As skiers, we're often concerned about the impact of, well skiing, on knee health, particularly the risk of ACL injuries. To gain valuable insights into this topic, we compiled the most compelling quotes from skiers in this NS thread about narrow vs wide skis and people's preferences for dodgy knees. These firsthand experiences shed admittedly circumstantial light on the relationship between ski width and knee health, providing valuable perspectives from those who spend their lives eating shit in the park.
A lot of members were key to highlight the advantage of wider skis. While wide skis may encounter difficulties in mogulled runs, dolanslebensraum suggests that ski width alone may not significantly impact the force exerted on the knee during landing:
"What I noticed about wide skis is that they can power through tougher terrain with more ease than thin skis." - Jems
"In mogulled up runs, wide skis get in their own way a lot though. But, all other things being equal, ski width won't affect impact force on your knee." - dolanslebensraum
"Wider skis are smoother to ski in variable stuff because they have more width to bridge the gap over uneven sh*t and let you just ride over it." - SofaKingSick
"I like wider skis more, even though my knee is not that good. They make me do more mellow moves edge to edge, and on narrower skis, I get a stinging pain cause the move is faster." - kalle.
But overall, the consensus seemed to be that wide skis do actually put more force through the knee. TheOldSchooler highlights the potential increased stress on the knee when using wider skis, pointing out the longer transition required from the edge to a flat position.
"Yes, a wider ski is more stress for the knee. The way back from edge to flat is way longer, and that can force more energy to the knee." - TheOldSchooler
"My brain science tells me that the ski is pretty much torqueing your leg towards the opposite edge that is on - wider ski = larger level more force." - Jhaek
"Impact on wider skis seems to be rougher sometimes. When you hit the landing and sink less onto it, it's going to be a rougher landing." - SofaKingSick
"My 107 underfoots def feel like a boat when it’s super hard out. With the whole wide ski landing on harder snow - I always think about a boogie board in a pool. I imagine the forces at work on your knees are similar." - BradFiAusNzCoCa:
"all depends on the scenario in which you fall..... but wide/heavy set ups have more swing weight and torque on knees, also easier to catch an edge and twist yo shit" - CT_Crew
Several members pointed to Henrik Harlaut's decision to ski mostly on narrower skis to give his knees a rest. But also his words on what feels right being most important.
"Henrik has been spotted on ARV 86 allegedly for knee pain. Make of that what you will." - Nuno812
"Henrik Harlaut said it best, 'You gotta find the ski that fits your style. It's not about what's popular or what others are using. It's about finding that connection between your skiing and the equipment that feels right. That's when you can truly push your limits without compromising your knees."
When it comes to ski width, there's a lot of back-and-forth. Some folks swear by wide skis, claiming they make it easier to tackle tough terrain and provide smoother rides. But there are others who worry about the added stress on the knees and the potential difficulties in transitioning from edge to edge. The truth is, finding the perfect ski width for your knees is a personal journey, but there are definitely signs pointing to greater strain from wide skis.
A lot of members were key to highlight the advantage of wider skis. While wide skis may encounter difficulties in mogulled runs, dolanslebensraum suggests that ski width alone may not significantly impact the force exerted on the knee during landing:
"What I noticed about wide skis is that they can power through tougher terrain with more ease than thin skis." - Jems
"In mogulled up runs, wide skis get in their own way a lot though. But, all other things being equal, ski width won't affect impact force on your knee." - dolanslebensraum
"Wider skis are smoother to ski in variable stuff because they have more width to bridge the gap over uneven sh*t and let you just ride over it." - SofaKingSick
"I like wider skis more, even though my knee is not that good. They make me do more mellow moves edge to edge, and on narrower skis, I get a stinging pain cause the move is faster." - kalle.
But overall, the consensus seemed to be that wide skis do actually put more force through the knee. TheOldSchooler highlights the potential increased stress on the knee when using wider skis, pointing out the longer transition required from the edge to a flat position.
"Yes, a wider ski is more stress for the knee. The way back from edge to flat is way longer, and that can force more energy to the knee." - TheOldSchooler
"My brain science tells me that the ski is pretty much torqueing your leg towards the opposite edge that is on - wider ski = larger level more force." - Jhaek
"Impact on wider skis seems to be rougher sometimes. When you hit the landing and sink less onto it, it's going to be a rougher landing." - SofaKingSick
"My 107 underfoots def feel like a boat when it’s super hard out. With the whole wide ski landing on harder snow - I always think about a boogie board in a pool. I imagine the forces at work on your knees are similar." - BradFiAusNzCoCa:
"all depends on the scenario in which you fall..... but wide/heavy set ups have more swing weight and torque on knees, also easier to catch an edge and twist yo shit" - CT_Crew
Several members pointed to Henrik Harlaut's decision to ski mostly on narrower skis to give his knees a rest. But also his words on what feels right being most important.
"Henrik has been spotted on ARV 86 allegedly for knee pain. Make of that what you will." - Nuno812
"Henrik Harlaut said it best, 'You gotta find the ski that fits your style. It's not about what's popular or what others are using. It's about finding that connection between your skiing and the equipment that feels right. That's when you can truly push your limits without compromising your knees."
When it comes to ski width, there's a lot of back-and-forth. Some folks swear by wide skis, claiming they make it easier to tackle tough terrain and provide smoother rides. But there are others who worry about the added stress on the knees and the potential difficulties in transitioning from edge to edge. The truth is, finding the perfect ski width for your knees is a personal journey, but there are definitely signs pointing to greater strain from wide skis.
