Skis

To the un-initiated a pair of skis might look they do one simple job - transport a skier over compact snow. When you learn a little more about skiing however, you learnt that there are many different types of ski and that each one performs a different role for the skier.

Take cross-country skis for example. These are long and thin, and have a hinge at the heel that allows the skier to place his or her weight over the front of the foot with each stride and perform more of a running movement. These skis also have directional grips or tacky wax attached the bottom of the ski, enabling them to be used for climbing hills as well as descending.

Telemark skis bridge the gap between cross country and downhill skiing, but the rider must adopt a very technical style when riding down steep inclines and this technique can take years to learn. More modern skis have a locking mechanism at the heel which allows the rider to have more movement during cross-country and more rigidity when riding downhill.

Of course when it comes to extreme sports, many associate the downhill discipline with delivering the highest speeds and most dramatic aesthetics. For this type of skiing a wide ski is required with a large bow to cut through the snow and prevent the rider catching an edge. Twin tip skis allow riders to ride both forwards and backwards and are become increasingly more common in snow parks where riders show off their aerial tricks and grinds.