Compare and Contrast There are many different kinds of skis that are used for numerous reasons. For every ski there are certain attributes that cause them to be classified by what it that skis best use is for a skier. For example, a ski that is used for deep snow is called a powder ski. Powder skis have many attributes that allow them to excel in soft snow; such as their width and rocker. When skiing in soft snow it is important for you to stay on top of the snow. This will make tuning much easier and allow you to have more fun on the mountain. That is why ski manufactures create skis that are very wide under foot, usually around 120mm or 12 cm. This wide platform increases the surface area that the snow touches and causes the ski to rise above…show more content… Another attribute that allows a powder ski to perform well in soft snow conditions is the rocker. Rocker is used to describe the profile of the ski. When you look at a rockered ski from the side it looks like a smiley face. The concept of rocker was taken from water sports like water skiing. Water skis need to stay above the water in order for the skis to perform at their best so ski companies have the tips of the ski curved upwards so the ski rises above the water. Ski companies took this idea and applied it to snow skis made for soft snow. This curve allows the skier to rise above the snow and allow the skier to ski much more easily through deep snow. Some disadvantages to having a wide rockered skis is that they do not perform well on hard pack snow. When a powder ski is in soft snow the entire ski is touching the snow allowing for better performance, but when the ski is on hard snow the only part of the ski that touches the snow is underfoot. This makes the ski very unstable and reduces the turning