Turning Part 2 Why Skis Turn, Part 2 Carved turns are not the only turns. In fact, until recently, few skiers could make a true carved turn. Shaped skis are changing this, but many skiers continue to use traditional techniques. Casual and beginning skiers usually slide through their turns, using turns in which the base of the ski slides laterally across the snow, with little edge engagement and minimal de-camber. Such turns exhibit less pressuring of the stance ski than do carved turns and little edge angle.
Balance is minimal, control is compromised.
Sliding turns are the least efficient turns and nearly impossible in deep snow, on ice or in bumps. Deep side cuts pre-dispose skis to turn, even when flat upon the snow and there is almost always some minor, though often randomly variable, edge interaction with the snow. Except, of course, on real ice. 2a 2b Figure 2 illustrates two very different shapes. 2.a shows a moderate sidecut, for versatile high performance.