Ski | The best of 2022

With the winter season just around the corner, not only the cold is approaching, but also winter sports. In fact, our beautiful mountains are preparing to become the home again of all those who love to go down the slopes, and not only, with skis and snowboards, as well as those who love to try their hand at some nice excursions with snowshoes. Passions and sports that are nothing short of magnificent, which fill the weekends of thousands of fans every year, eager to immerse themselves in some beautiful experience in fantastic snowy landscapes. To do this, however, obviously you need to have the right equipment, able to worthily accompany us on all these adventures.

Read also: Snowboards | The best of 2022 In this buying guide we have decided to focus on those that are the best skis on the market, perfect for any need and need. Whether you are a skilled skier or you still have to learn, you will find in this guide a long series of tips, which will allow you to choose your perfect pair of skis and, at the same time, learn something more about this beautiful sport. >

The best skis

Head 2020 Supershape i.Speed ​​Nordica Dobermann Spitfire 70 PRO 12 Völkl Deacon 74 Rossignol Soul 7 HD Head Oblivion 84

Head 2020 Supershape i. Speed ​​

We have decided to open this list with the Head 2020 Supershape i.Speed, a track model with many advantages and very few defects. This pair of skis, in fact, manages to offer excellent stability and very good floatation, without sacrificing what is handling. Maybe they are not exactly the best to tackle tight corners at high speed, but otherwise it is a product that can give great satisfaction, thanks also to an innovative material that makes them particularly resistant and versatile. In short, something to be held in high regard

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Nordica Dobermann Spitfire 70 PRO 12

If you are looking for a particularly versatile track model able to adapt well to both classic slalom that in giant descents could be just the Nordica Dobermann Spitfire 70 PRO 12 to suit you. of situations, with the handling and stability that settle on excellent levels. Given the great potential, this is not a highly recommended product for beginners, who may get tired faster than with other skis, but for all those who have a minimum of familiarity and want to try different types of slopes the Nordica Dobermann Spitfire 70 PRO 12 are certainly a great choice.

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Völkl Deacon 74

Not everyone is obviously an expert skier and not everyone has a large budget. Fortunately, the Völkl Deacon 74 comes to the rescue of those who are still a little uncertain on the snow, and at a lower price than the average they can prove to be excellent skis. Easy and safe to maneuver, this pair of skis manages to give very good performance, proving to be a valid product in many respects. In short, if you don't want to spend too much or if you are looking for a balanced pair of skis you will find in the Völkl Deacon 74 excellent allies to spend the winter with.

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Rossignol Soul 7 HD

With the Rossignol Soul 7 HD we move to FreeRide skis, that is to say on that type of skis designed for some off-piste descents. This model, mainly made of Paulownia wood, carbon, basalt and glass fibers, manages to perform very well in such situations, guaranteeing better stability and control than the average for the category. In short, the Rossignol Soul 7 HD know how to prove to be a valid ally in numerous situations, managing to give their best especially on fresh and light snow.

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Head Oblivion 84

We could only close the list of the best skis on the market if not with a freestyle pair. If you are looking for a pair of skis of this type, an excellent choice is certainly the Head Oblivion 84, ski products designed to be almost indestructible and, consequently, perfect for making evolutions and so on. Available in three different lengths, to suit practically any skier, the Oblivion 84 will hardly disappoint you, giving you respectable versatility and park resistance.

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How to choose the best skis

If you have never entered this fantastic world, you will most likely think that choosing the perfect one is something extremely complex, a process where it is necessary to take into consideration a long series of factors and variables. Fortunately, however, it is possible to find your own pair of skis even without being great experts, simply by asking yourself a series of questions and following some indications. Just to help you in this choice, we have compiled below a list of tips, which will help you make your way in this world and find the one that best suits your needs and requirements.

How skis are made ?

Before you can even go and see the different types of skis, you need to focus on a couple of characteristics, in order to understand them and thus be able to better define what you are actually looking for from your pair of skis. The characteristics that most influence the performance of a pair of skis are in particular two: structure and sidecut.

The structure of these tools for skiing is fundamental as it heavily influences their behavior. Speed, precision, control, lean angle and, more generally, the handling style of the ski: these are in fact some variables that depend on the structure of the ski, with the choice of the one that best suits your needs which therefore becomes something of a essential. In fact, a rigid structure increases grip on snow and stability at high speeds, making movement more precise. But be careful, checking a pair of skis with a rigid structure is not at all easy and doing it without the right experience can cause much more of a difficulty for the less experienced, especially during turns. Precisely for this reason in such cases it is advisable to have a pair of skis with a less rigid structure and easier deformation, capable of being less punitive in case of inaccuracies by the skier. Another feature not to be underestimated of the less rigid skis is their being less tiring to use, proving perfect for all those who want to do long outings on the snow.

The sidecut is instead a feature that allows the skis to steer when inclined and then placed on edges. Checking what the sidecut radius is therefore becomes fundamental in order to understand how to tackle curves: a high sidecut radius, indicatively above 16 meters, is in fact recommended for example for those who love to make wide curves and at particularly high speeds, while a smaller radius is perfect for those who prefer more closed turns at a slower speed.

What types of skis exist?

The main aspect to consider when choosing skis is definitely the relative one. to their macro-typology and to the place where we intend to use them. In fact, doing some descents on the track requires, for example, very different products to those recommended for an off-piste excursion and so on. In short, before choosing a product, it is essential to understand how and where you intend to use it. In general, there are three different categories of skis: those for piste, used notes for descents on the track, those from FreeRide or off-piste, for the more experienced and for those who want to try their hand at unmarked routes, and, finally, those for park , that is, from freestyle.

Piste skis

The first type of ski, as well as probably the most widespread and the most suitable for all those who want to try their hand at this beautiful sport, is certainly that of piste skis. . This type is then divided into four other different categories, namely for beginners, allround, race carver and, finally, racing.

If you have never approached the world of this winter sport, most likely your choice should be based on skis for beginners, i.e. the entry level category. This type of ski, in addition to being the most suitable for those who do not have great demands and for those seeking to learn to ski, is also the cheapest and does not require great reflections on technical characteristics and so on. The only advice is to look for skis that are about 20 centimeters long less than your height.

If you are already accustomed to this world, allround skis are definitely the ones for you, that is the dedicated ones. to intermediate skiers who also dedicate themselves to the red slopes. This category, in addition to being the most widespread among all those of piste skis, touches a wide range of choice, starting from products designed to be the right step forward from those for beginners up to skis that have little to do. envy to the superior category, that is to the race carvers. The sidecut of the allrounds ranges from approximately 11 to 16 meters.

Race carver skis are dedicated to advanced skiers, ie those who regularly go skiing and have a great deal of experience. As for all-round skis, there are many different types for this category too, starting from those that represent a physiological next step from the previous category up to skis with structures very similar to those for FIS racing. The sidecuts of the carver skis start from 12 up to 21 meters, thus covering both the "slalom" category, up to fourteen meters, and the "giant" category, which reaches 21 meters of sidecut.

The last category is the FIS competition category, ie products with sidecuts and lengths regulated by the FIS, the International Ski and Snowboard Federation. As easily understood, it is professional skis, designed specifically for those who face races and competitions. Obviously, it is always possible to use them on the slopes, but as they are designed for very different speeds than those that can be reached with the normal crowding of the slopes, this is certainly not their natural territory.

FreeRide skiing

FreeRide skis are the type of skis designed to be able to float even on fresh snow and, consequently, to be used off-piste. The most evident peculiarity of this type is a greater width under the foot, which, unlike on piste skis that reach about 75 mm at most, in freeride ones it is usually greater than 100 mm, even reaching 130 mm. In fact, this peculiarity allows a higher yield on fresh snow, making FreeRide skis unsuitable for use on slopes, where the snow is decidedly more compact.

Park or freestyle skis

If you are looking for a pair of skis to freestyle you will need a pair of park skis. This type is in fact designed to facilitate jumps and backward skiing, thus making it perfect for a large number of situations. Park skis are recognized for having the so-called "double tip", ie the tail shaped like the tip, just to make skiing backwards easier and more immediate. They can also be used more than discreetly both on and off-piste, although skis dedicated to such situations are obviously preferable.

How do I choose the size of the skis?

Once I have decided on the type of use, it is good and right to take into consideration other characteristics to make a more thoughtful choice possible. One of the most important variables to take into account is certainly that relating to the size of the skis. The length of the skis must in fact be chosen based on various factors, such as the snow on which we will have to ski or your height. If you want to ski on soft snow, for example, it is advisable to have longer skis that increase floatation, while on well-compacted snow, short skis are preferable as they are less bulky and easier to use.

Furthermore, the taller and / or heavier you are, the longer your skis should be, while those who still don't feel too confident should think of models that are a little shorter, as they are more controllable. The type of use also affects what the length of the skis should be: the giant slalom, in fact, goes well with long skis, while tight curves require shorter skis. In short, the variables to be able to choose the right length of your skis are really many and all important: for this reason it is essential to understand exactly before purchasing what type of product you are looking for and how you intend to use it.

What is the best material for skis?

Another fundamental aspect that should not be underestimated is certainly the one relating to the materials with which they were built. Those who are more experienced and want a fast and light product should opt for skis with good percentages of aluminum or with materials such as titanium or kevlar, while those who want greater stability should go towards wooden skis. Even your body weight, and that of your equipment such as boots and winter clothing, must also be taken into consideration, since a high weight requires products built with resistant materials, such as wood.