Check out these turns! These are pure carving turns. We're riding a fast ski here because we are going from edge to edge with a switch initiation, and we're steering by moving the body aggressively inwards each time. I don't think it's stretching the truth too much to say that this way of skiing is similar to the new World Cup GF technique. And what enables me, an aging ski pro, to ski the same way they do is these great little short carving skis, which allow me to feel the switch and allow me to really move inwards each time I want to steer the turns around.
Now I've got a friend who's a really good skier; you watch him and he's hot, he's got all the moves. But there's one thing missing: you look at his skis and hey! They're not carving. Those aren't real clean carved turns. And the reason is that he insists on using race skis -- these long skis without much sidecut -- and race boots, and he doesn't go fast enough to really get them carving.
Now for lots of us the pure carved turn is like the Holy Grail. And if that's part of your quest, you'll have a lot better time achieving it if you start out on a pair of 153 carving skis like these.
See, check these turn out once again: the transition from turn to turn is practically seamless. We go from this set of edges to that set of edges, and it requires real confidence to move inwards. You practically just dive inwards, and you try doing that on a conventional length ski and you'll probably just fall over. Whereas the little carving skis will help you get your confidence for the switch initiation, and using lots of inclination.
And one little tip for you there: when you go to switch, push your inside knee aggressively toward the new turn. That'll help. And once you get the feeling for skiing this way, you can go back to your long boards, you'll just have to use more of the hill, and probably go quite a bit faster. So my friend there with his race boards, he may eventually learn to carve... but not on his own skis, I bet you. If he uses these ones, though, he'll get it in no time. And that's my advice to you if you're s ski pro, an advanced skier, a junior racer... you want that pure carving feeling... try some of these little carvers.
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