What are Twin Tip skis? Ski boards? Shaped Skis? etc etc...?

Question

just wondering. i know ski boards give you the feeling of skating, but whats the point?

Answer 1

Twin Tips are skis that have a curved tail as well as the usual curved front. They are good for riding backwards in terrain parks, and in the half-pipe. They are not as good if used to race or mogul runs where you will not ski backwards. If you want to do tricks in the park...this is most likely what you want.

Ski Boards. Ski Blades, etc. are short, usually wider skis also good for the park and pipe. I tend to think they have little application beyond those areas. Likewise, people who can't do the tricks on regular size twin-tips tend to favor the skiboards. When I've used them I did not feel like I was on skates. I felt like I was on two pieces of cardboard going down an icy trail.

Shaped skis are the dominant ski on the market. It is very hard not to find a new shaped ski. Shaped refers to the sidecut of the ski. Some have very radical sidecuts, some are less pronounced, but 99% of the current skis on the market have a sidecut of some sort.