Skiing

Ski Boots

Ski boots are specialized footwear that are used in skiing to provide a way to attach the skier to skis using ski bindings. This ski-boot-binding combination is used to effectively transmit control inputs from the skier to the snow.

Ski boots were originally made of leather and resembled standard boots. As skiing became more specialized as a form of recreation, so too did ski boots.

Boots intended for downhill use (Alpine, Randoneé, and Telemark) are generally composed of a hard plastic shell with a softer foam liner to provide warmth and comfort. Concerning liners, a thick soft liner will be more comfortable and provide more insulation while thinner, harder liners provide more precision. Comfort has been improved in recent years by the use of conformable linings (usually heated to fit) which allow an otherwise stiff liner to be molded to the foot and comfortably accept a large variety of foot shapes. Shells come in various degrees of stiffness; beginners typically like a softer and more padded boot, while more advanced skiers generally prefer a stiffer boot with a thinner liner. Softer boots are able to be flexed with less pressure applied to the cuff making them a good choice for lighter or less aggressive skiers and translates into a more forgiving ride. This quality is also desirable when efficiency and comfort during touring is a concern. Softer boots are often lighter as well due to thinner shell material; a desirable quality when touring as well. Increased boot stiffness generally translates into more precise energy transmission from the skier to the ski. It also provides better support for increased g-loading during high-speed turns, and heavier skiers. Stiff boots however are often less comfortable and heavier than their softer counterparts.

-Boots which are too soft for a skier will not feel sufficiently responsive, and will over flex during high-performance skiing.

-Boots that are too stiff for a skier will transmit unintended control movements to the skis, and will not flex sufficiently in varying terrain or during normal intensity skiing.

Ski

A ski is a long, flat device worn on the feet designed to help the wearer slide smoothly over snow. Originally intended as an aid to travel in snowy regions, they are now mainly used for recreational and sporting purposes. Also, a ski may denote a similar device used for other purposes than skiing, for example, for steering snowmobiles.

Construction

Skis were originally wooden planks made from a single piece of wood. They are now usually made from a complex assembly of components including glass fibr, Kevlar, tiranium, other polymers, and composite materials, though many contain wood cores. These components are put together through a variety of ski manufacturing techniques.

Most skis are long and thin and curve upwards at the front to prevent digging into the snow. The skier is attached by bindings which latch ski boots to the skis. Beginning in the early 2000s, many ski manufacturers began designing skis and bindings together, creating an integrated binding system. These systems serve two purposes. Firstly, they often use a railroad track design, to allow the toe and heel pieces to slide, which in turn allows the ski to flex deeply, without a non-flexing spot underfoot due to the binding. Secondly, it requires the consumer to purchase both skis and bindings from the same manufacturer due to the proprietary nature of the system, thus increasing sales.