How Parabolic Skis Revolutionized Alpine Skiing

In the past, alpine skiing was limited to only the most talented skiers. The only skis available were long and skinny skis, which resembled what we know today as "cross country skis." The most popular skis at the time were known as Telemark skis, and they were primarily used to traverse the rolling hills in Norway. Telemark skis enabled people to glide effortlessly across the snow, saving them the effort of trudging through huge drifts of snow.

In general, skis had always been used for transportation rather than for thrills or entertainment. A few skiers enjoyed competitive racing, and the professional and most advanced amateurs experimented with alpine skiing. Beginner and intermediate skiers were wary of steep hills and mountains, because long and skinny skis were so difficult to steer and turn on hills. After all, think how you would feel about taking a pair of cross country skis down a steep mountain? Now, imagine if the design of your skis was simple and crude, made from wood, and equipped with old-fashioned rat-trap and duckbill bindings, and you can see why skiers hesitated to ski down anything more forboding than today's bunny hill.

Recreational skiing quickly spread from Norway to the rest of Europe and then America. People quickly realized that the Norwegian model of ski worked well for small hills and flat terrain, but made skiing in the Alps and other challenging terrain nearly impossible. So, a new technique appeared, and it opened up the world of skiing to beginners. The new, short and wide skis were perfect for speeding down steep hills and mountains.

Downhill skis changed surprisingly little between the 1930's and the early 1990's. Then, in 1995, the parabolic ski revolutionized the world of alpine skiing a second time. Commonly referred to as "shape" skis, parabolic skis were slow to gain popularity. Many doubters believed that the hourglass shape of the parabolic ski would limit the versatility of alpine skiing. This assertion could not have been farther than the truth. Not only were parabolic skis discovered to be ideal for all types alpine skiing slopes, they could be used for back-country skiing, and even snowboarding tricks!

After a few years, the advantages of parabolic skis were recognized by several professional alpine skiers. From there, the parabolic ski shot up in popularity, and in fact, attracted many people to alpine skiing. This could not have happened at a better time, because the public had lost most interest in alpine skiing when snowboarding appeared on the scene.

A parabolic ski is shaped a lot like an hourglass-skinny in the middle and wide on the ends. This curved design makes the parabolic ski perfect for navigating difficult terrain, especially ski routes with sharp turns. Just as the original concept of alpine skiing made steep slopes more attainable for beginners, parabolic skis opened the world to the difficult black diamond slopes.

The most recent development in alpine skiing was the addition of the twin-tipped parabolic ski. These are slightly shorter than the original parabolic skis, and were dubbed "super parabolic skis " by some. They once again took alpine skiing to new levels, opening up opportunities that had once been limited to snowboarding. Today skiers are able to pursue the most challenging of terrain because their twin-tipped parabolic skis allow them to improve their precision and make tighter turns. Some people feel that there are no possible improvements that can be made on the twin-tipped parabolic ski, but who knows what the future holds.