realskiers

On the equipment issue, I think one of the points that Max and I agree on but maybe haven't said explicitly, is the concept of feedback from the skis. One of the great things about carving skis and the head SS's on groomed slopes is that the second you get the skis on edge from tipping, you get instant feedback as the ski engages and the arc starts. This feedback is essential when someone is improving the carving skills as it helps them to feel when they have done the movements right (and decreases the desire to push on the tails to turn the skis). In many ways it is the same things when going off piste. Fore aft balance is one of the keys to off piste skiing. When you ski on non rockered tails, if you get back you will know it immediately and you will not be able to push the tails from the back seat position. This is great positive feedback from the ski and what it means is that the skier needs to really focus on staying forward and pull the feet back agreesively in each transition (when the skis are flat). These are important skills and ones which I want to continue to develop, and I want a ski that will give me the feedback to contiue to help me hone thses skills. Without the feedback it is very hard to tell if you are forward or back as the ski will turn from either position.

So from my view it is always best to choose and ski on skis that give the feedback the continues to support the right technical movements.

I guess the right move for everyone is to find the balance between feedback and forgiveness. Too much forgiveness and not enough feedback is a very bad thing. Too much feedback and no forgiveness will only work for a select group of skiers. Finding the balance is the key. As has been stated before, I am not sure that rockered tails don't automatically take us into the too much forgiveness realm with not nearly enough feedback. But I think everyone needs to make that decision for themselves.