Skis: weight still matters

For the ascent, weight is still one of the main factors in determining the efficacy of a ski or a boot, and just about every top athlete is still willing to sacrifice a bit of comfort to save a few grams here and there. As we’ve said, though, no manufacturer these days has much trouble providing gear at the lowest weight points allowed by competition rules. Of course, everything changes on the descent. Just a little extra weight helps give the ski a more balanced heft, which can significantly improve the responsiveness of one ski compared to another. However, given that competitive athletes think mainly in terms of pure performance, weight remains a determinant factor even among amateurs, who, like elite athletes, tend to put ascent speed above all else and then have to adapt their skiing technique to their equipment in order offset the issues brought by having such a lightweight ski on the descent. In this specific market segment, performance is given much more importance than skiing pleasure, so it should come as no surprise that, in some cases, the more skiable but slightly heavier ski is also offered at a lower price point.