Above is a very simple Geogebra applet that explains the basic premise. That is, we want to go down the hill.
There is two great Youtube clips that will help explain the physics of going down a slope and then catching some air.
Below are pictures that will link you to those two videos if you want to visit them.
Let's start with finding skis that fit. By following the lead of several websites information
on how skis should fit. To put it into the most simplistic terms and if you are quickly trying
to size skis for yourself, there is an old trick that holds true even through the calculations
I completed from several skiing outfitter’s websites. Simply place the skis on the ground in
front of you and hold them up to your body. If you a beginner, then your skis should come up
to your chin. If you consider yourself an intermediate, then the tips of the skis should reach
the bridge of your nose. If you are advanced, then the skis should be your height or taller.
By plugging in multiple points from multiple websites,
I derived these two best fit equations for length of skis based on height (cm) and weight (kg).
L(w)=.781w+105, 45
L(h)=1.33h-58.57, 150
You may notice in this example, that the length of the skis is slightly longer than my height.
This is due to my weight, and those extra two centimeters are needed for extra control. In addition
to the implementation of the above equation, you may add or subtract centimeters based on what type
of skier you are. As we will soon talk about in the following section, length of skis is directly
related to speed as well as turning radius. If you, for example are a back-country skier who lives
for great powder days and hates the lines, your skis will not only be 2-5cm longer on average, but
they will also be wider to lift you on top of the powder rather than sinking in. If you are a speed
demon or a highflyer, a longer more tapered ski will give you the speed you crave. So on that note,
let's jump into carving
