[Closed] Ski Blades

They do have a use- they are the only things that unite skiers & snowboarders.

I had some blades with proper bindings, wouldn't have them without. I found blades easy to control and turn on steep slopes but hard work on flatter pistes where you have to skate along. They can be easily transported in a suitcase too but I sold them after a couple of seasons as ultimately they were harder work on the legs for all day skiing. Great fun though still prefer a shorter ski.

I just went looking for an extra segment on the end of a snowboard film I loved - TB10. Couple of ridiculously talented pros taking the piss on skiblades.

Didn't find this, but I did find some other bonus footage from the same film.

Art.

You're welcome.

They do have a use- they are the only things that unite skiers & snowboarders

Just what I came here to say. Everyone hates bladers, even though they all clearly have an amazing sense of humour. You can tell by their comedy hats and helmet covers!!

They transformed my wifes skiing, she has a foot injury that makes pressure on her foot due to normal length skis very painful, much easier on blades, with proper bindings, she loves skiing now.
There is some snobbery about them, but if someone thinks you are sad or lame just because of the length of your skis then you want to ask if you really care what they think.

They are great in crappy conditions. In heavy, wet snow you can easily turn and throw yourself down really steep stuff. Had some hilarious times on them when proper skiing would've been unpleasant. Only ever used the clippy binding and it's been fine.

It sounds a bit like this would be additional to skis you already own, so I guess you'd have to think about what conditions blades would be "better" in, which is kind of personal to where you are going. Personally I'd rather have some park skis if I was indulging in an extra toy.

I have however tried blades on dry slope a long time ago. Blades have much less effective edge, so less grip. Dry slopes have much less grip for your edge as many snowboarders know (unless you count the halfpipe section at the old Gloucester slope 🙂 ). So it's not a great combo in my experience - even if you like how they go on snow and don't hate dry slope anyway. Probably get proper bindings that release upwards.

I used to use them for teaching little kids when having full size skis was impractical. They're fun for about 2 mins. You can't go as fast and you have less control. If you're just dicking around at the park get a no-board. More fun and not clipped in.

We had the ones that did not even have the proper bindings(!) but were great when the kids were young. You could strap your pair on one side of rucksack and their pair on the other side. Hands were free to help them.
Would not wear them now though!!!

No. Used once on a Salomon test in Scotland just before they launched them. Did a run, changed back to proper skis.

I had a set yonks ago, used them to ski down Corrie Cas after climbing in the Northern Corries as an alternative to trudging down their slopes in mountaineering boots. Being short, was quite hard to stay balanced skiing with a rucksack full of ropes / climbing rack etc - kept tipping back....

I've got some of you want to buy them.
Manchester.

I never skied enough to get any good at it so I always found it somewhat frustrating trying to keep up with and ski the same crazy stuff as my friends. Berating myself for my bad skiing almost spoilt the whole thing, then I discovered blades. Best thing ever invented as far as I'm concerned because they allowed a very average skier loon about all day and thoroughly enjoy it, even if the fast stuff is a bit sketchy. If I were ever to go skiing again I would definitely be on blades.

I had a set of Atomic (1 metres) for a while,they were great fun but could be hard work at speed,the tiny ones must be lethal.
Ideal for clowning around when the kids were learning,but then I was always a better skater than skier 😉

Good teaching tool, they make you work on centring your balance. Good off you have a reason for them. Otherwise, not for me thanks. Not to stop your buying some though

They were fun but only as a cheap 'throw in the bag just in case 'toy to go with your skis and/or board.

I hate them , only used some 60cm x 12cm jobbies. Only good in deep wet powder in the trees as they give you the ability to ski down some ridiculously steep pitches
on piste , great if you can carve as the turn radius is tiny but on a sttraight shuss ...... speed wobble hell

True story....

English bar maid - so what are you doing here?
Me - teaching squaddies how to ski.
Ebm - hows it going?
Me - yeh good, might get some snow blades for them for a laugh.
Ebm-ever wonder why snow bladers always look wet?
Me-no,why?
Ebm-cause everyone spits on them from the lifts.
Me-ok, I'll stick to my tellies.
Ebm- you tellie?
Me-yeh, why?
Ebm-fancy a gas chamber?

In all seriousness,they do have a place for giving confidence to beginners.

They were "easier" at a time when skis wern't as easy to day. Skis have got shorter, fatter, acquired rockers and shorter radiuses for the length, and made blades redundant.

In the resorts it was noted at the time that users made up a disproportionate contribution to the people taken away in ambulances each day, mainly due to fractures that a decent binding would have avoided, but also collisions. By the time proper bindings were added the fad was already passing, the proper binding meant they weren't much cheaper than an entry level ski.

They've made a come back this year among people walking up on snow shoes and skiing down. The lack of lifts has had people rummaging for anything that can easily be got up the hill for a run down. Yesterday in addition to the masses on rando skis there were telemarkers heading up, split boarders, skiers and boarders on snow shoes and people carrying sliding devices of all types. The most surprising was a couple of people who'd managed to walk up 700m of icy slopes in Summer walking boots with plastic sledges - their speed down was spectacular, and they lived.