The word ski comes from the Old Norse word skíð which means "cleft wood", "stick of wood" or "ski". In Old Norse … See more

Skis appeared before the wheel, with the oldest wooden skis found in Russia (c. 6300–5000 BCE), Sweden (c. 5200 BCE) and Norway (c. 3200 BCE) respectively.
These early skis were not designed for recreation, … See more

Described in the direction of travel, the front of the ski, typically pointed or rounded, is the tip, the middle is the waist and the rear is the tail. Skis have four aspects that define their basic performance: length, width, side… See more

Skis have evolved from being made of solid wood to using a variety of materials including carbon-Kevlar to make skis stronger, stiffer in twisting, lighter, and more durable. Ski manufacturing techniques allow skis t… See more

In the history of skiing many types of skis have been developed, designed for different needs, of which the following is a selection.
Alpine skis, also called downhill skis, are skis design… See more

Ski poles are commonly used in tandem with skis in a variety of types of skiing. They are typically used as a mechanism to help skiers in most types of skiing, giving additional maneuverability with support turning, wal… See more