Fat skis and knee issues

The swing weight also probably plays a role as well.  The heavier the ski, the more effort it takes to maneuver it, and the more strain on your knees.  My K2 charges are sub 80mm width, but with two sheets of TI they weigh a freakin' a ton, whereas my new Head Kores are 91mm, but weight nothing and I think are pretty easy on the knees (although they do chatter in a hard carve)

I've never skied em, but I'd imagine the Blizzard Bonafides are probably hard on the knees - Heavy skis that are 98 underfoot that a lot of peoples use in hardpack conditions.

It may be technique. In the old days we use to get big edge angles with a lot of knee action. PSIA is now teaching that you keep the knees over the skis and get the carve angle with your hips. This is what I have been told by those who are current with PSIA techniques. Seems reasonable to me that if you are going for high edge angles on a wide board and you are relying on some of that coming from the knees it’s going to be hard on them, move your hips more to the inside of the turn instead. That’s what I have learned to do and I feel no difference between carving my 100 wide powder skis versus my 65 slalom skis.

Cool article thanks for sharing

TheGreatAbyss wrote

The swing weight also probably plays a role as well.  The heavier the ski, the more effort it takes to maneuver it, and the more strain on your knees.  My K2 charges are sub 80mm width, but with two sheets of TI they weigh a freakin' a ton, whereas my new Head Kores are 91mm, but weight nothing and I think are pretty easy on the knees (although they do chatter in a hard carve)

I've never skied em, but I'd imagine the Blizzard Bonafides are probably hard on the knees - Heavy skis that are 98 underfoot that a lot of peoples use in hardpack conditions.

Not exactly really. It depends on the turns, fat skis are a lot easier to maneuver through tight places with natural snow conditions. You can’t butter stiff, narrow skis with lots of sidecut. Hard pack groomers sure, but that’s not what fat skis are for anyways.

I got some carving skinnies this year, Volkl kendos. I’m loving em for the groomers but wow they suck for natural snow runs and trees. I’d say there dangerous even, or they are at least if I try to ski them the way I do on my fats. You really do need a few different skis for different conditions. The quiver killer is a myth.

raisingarizona wrote

 You really do need a few different skis for different conditions. The quiver killer is a myth.

I used to agree with you on that, and  I was a 2 ski quiver guy for many years, but try the Head Kores if you ever get a chance.  They are shockingly versatile.  Light weight, and bendable and pliable length wise which makes them nice and forgiving in trees and bumps.  But they are torsionally (edge to edge) rigid and confident on the hardpack.  They aren't true carving skis and are rocker/camber/rocker, but I haven't felt the need to get on my carving skis all season, and it's been an icy season.

TheGreatAbyss wrote

The swing weight also probably plays a role as well.  The heavier the ski, the more effort it takes to maneuver it, and the more strain on your knees.  My K2 charges are sub 80mm width, but with two sheets of TI they weigh a freakin' a ton, whereas my new Head Kores are 91mm, but weight nothing and I think are pretty easy on the knees (although they do chatter in a hard carve)

I've never skied em, but I'd imagine the Blizzard Bonafides are probably hard on the knees - Heavy skis that are 98 underfoot that a lot of peoples use in hardpack conditions.

I don't think heavier skis are harder to maneuver, at least imo. Still to this day my fave skis are my Nordica 84 Pro's, heavy af but man do they fly. They turn on a dime and the ski loads amazingly.  That said you have to be on top of them and ripping. Sure at slow speeds they're harder to maneuver but that's not what those skis are made for.

I

campgottagopee wrote

TheGreatAbyss wrote

The swing weight also probably plays a role as well.  The heavier the ski, the more effort it takes to maneuver it, and the more strain on your knees.  My K2 charges are sub 80mm width, but with two sheets of TI they weigh a freakin' a ton, whereas my new Head Kores are 91mm, but weight nothing and I think are pretty easy on the knees (although they do chatter in a hard carve)

I've never skied em, but I'd imagine the Blizzard Bonafides are probably hard on the knees - Heavy skis that are 98 underfoot that a lot of peoples use in hardpack conditions.

I don't think heavier skis are harder to maneuver, at least imo. Still to this day my fave skis are my Nordica 84 Pro's, heavy af but man do they fly. They turn on a dime and the ski loads amazingly.  That said you have to be on top of them and ripping. Sure at slow speeds they're harder to maneuver but that's not what those skis are made for.

I

Yup, some skis just need to get up to speed to work!

I gotta say tho nothing skis pow like a soft, rockered tip and tail 120+ under foot fat ski and nothing skis hard pack like a more specific carving ski. You can have a sort of mid level “quiver killer” but it’s going to be more of a jack of all trades, master of none and that perfect mid range ski is probably going to be different depending on your ski region.

raisingarizona wrote

 

I gotta say tho nothing skis pow like a soft, rockered tip and tail 120+ under foot  

I've told the guys I ski with that I will ski when I can ride my Patron's. It just hasn't happened yet. Skiing on those things make me giddy

A good fatty in the right kind of snow is whole new world.

This all is a matter of physics
On hard snow / ice the edge is on the snow and a wider ski will put significant reaction force into your knee.  If that same ski now is in snow that allows the ski edge to go below the top surface of the snow in effect the ski is now narrower eliminating the issue

Watch this if you care about your knees

https://youtu.be/ynVcTIHPkUo

3 yrs ago I was Skiing 90mm width Kendo’s as my main ski and my knees paid a big price.  Now my main skis for Eastern conditions are deacon 76 and 74 and knee pain is gone.

This is proven science and you can Say BS I rock my 93 or 100 somethings with no issues but you definitely are not carving on them without impacting your knees as physics and physiology won’t allow it.

raisingarizona wrote

campgottagopee wrote

TheGreatAbyss wrote

The swing weight also probably plays a role as well.  The heavier the ski, the more effort it takes to maneuver it, and the more strain on your knees.  My K2 charges are sub 80mm width, but with two sheets of TI they weigh a freakin' a ton, whereas my new Head Kores are 91mm, but weight nothing and I think are pretty easy on the knees (although they do chatter in a hard carve)

I've never skied em, but I'd imagine the Blizzard Bonafides are probably hard on the knees - Heavy skis that are 98 underfoot that a lot of peoples use in hardpack conditions.

I don't think heavier skis are harder to maneuver, at least imo. Still to this day my fave skis are my Nordica 84 Pro's, heavy af but man do they fly. They turn on a dime and the ski loads amazingly.  That said you have to be on top of them and ripping. Sure at slow speeds they're harder to maneuver but that's not what those skis are made for.

I

You can have a sort of mid level “quiver killer” but it’s going to be more of a jack of all trades, master of none and that perfect mid range ski is probably going to be different depending on your ski region.

Like the Kendos that Z still has for sale?

Yup. I think the waist is actually 88mm and they are the skinniest skis I’ve been on since the 90’s!

I don’t like em for natural snow freeskiing but they rail on the groomers.

I now am a <a href="http://">http:// fatass. Club lol
I been using my wide Fisher Wata definitely not everyday EC ski but should be used in fresh snow and not grooming D snow for while no knee pain that I know of.
Finally going to experience Chambered Rocker technology on much better skis I got brand new year of 2014 or 2015 Elan perfect ski for EC conditions once I get it to ski shop get bindings and adjuments.
Can't wait to be on skiiner ski width of the Fisher W 🎿

ScottySkis1 wrote

no knee pain that I know of

Knee pain no problem with my titanium alloy  left knee. Last season 800 mg of pain killers to make to 1 pm . This year 76mm 96 mm in mid does not matter. Open to close no pain meds needed!

Real skiers use their knees to ski!