Your water skis should be customized for the type of skiing you’ll be doing. Tricksters need round edges to scoot across the water or fly through curves. If your goal is to avoid doing the splits, look for a long, wide pair that will help you balance—the bigger and blockier the ski, the slower you’ll go.
Combination
Beginners should start with combination pairs. According to nationwide retailer Dick’s Sporting Goods, combination skis give you more control thanks to a wider tip. The reason for the larger tip is pure physics. The public television program Newton’s Apple explains it like this: your body weight on top of the ski is in constant competition with the pressure of the water you’re pushing against. Spread that pressure over a larger surface area—bigger skis—and you have a better chance of staying upright. These beginner-level skis are called combination pairs because one ski has two foot bindings, making it suitable for slalom use.
Slalom
Unlike a snow skier, a slalom water skier uses just one ski. The ski has two bindings, anchoring both feet like a snowboard. On the water, you want a slalom ski to deliver speed and maneuverability. The bottom side of the ski should have a small channel cut into it—this is called the tunnel. According to retailer Academy Sports, the tunnel helps the ski move forward in a straight line. Because slalom skiers aren’t usually moving in a straight line, look for a medium-sized tunnel. Other design features that help the ski go faster include beveled edges and a tapered end.
Trick
Trick waterskiing is part skiing and part gymnastics. Trick riders do things like spins, turns, jumps and handstands, often holding the handle with their feet. Because the skis need to move freely and quickly, they’re much smaller and wider than combination skis. The 2010 Quantum competition trick ski is a popular model, used by two medalists in the 2009 World Championships. This particular ski embodies useful traits for all trick skis: a flat center for stability with a slightly narrowed tip and tail for turning ability.
Jump
Jumping skis have one purpose—to accelerate smoothly over water and offer good lift during a jump. They don’t need to turn or maneuver, which is why they’re longer and wider than slaloms or trick skis. Competitive waterskiier Freddy Krueger designed a jumping ski with a stiffened tail and cut-away tip shape to enhance air flow. When he practiced with the skis, he added an average of 5 feet to his jump length.
Member Comments