Tips for skiing powder with fat ski's

[skiNEwhere]

I bought k2 pontoon's last year anticipating a big powder season in colorado, which didn't happen. I think they are 160/130/120. I finally got to break them out at Loveland yesterday where there was 12-16 inches of fresh.

I have trouble initiating turns in the powder (harder than normal) because of the width and the weight of the ski, with each ski weighing almost 5 lb's not including bindings.

I bought a lesson, which the instructor told not to lead so much with my downhill ski, which I guess helped a little bit.

Any other suggestions?

 

[fbrissette]

A few facts:

- Been skiing for 30+ years
- I grew up skiing 200cm long skinny planks
- I have skied a fair amount of virgin powder this year on mid fat rockers (100mm waist)

Truth is I cannot give you any hints. The newer skis are so easy to turn on powder that I fail to see why you would have any problem whatsoever, unless you have problems with your basic ski technique. Does your problem really lies with the extremely fat ski, or do you simply have a problem with skiing powder ? In other words have you skied mid fats in powder with no problems before ?

 

[thetrailboss]

The only thing I have learned is to just ski them like normal skis and don't overthink it. Be ready to ski faster than you normally do in order to get them to float real well and just go...big GS turns are better than shorter turns in which you dump speed.

 

[St. Bear]

All I know is that it's a good problem to have.

 

[bigbog]

Hmmm.....don't let the direction of your skis and your momentum diverge? ..That is, except for pivoting into a stoppage(minor/major). Much fun with the powskis....whatever width you end up with...
Those pontoons are behemoths....

 

[skiNEwhere]

A few facts:

- Been skiing for 30+ years
- I grew up skiing 200cm long skinny planks
- I have skied a fair amount of virgin powder this year on mid fat rockers (100mm waist)

In other words have you skied mid fats in powder with no problems before ?

Never skied with mid-fat ski's before, so I wouldn't know. I guess the weight of the ski was throwing me off

 

[steamboat1]

A few facts:

- Been skiing for 30+ years (52 here)
- I grew up skiing 200cm long skinny planks (Yep)
- I have skied a fair amount of virgin powder this year on mid fat rockers (100mm waist) (Have no problem in powder with 80mm waists, the tips & tails are much wider on the newer rockered ski's)

..

 

[KevinF]

So what was happening when you tried to initiate a turn? Did you feel like those skis just didn't want to turn, at all?

Have you had difficulty skiing powder on skinnier skis as well?

 

[St. Bear]

I can't say from personal experience, but from what I've read, the Pontoons are superfat skis for super deep days. Maybe your issue is that you're skiing skis that are far on the end of the spectrum.

Also, I thought I remembered reading that the Pontoon comes with a manual for instructions, and takes a while to get used to? Maybe I'm confusing my powder skis.

 

[mister moose]

Need more info. Past powder experience. Was snow April-heavy, not light? All the instructor had to say was that one tip? What kind of terrain were you skiing? How rapid/strong is your turn normally? What was the exact nature of your difficulty? More info gets a better response.

In general, don't expect immediate gratification on your first big powder day just because you bought fat skis. The heavier the snow the more this is true. Fat skis make it easier, but it is still a new skill.

 

[Nick]

Is the turning difficult? Do you have difficulty in powder on other skis or just these ones?


Skiing on powder is completely different from skiing on groomers or crud. I don't know the technical reasons why but I woulds guess it has primarily to do with the fact that you are skiing on the base of your skis and not the edges when you are on powder.

 

[mister moose]

Skiing on powder is completely different from skiing on groomers or crud. I don't know the technical reasons why but I woulds guess it has primarily to do with the fact that you are skiing on the base of your skis and not the edges when you are on powder.

Powder is not a solid, it is plastic, it can flow, it yields to pressure. It is much more like skiing in a fluid, where as packed conditions are skiing on a solid plane. Powder is 3D. Fat skis help by making it more 2D since they float so readily. Rocker and wide shovels keep the tips from diving for those that want to see their tips, and haven't yet mastered controling fore/aft pressure balance.

 

[St. Bear]

Everyone is different, but the thing that clicked for me was, turning in powder is putting the skis on "edge" without turning against the fall line.

 

[Nick]

Powder is not a solid, it is plastic, it can flow, it yields to pressure. It is much more like skiing in a fluid, where as packed conditions are skiing on a solid plane. Powder is 3D. Fat skis help by making it more 2D since they float so readily. Rocker and wide shovels keep the tips from diving for those that want to see their tips, and haven't yet mastered controling fore/aft pressure balance.

:lol: thanks!

 

[aveski2000]

I have found a neutral stance works pretty good. SMEAR, skid your turns, rather than trying to carve. Ski the fall line more rather than traverse. Go to Jackson Hole and do the Steep & Deep Camp.

 

[St. Bear]

Go to Jackson Hole and do the Steep & Deep Camp.

Oh, sure, no problem. It's just so easy.

 

[SIKSKIER]

Sounds like the instructor was keying in on the uneven weighting of your skis.Powder definately needs you weight your skis more evenly.You can be aggressive on hardpack and weight that downhill ski much more aggressively.In deep powder this will work against you by tending to leave your uphill ski..well,more uphill and throwing off your balance.Try weighting both skis similar with maybe a 60/40 ratio dh to uphill ski.And ski straighter down the fall line.The more you cut across the hill the harder it is the come around.To shed unwante speed,press your heels deeper at the end of the turn.It worked for me in the bottomless powder catskiing in the Monashhe of BC.

 

[Rambo]

One good tip for skiing deeper fluffy powder:

DO NOT TENSE UP. You must be relaxed and loose. (I was told it is like swimming, if you tense up and are rigid you tend to sink.) So don't be nervous and tense, but relaxed and loose and just ski the powder.

 

[Huck_It_Baby]

DO NOT TENSE UP. You must be relaxed and loose.

This is your best advice regardless of ski type or width.

 

[ScottySkis]

Go to SLc to find it.