Whats the Skinny on the Fatties?

[Ripitz]

After growing up on skinnies I went fat for a while and now I’m slowly going back. Daily driver is now an 88. I always thought fatties on groomers looked silly. Now, they are saying they are hazardous to your health!?

Are You Suffering From 'Fat Ski Syndrome'?

An orthopedic surgeon and ski instructor warns of the dangers of relying solely on fat skis.

www.adventure-journal.com

Gear Patrol says wider is better.
https://www.gearpatrol.com/outdoors/a34867340/fat-skis-better-explained/
If you had to pick one width for the whole season what would it be?

 

[JTG]

After growing up on skinnies I went fat for a while and now I’m slowly going back. Daily driver is now an 88. I always thought fatties on groomers looked silly. Now, they are saying they are hazardous to your health!?

Are You Suffering From 'Fat Ski Syndrome'?

An orthopedic surgeon and ski instructor warns of the dangers of relying solely on fat skis.

www.adventure-journal.com

Gear Patrol says wider is better.
https://www.gearpatrol.com/outdoors/a34867340/fat-skis-better-explained/
If you had to pick one width for the whole season what would it be?

Z (or whatever his handle is now ) has been beating the “fat skis on groomers knee pain” drum for a while. While I’m not sure I completely buy it (what, follow the science? Nah!)…..I did go narrower (96) with my most recent ski purchase!

 

[Ripitz]

Z (or whatever his handle is now ) has been beating the “fat skis on groomers knee pain” drum for a while. While I’m not sure I completely buy it (what, follow the science? Nah!)…..I did go narrower (96) with my most recent ski purchase!

Yeah, I don’t know about the knee thingy either.

 

[JTG]

Well….Warren Miller has probably been making movies longer than fat skis have been a “thing”, and the legends of back in the day had little trouble on skinnies…..so I’m going fatties on groomers. However, technology has redefined what constitutes a fat ski!

 

[Sbob]

What works for you I always say.
I’m still on my old Rossi B2’s
78 . I don’t get a lot of chance to ski powder, mostly groomers and bumps When I ski wider I have to re calibrate my stance, they clank together till I get dialed in.

 

[Ripitz]

78

I’d say that’s in the skinny range. I have XC skis that wide.

When I ski wider I have to re calibrate my stance, they clank together till I get dialed in.

Yeah, me too, my old school stance was tight parallel. The wide skis definitely changed it to a cowboy stance.

the legends of back in the day had little trouble on skinnies

Much easier now. Early rise and a bigger shovel helps and as long as the tails aren’t too wide you can plane up easy.

“fat skis on groomers knee pain”

Skiing in general is probably not great for the knees. I could see a change in width having an effect. I know when I switched to zero drop shoes there was an adjustment period and that was only a few millimeters. It also cured my bad back.

 

[raisingarizona]

The knee thing makes sense to me, physics and all. Is it something to be extremely alarmed about? Nah.

I’m poor so over the years I often could only have one pair of skis and with a focus on powder free skiing I’d go with fats. I found I wasn’t skiing much unless it snowed.

I’ve been downsizing for daily drivers now but they’re kind of fat for an easterner at 100 at the waste.

If I’m training kids on trail building I often tell them to use the right tool for the task, those knuckleheads will beat the snot out of a McLeod (and themselves) when they need a mattock. The same for snow conditions. You really need a small quiver imo.

 

[timbly]

I view it as wishful thinking: Wouldn't you prefer to ski a foot of powder on a 100mm+ every time you go? So that's the ski you want. Most of the time, we get hardpack, or maybe corduroy, but I know I'm still dreaming about 12" of dry fluff...

 

[tirolski]

It ain’t the arrow it’s the Indy,
or something like dat.

 

[Campgottagopee]

Fat skis need love too