This article is reprinted from The Professional Skier .
All copyrights apply.
Please see our copyright and disclaimer notice page. Despite the overwhelming popularity of shaped skis, some people say they don't live up to the hype-that the highly touted quick learning curve they offer is merely a fairy tale. I was quite content with how my shaped skis performed until the day I picked up my newly tuned favorite pair from a friend's shop. They performed worse than any pair of skis I've used in 20 years. As I made my way down the mountain, I realized my friend hadn't intentionally sabotaged my skiing.