It is a very interesting phenomenom and the ski companies hope that it is comparable to the large tennis rackets and the Big Bertha driver in golf. One thing is for sure, these skis make skiing powder obtainable for the chronic internediate skier. Unfortunately they reinforce technique that will not work in powder on trad sidecut, trad camber skis. But the fact that intermediates can have fun at Squaw in 2 feet of sierra cement says alot about this innovation.
For those that can ski, these can be another tool to have in the bag and they will allow almost any skier to stay out longer with less leg wear and tear in powder and chop all day. When you get to skiers at the level of Harald Harb, there is little benefit if any becuse he skis bumped up powder all day and never gets back on his skis and never gets his quads burning. For everyone else, the ability to be able to stay forward without tip dive, is huge!!!
Having said all this, in Montana where I am skiing 80% of the time now, I never use them. The dumps are smaller and the snow is so light. In tahoe however, rocker is definitely changing the game and it is changing most in trees. Rocker skis turn or pivot almost on a dime which makes them amazing in trees and makes tree skiing accessible to much larger numbers of skiers.
Again, I am anxious to try the new hybrid skis with medium rocker and traditional sidecut.
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