A wide stance

[riverc0il]

Narrow and wide stances are both techniques that can be applied depending upon snow condition and type of board you are skiing. I started skiing powder exclusively using a "feet together" stance. This seemed the most natural because I hooked my tips in powder when I was first starting out if my feet got further apart. Especially considering when I first learned powder, I was coming off an intensive "race" technique which puts too much pressure on the tips in powder causing dive. But getting bigger boards and a more balanced stance allowed me to open things up when applicable. In the trees, I usually keep the stance narrow for control purposes whereas open slopes or deep snow I really like to open things up and crank two plank turns, especially on the fat boards. Type of turn is a factor as well... cranking a big turn or tight turns down a fall line will promote different angles of attack and different stance needs. The other factor is untracked or cut up powder. Untracked can be much more open but a tighter stance provides better stability when snow consistency is variable.

Bottom line: you need to be able to use a variety of stances in a variety of conditions for a variety of turns and limiting yourself to one specific type of turn or stance will not promote optimal technique for approaching a wide variety of terrain and conditions.

 

[fixedgrip16]

Narrow and wide stances are both techniques that can be applied depending upon snow condition and type of board you are skiing. I started skiing powder exclusively using a "feet together" stance. This seemed the most natural because I hooked my tips in powder when I was first starting out if my feet got further apart. Especially considering when I first learned powder, I was coming off an intensive "race" technique which puts too much pressure on the tips in powder causing dive. But getting bigger boards and a more balanced stance allowed me to open things up when applicable. In the trees, I usually keep the stance narrow for control purposes whereas open slopes or deep snow I really like to open things up and crank two plank turns, especially on the fat boards. Type of turn is a factor as well... cranking a big turn or tight turns down a fall line will promote different angles of attack and different stance needs. The other factor is untracked or cut up powder. Untracked can be much more open but a tighter stance provides better stability when snow consistency is variable.

Bottom line: you need to be able to use a variety of stances in a variety of conditions for a variety of turns and limiting yourself to one specific type of turn or stance will not promote optimal technique for approaching a wide variety of terrain and conditions.

I'd agree with all this but this brings up a good point. . . that ski width will affect stance. Medium width skis like mine a B2ski best with a fairly narrow stance in general because no matter what you need a platform in powder, crud, bumps for stability and weight transfer keeping in mind the deeper the snow the more even the pressure is on both skis. On packed or icy slopes weight transfer is more edge to edge independently regardless of ski width. A wide ski however offers more of a platform for powder and crud under foot than a narrower ski so you wouldn't have as a narrow stance-- the skis do it for you. On the other hand, a narrower ski is quicker and more precise on ice or bumps.

Disagreed. I like to look at a narrow stance in powder as building a single stable platform on which to ski, especially in dense powder or cruddy snow. You can get away with a wider stance if the consistency of the powder is light.

Excatly but with the caveat above about ski width.

 

[rueler]

How so....powder skiing is about balance which a narrow stance will not help

ALL skiing is about balance...it's the most essential of the 4 skills that any skier brings to the table. How you feel most comfortable/centered on your boards in a certain type of condition is up to you...the way that a skier stacks over their skis is another big factor (body alignment).

 

[millerm277]

Naturally, I keep a very narrow stance, although on the groomers I try to widen it up a bit.