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From: allenm@ittvax.UUCP (Allen Matsumoto)
Newsgroups: net.rec.ski
Subject: Re: skis
Message-ID: <1343@ittvax.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 16-Mar-84 09:27:39 EST
Article-I.D.: ittvax.1343
Posted: Fri Mar 16 09:27:39 1984
Date-Received: Sat, 17-Mar-84 03:19:10 EST
References: intelca.228
Lines: 34

How quickly we forget!  The long channels on the bottom of skis
are called "grooves" and were, indeed, intended to add stability
during straight running.  This was considered necessary in the
old days (say, 20 years ago) when skiers used mushy leather boots
(remember longthongs?).

With the advent of "good" boots there is now a tradeoff to be made
between grooves for straight tracking and flat bases for swivel 
turns.  Skis with flat bases became popular when ballet skis came
out about 10 years ago.

Downhill skis still have grooves, some models have 2 grooves per ski.
These are typically hard to turn quickly.  Ballet skis are short, double
tipped (tail turns up), flat or beveled skis.  These are unstable at 
even moderate speed.  Now, what about intermediate, advanced, or slalom/
GS skis?

If you like to ride a flat ski at any speed, grooves will help track.
However, if you aren't going too fast, good laterally rigid boots 
would be more important.  If you like to swivel your turns, e.g. in 
(softer) bumps, a groove introduces a slight inconsistency into your 
turning and you might prefer flat bases.  

Most skiers nowadays ski roughly from edge-to-edge.  For such skiing, 
I don't think it really makes any difference.  What you have to decide,
then, is how much straight running and how much swivelling you will be
doing.  Obviously, other characteristics of skis are much more important
in determining whether a ski is suitable for you.  (I also have skis
with flat bottoms, but that did not influence my decision.)

	Allen Matsumoto
	ITT Advanced Technology Center
	Stratford, CT
	decvax!ittvax!allenm