Extented Tip (or Tail) Profile Question

I'm not sure if this is the correct forum for it but here's a newbie question. What is extended tip (or tail) profile and what are the pros and con?

Thanks in advance.

Quote:

Originally Posted by 5ki8um 

 

I'm not sure if this is the correct forum for it but here's a newbie question. What is extended tip (or tail) profile and what are the pros and con?

 

Thanks in advance.

Would help to know in what context you saw that -- could be marketing speak.  But, some skis do have longer tips than others, meaning they rise up more slowly over a longer distance.  The shape and rise of the tip greatly affects crud busting performance, so it can be important.  In my experience, there is an optimum combination of shape and rise that works well.  The wrong combination can degrade crud performance quite a bit.  I have two skis with shallow tips, which makes them ride up on crud rather than bust through it, and they are the worst two skis in my quiver for crud.  On the other hand, my Watea 94s have a near perfect tip shape that rides over light crud but busts the real heavy stuff.  Whatever Fisher worked out is near ideal.  The tip is longer than some of my other skis, but has an aggressive curl to it.

one of the first companies to this I am aware of is K2.

The Pe is known be super floatly for an 85mm waisted skis but the downside is that doesnt bust crud but rather rides over it.

I am ok with it and it fits my 'playful" style of skiing but some do not like it as you cant turn and forget it like say a IM88.

Extended tips came into use around 2002 with skis like the Fischer Sceneo S500. The tip is more square in shape, this allows the metal edge to auger into the snow and pull the ski into the turn when placed on edge. Most carving skis have adapted the square tip shape. Some carving skis also have an extended tail which is flat and wide, this keeps the tail from skidding but locks the ski into the turn.

Thanks for all the answers. My skis (Volkl 320 Energy) has an "extended tip". I'm not sure what that's good for.