TPS Archives

Reprints From The Professional Skier

Fall 1999 - "Seniors Find New Skis Short on Length, Long on Fun" by Ginny Walters

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

What are those?" is the usual question as skiers glance skeptically at our 123-centimeter skis. My husband, Dick, smiles and replies, "I could only afford half a ski."

Remember the old Graduated Length Method? The short skis were straight--no sidecut--and stiff as well. Although this teaching method has gone the way of leather boots, the concept of starting with a shorter ski and gradually moving to a longer one has been picked up again. Several years ago, Elan debuted its shorter parabolic skis to overwhelmingly positive feedback. Now the company has gone even shorter, producing very flexible parabolic skis in lengths of 113, 123, and 133 centimeters, and Rossignol and others have followed suit. Elan's skis were originally designed for never-evers, to make a beginner's first lessons so rewarding that he or she would continue to ski. But the skis delighted an entirely different demographic--the teachers who tried them out at an instructional clinic last season. It took only a few runs before these skilled individuals were asking where they could get a short pair of their own.

The skis generated the same enthusiastic response when we helped introduce them to our 55+ Club at Smuggler's Notch in Vermont. These older, experienced skiers found that in the space of half a run, they could find the balance point on the little skis and begin carving turns with precise control. Most of us who have tried them decided to buy a pair, and since then they've become our favorite ski.

We found these short skis to be a superb teaching tool for the advanced skier because the skier's movements elicit clear, quick feedback from them. In other words, the skis "talk back" on groomed or hard-packed slopes, becoming unstable and wobbling disconcertingly if we're not centered in our boots or have allowed our shins to lose contact with the boot tongue. But that's only on a groomed or firm slope. In a few inches of powder or in soft spring snow, the skis are much more forgiving; even if we're not perfectly centered, the skis will track a curve. In most conditions, those of us who experimented with the shorter lengths found ourselves skiing more two-footed than ever before. As a result, we can make slow, linked turns with precision. Even skiers with limited experience may find themselves carving.

Another benefit is that the short ski really inspires confidence. Once you're balanced, it's actually easier to stay on top of the skis. Besides, turning requires less torque, and therefore less effort. The result is that skiers feel more confident and secure, and less fatigued at the end of the day. With less trepidation than ever before, Dick and I--a pair of septuagenarians who are merely Level I instructors--now tackle steep slopes, moguls, paths through the trees, and even combinations of these with new fervor.

As versatile as they are fun, these skis are capable of handling the whole spectrum of conditions, including crud, "mashed potatoes," and powder. A couple of skiers reported that they're a "blast" in knee-deep powder, even if you don't see your skis all day.

When used as a teaching tool, the short ski can help the more experienced skier improve his or her balance and become more two-footed, especially when initiating a turn. Once you get accustomed to the length, beginning the next turn on short skis is easy: boots, ankles, and knees roll from one edge to the other, producing a smooth change of direction.

Anyone who thinks hardpack requires longer skis will be pleasantly surprised with the shorter ski's performance. The whole edge grabs, and seemingly better than the longer ski does. Perhaps this is because when you pressure the short ski, you exert more pressure per linear inch of edge, thereby enabling the ski to grip the snow and carve more effectively.

To those who ask, "Can you go straight? and fast?" the answer to both is an emphatic yes. Although these aren't racing skis, they can be used for racer training. Truth be told, you can go just as fast on the short skis as you can on longer ones. And, of course, for those of us older skiers who favor skiing confidently in control over trying to set on-snow speed records, these skis perform superbly.

We predict that these skis will be the answer for any skiers who are looking for a new way to enjoy their sport but are not ready to take up snowboarding or telemarking. Many more years of enjoyable skiing in all conditions are within reach with this new kind of ski. And what of those older skiers who may be ready to give up the sport because they've "been there, done that"? Well, here's a new toy that can add years to these seasoned individuals' skiing lives by helping them rediscover passion for the activity they fell in love with so long ago.

In producing an easy-to-use beginner ski that facilitates learning, ski manufacturers may have fortuitously stumbled upon a design that could keep the more experienced skiers interested in the sport. This new enthusiasm kindled by innovative equipment may be just as vital to the growth of the industry as attracting new skiers to the sport.

Ginny Walters is a retired physics instructor. She and her husband, Dick, have been members of PSIA-E for 10 years. When they're not skiing in their home state of Vermont, the duo may often be found on the road to various ski areas throughout the United States and Canada.