Camber .26 rocker Ski geometry

modern powder skis wider on-piste designs. example has noticeable rocker shaping @ tip , tail, while retaining camber , sidecut.

camber ski s shape viewed side. typically skis designed when tip , tail on ground, waist in air. without camber, when skier s weight applied @ waist, weight distributed on surface closest foot, diminishing along length. camber distributes weight onto tips , tails, extending surface area bearing skier s weight, , thereby improving amount of ski edge in contact surface. technique first introduced ski makers in telemark, norway, , remained largely unchanged through 20th century.

in 2002, skier shane mcconkey led development of volant spatula, alpine ski developed skiing deep powder snow. spatula uses reverse camber tips , tails rising above waist in effort improve floating on soft snow. referring shape of runner on rocking chair, these designs became known rockers.

today alpine skis feature combination of rocker , camber. subtle, natural camber @ waist, , rocker @ tip , tail. these designs lack sidecut well, relying on interaction snow provide curving shape causes ski turn smoothly.

one disadvantage parabolic shape wider @ tip , tail, producing design considerable rotational inertia. offset effect, skis had evolved shorter, reducing moment arm. in spite of larger shovels @ tip , tail, overall area of ski reduced, led them tending sink in soft snow. left powder skiing , off-piste skis among few markets not being served parabolic designs. several skis aimed @ powder market had appeared on years, including volant chubb , other fat-boy skis mid 1990s.

free skier shane mcconkey skiing on elan designs in 1996, found sank in snow. experiment more float on snow, tried mounting ski bindings on waterskis while skiing in alaska. began working volant on skis combined metal-based production method, producing aluminum-based volant huckster. in 1998 testing huckster friend scott gaffney, reported bent chubbs skied better new design because tips didn t sink in snow. mcconkey took design , used produce radical volant spatula in 2002, featured not banana-like reverse-camber negative sidecut radius. on firm snow skis difficult turn @ all, in powder tips , tails bent produce curved shape caused them carve. mcconkey moved k2 sports , introduced similar pontoon design circa 2006.

by 2010 rocker design becoming in design, , starting displace parabolics on larger mountains. 2012 change rocker designs underway, , 2013/14 new skis claim rockers. many of these have moderated camber , sidecut more traditional, allowing them used on trails powder, retain wide bases , other features of rocker design. these may referred number of names depending on brand , marketing, terms such full rocker , mountain rocker , hybrid , others.