Ski terms, in plain English

How long the ski is from tip to tail, in centimetres.

Shorter skis turn easily and forgive mistakes; longer skis are steadier at speed and float better in powder. Beginners ride skis about chin height, experts around the top of the head or a little over.

Find your length

How wide the ski is under your boot, in millimetres. The most important number for where a ski works best.

Narrow (under about 85 mm) is quick and grippy on groomed runs. Mid (85 to 104 mm) is the do-everything range. Wide (105 mm and up) floats in powder but is slower to tip on edge.

Which width for what

Three widths, in millimetres: the widest point near the front, the narrowest point underfoot, and the widest point near the back. Written like 133 / 98 / 120.

The middle number is the waist width. The gap between the ends and the middle makes the hourglass shape that lets a ski turn.

The hourglass curve along a ski's edge: wide at the ends, narrow in the middle.

Tip a ski on its edge and that curve makes it carve an arc. More sidecut (a deeper curve) means tighter turns.

The size of the circle a ski naturally carves when tipped on edge, in metres.

Under about 15 m feels quick and eager to turn (slalom style). 16 to 20 m is an all-round middle. Over 20 m wants long, fast arcs. Radius changes with length: the longer version of the same ski has a longer radius.

How much narrower the tail is than the tip.

More taper makes a ski release from a turn and pivot more easily, which helps in trees and soft snow. Less taper holds on to the end of a carved turn.

The front end (tip, or shovel) and back end (tail) of the ski.

The length of metal edge that actually touches the snow when you turn.

Rocker lifts the ends off the snow and shortens the effective edge, which is why a heavily rockered ski feels shorter than its length and is usually bought a few centimetres longer.

A ski whose tail is turned up like its tip, so you can ski and land backwards.

Standard on park skis and common on playful all-mountain and powder skis. A flat tail, the opposite, finishes turns with more power.

The slight upward arch in the middle of a ski when it lies flat on the ground.

Standing on the ski presses the arch flat and pushes the whole edge into the snow. That gives grip on hard snow and a springy feel out of turns.

Rocker vs camber, drawn

Ends that curve up off the snow earlier than on a traditional ski, like the runners of a rocking chair.

Rocker in the tip helps a ski start turns and float in soft snow. Rocker in the tail makes it easy to pivot and smear. The trade-off is less edge on hard snow.

Rocker vs camber, drawn

The most common modern profile: rocker at both ends for easy turning, camber in the middle for grip.

Camber along nearly the whole ski, with almost no rocker. The profile of race and carving skis.

A tail that stays on the snow instead of curving up.

It supports you at the end of a turn and gives a strong finish. Less forgiving if you lean back.

The centre of the ski, almost always wood (poplar, beech, ash, paulownia and others).

Dense woods like beech and ash make a ski stronger and heavier; light woods like paulownia and poplar make it lighter and livelier. Cheaper beginner skis may use foam.

Thin sheets of aluminium alloy (the best-known brand is Titanal) layered into the ski.

Metal makes a ski damp, stable and grippy at speed, and also heavier and more demanding. Skis with "Ti" in the name usually have it. Lighter and beginner skis often skip it.

Carbon fibre layers that add stiffness and pop without much weight.

Common in touring and lightweight all-mountain skis. A carbon ski feels lively and energetic; it can also feel nervous in rough snow compared with a metal one.

The strip of hard plastic along the side of the ski, above the metal edge.

Full sidewalls drive power straight to the edge for better grip. Cap construction, where the top sheet wraps over the side, is lighter and more forgiving and is common on beginner skis.

The plastic underside that slides on the snow.

Sintered bases are faster and hold wax better; extruded bases are cheaper and easier to repair. Either way, waxing a few times a season keeps skis gliding.

The steel strips along both sides of the base that bite into the snow.

Sharp edges matter most on hard snow and ice. A shop tune sharpens them.

Where on the ski the binding (and so your boot) sits.

Further back suits directional, charging skiing; closer to the middle balances the ski for spins and skiing backwards. A shop mounts bindings on the line the maker recommends unless you ask otherwise.

How easily the ski bends.

A soft ski bends at slow speeds and is easy to turn, which suits lighter and newer skiers. A stiff ski holds up at speed and under strong, heavy skiers, but takes effort to bend.

A damp ski soaks up vibration and feels calm and quiet on rough snow.

The opposite is lively or poppy: you feel more of the snow and get more spring out of each turn. Metal makes skis damp; carbon makes them lively.

Staying composed at speed instead of shaking (chattering) or getting knocked around.

Length, weight, stiffness and metal all add stability. The price is a ski that asks for more speed and effort.

Easy to pivot, slide sideways, pop off bumps and change direction on a whim.

Playful skis usually have plenty of rocker and a softer flex. The opposite is directional or charging: a ski that wants to point downhill and carve.

How well a ski stays on top of soft, deep snow instead of sinking.

Width and tip rocker create float. On a powder day it is the difference between gliding and wading.

How firmly the edges hold when the snow is hard or icy.

Narrow waists, camber, metal and sharp edges all improve grip. It matters most in the East and on early-morning groomers.

A forgiving ski lets small mistakes go; a demanding ski punishes them.

Softer flex, rocker and shorter lengths make skis forgiving. Beginners and intermediates should look for it.

How heavy the ski feels when you rotate it, as in a quick turn or a spin.

Light tips and tails lower the swing weight, which makes a ski feel nimble in trees and bumps.

Narrow skis (about 66 to 84 mm) built for groomed runs.

Quick from edge to edge with strong grip. The right first ski if you only ski groomers.

Browse carving skis

Mid-width skis (about 84 to 104 mm) meant to handle most snow and most of the hill.

The category most people should start in. Narrower ones lean toward groomers, wider ones toward soft snow.

Best all-mountain skis

Wider, sturdier skis (about 100 to 112 mm) for ungroomed snow, steeps and chopped-up powder.

Browse freeride skis

The widest skis (about 112 mm and up), with lots of rocker, for deep fresh snow.

Best powder skis

Twin-tip skis for jumps, rails and skiing backwards in the terrain park.

Browse park skis

Lightweight skis for climbing uphill under your own power (with special bindings and skins) and skiing down.

Browse touring skis

Usually the same shape as a unisex model, built lighter and a little softer, in shorter lengths.

Plenty of women ski unisex models and plenty of lighter men ski women's ones. On Skifolio each ski links to its twin.

A run smoothed overnight by a grooming machine. The ridged surface it leaves is called corduroy.

Snow packed so firm that edges struggle to bite. Common in the East and after a thaw and refreeze.

Powder after other skiers have cut it up: soft piles and ruts. Heavier, damper skis plough through it best.

Fresh, untracked snow. A few inches skis like a soft groomer; a foot or more needs width to float.

Mounds that form on ungroomed runs as skiers turn in the same places. Quick, softer-tailed skis handle them best.

Skiing between trees, where turns must be fast and tight. Skiers often pick a slightly shorter, more playful ski for it.

Best skis for tree skiing

Anything not groomed. Inside the resort it is patrolled; beyond the boundary (backcountry) it is not, and needs avalanche training and gear.

Learning to link turns on green and easy blue runs. On Skifolio: First turns, ability 1 to 3.

Best skis for beginners

Parallel turns on most blue runs and starting on blacks. On Skifolio: Cruising, ability 4 to 6.

Best skis for intermediates

Confident on black runs, bumps and trees. On Skifolio: Charging, ability 7 to 8.

Best skis for advanced skiers

Skis anything on the mountain, at speed, in any snow. On Skifolio: ability 9 to 10.

North American trail signs: green circle is easiest, blue square is intermediate, black diamond is advanced, double black diamond is expert only.

Ratings compare runs within one resort, so a blue at a steep mountain can be harder than a black at a gentle one.

The set of skis one person owns. A one-ski quiver is a single ski chosen to do everything.

People with two or more skis pick each for different snow: for example a narrow one for firm days and a wide one for storms.

How to build a quiver

Skis are named for the winter they end in: a 2027 ski is sold for the 2026/27 season.

Many models carry over for several years with only new graphics, so last year's version on sale is often the same ski.

The devices that hold your boots to the skis and release them in a fall.

Some skis are sold "flat" (no bindings, you choose a pair and a shop mounts them); others come with a matched "system" binding already fitted.

The number that sets how much force it takes for a binding to release your boot.

It depends on your weight, height, age, boot and ability, and it must be set and tested by a certified technician. Skifolio never suggests a value.

A high-end rental you can try before buying. Demo bindings adjust to fit different boots without remounting.

Rent or buy?

Shop service that sharpens the edges, flattens and repairs the base, and applies wax so the ski glides.

Getting ski boots matched and shaped to your feet by a specialist. Most skiers should buy boots before skis.