces a parallel turn in a heartbeat!

Other Tips For Teaching Beginners

Another way to help children get the hang of skiing on shaped skis is to scale back the size of the wedge to what I call a "wedgelette." Encouraging your students to keep their skis directly under their hips, have them create a tiny wedge by pointing their toes in slightly. Using a smaller wedge allows the skis to remain flat on the snow so the edges of the skis don't interfere with early movements.

Help the children develop slight direction changes first, encouraging them to point their tips where they want to go. As the turn shapes begin to develop, so will elements of speed control. Only then is it effective to begin experimenting with the wedge width. Once the children are gliding and steering the skis, have them increase the wedge size. The increased edge angle that results will help them slow and stop.

As the children develop a sense of steering their shaped skis and begin to explore more terrain, many of the progressions you've used in the past will work for further skill development. You may want to experiment with the skill blend in some of the activities, since shaped skis tend to require a sensitive rotary application with more focus on the edge and pressure skills. Remember that you'll still need to help the children develop all the skills necessary for good skiing. Don't eliminate anything!

Do Kids Need Them?

The question of whether children need shaped skis is a good one. Haven't we all had our doubts? Didn't we say that we could ski fine with the traditional sidecut skis we used to love? Think about it this way. A 1965 VW Bug was (and still is) a great ride. But compare it to a 1999 VW Bug with the comfort, ease, speed, and materials of a contemporary machine. Think about the power steering! Which one would the majority of us drive, given the choice? Unless you've got a predilection for patchouli and haven't missed a Rolling Stones concert in 30 years, I'm willing to bet you'd go for the new Beetle.

When the adult generation is purchasing a product that makes skiing more fun, kids don't want to be left out. They see and hear the marketing, and they want what their parents want. Most of the ski companies are currently making a shaped product for children, and more children-centered designs are in the works. As the products get tested and more positive reviews are published, there will be additional choices for children in the coming seasons. On the horizon are softer flexes, sidecuts suited to less weight and speed, and lengths that will work for smaller kids.

Let There Be Shapes

No matter what you've heard in the past, give the shaped skis for children a chance. Kids are adaptable and have innate movement patterns that work perfectly with the new designs. Just be sure the ski length is appropriate for the weight and skiing ability of the child and the rest of the puzzle will fall into place. The formula is fairly simple. The lighter, newer skiers need a shorter, softer ski. The kids who can already ski and generate some force in the turn can handle a short but stiffer ski.

Clearly, the snowsports industry is beginning to realize that children can play a crucial role in the future growth of skiing. By addressing children's needs, manufacturers are developing skis that promote young skiers' success. If children are successful at skiing, they are likely to love doing it. And if they love to do it, perhaps they will be skiers for life.

So, the answer to the question of whether shaped skis are good for kids is a resounding yes. If they're big enough to bend a shaped ski, children can be in for a great ride!

Alison Clayton is a PSIA-E examiner and co-coach of PSIA's Junior Education Team. She is also the manager of the children's program at Stratton Mountain in Vermont.