A slalom ski is a ski that is easy to turn and has a high horizontal stability. Slalom skis have very good edge grip on hard slopes with short turns. Even at very high speed. The ski is a lot shorter and narrower than the average piste ski. Slalom skis are only suitable for experienced winter sports enthusiasts who have a sporty skiing technique with sufficient power. There are also special high-performance models for competitive skiers. You can read everything about slalom skiing on this page.
SLALOM SKI FEATURES
Slalom skis are also called short turn skis. The skis are very tailored (narrow) and therefore easy to maneuver. This way you can easily ski short turns. Thanks to the construction, a slalom ski can handle high speeds. The edge grip on short bends is very good. Even on hard, icy slopes. Slalom skis have a number of characteristics. We have listed these below. We will explain some of these features in more detail below.
- The skis are sporty, agile and dynamic
- Recommended length: body length min +/- 20 centimeters
- Highly fitted (narrow)
- Narrow underfoot
- A low radius
- Not suitable for every type of skier
NARROW UNDER THE FOOT
Where an all-mountain ski or freeride ski is wide under the foot, the opposite is the case with a slalom ski. This ski is a lot narrower. That has everything to do with the maneuverability of the ski. The narrower the waist, the easier it is to ski short turns. In general, the width of a slalom ski is around 70 millimeters under the foot.
A LOW RADIUS
The waist of the ski determines the radius. This is the turning circle of the ski. With a high radius you can ski long turns and with a low radius you can ski short ones. With a slalom ski the radius is less than 13 meters. This ski has been specially developed for skiing short turns.
NOT SUITABLE FOR EVERYONE
Slalom skis are not suitable for every type of skier. To be able to ski well on a slalom ski, you must have a sporty skiing technique with sufficient power. Slalom skis are therefore especially suitable for highly advanced skiers, experts and professionals.
WHAT DO YOU USE SLALOM SKIS FOR?
The word slalom comes from the Norwegian word slalåm, which means a combination of hill and ski track. One of the first slalom competitions was in 1767. During a military competition it was decided to descend, zigzagging between the trees. The skis were not allowed to break and you were not allowed to fall.
The slalom is one of the disciplines in the competitive sport of Alpine skiing. The slalom involves skiing on a slope that covers approximately 200 meters of elevation. On this descent, gates in the colors blue and red have been placed at a short distance from each other. The skier skis around these poles in short turns while descending. The total time of two rounds is added together and the winner is determined. Slalom skis have been developed especially for this branch of competitive sport.
Source: www.skiinformatie.nl