What are Powder Skis?
Powder Skis are usually wider-than-average skis that are designed for skiing in deep, fresh snow of 12 inches or more. Powder Skis are wider because it helps them to float in the deep snow. When powder skis first became popular, they were just wider than standard skis. Now powder skis have what is called reverse camber- They are shaped in the opposite direction of standard downhill skis and that allows them to float even better in deep or heavy snow.
What are Back Country Skis?
Back Country Skis are a type of powder ski that are specifically designed for use out of bounds at the ski area. Back country skis are specially designed to aid the skier in hiking to the backcountry- Sometimes the skis can be easily attached to a backpack. Often, the bindings on back country skis allow the heel to release, enabling the skier to "skin up" and hike on their skis. This is a concept borrowed from cross-country skiing where skiers use the motion of their legs and the reverse grip on the bottom of their skis to be able to ski up hills.
What is a Twin Tip Ski?
A twin tip ski is just like it sounds- it has an upturned tip and tail, enabling the skier to ski backwards without fear of the ski sticking in the snow. Many types of powder skis and backcountry skis classify as a twin tip ski. When skiing powder with twin-tip skis, you will notice that your skis give of an enjoyable plume of snow, also referred to as a "rooster tail"
There are many different types of skis for different conditions. Powder Skis, Backcountry Skis, and Twin Tip skis are three similar types of skis with different applications.
