TL;DR: When buying park & freestyle skis, you’ll want to consider your skill level, riding style, and preferred terrain park features. Choose options ranging from symmetrical twin tips, directional twin tips, jib skis, and all-mountain freestyle skis based on your needs. Compare factors like ski width, flex, and camber/rocker profile for optimal performance and versatility on the mountain.

Park and freestyle skis are a niche on the ski slopes that focus on playfulness, creativity, and durability. It’s all about having fun and making the most of the terrain park features! With 20 years of skiing under my belt, I have found myself in the terrain park time and time again, trying new jumps and rails to progress my trickbook. As time has progressed, ski technology has advanced, resulting in many options within the park and freestyle ski category.

Today, we are going to dig deep into what this category is all about! I have helped numerous park and freestyle skiers find the right ski to jump, slide, and spin their way down the terrain park. Having the opportunity to test out a lot of different park skis gives me the unique perspective to help pinpoint the right ski for you based on your needs. Let’s get into it!

What Are Park & Freestyle Skis?

Park skis are designed to highlight what they are used for most: jumping, rails, and urban terrain. Freestyle skis are a bit more versatile, with directional shapes and all-mountain characteristics. Typically, both park and freestyle skis are built lighter to help reduce swing weight and offer more flexibility while pressing into rails or the lip of a jump. Features you’ll see in these types of skis are twin tips for skiing forward and backward (switch), durable construction, and a smaller waist width underfoot. These skis will help skiers make quick maneuvers and build confidence when performing challenging tricks.

What to Consider When Buying Park & Freestyle Skis

1. What is your skill level, and where do you want to ride in the park?

Whether you are just learning the ropes of freestyle skiing or you are the X-Games gold medalist David Wise, there are skis made for every skill level. Beginner to intermediate skiers may favor a flexible ski that is softer and more forgiving, while advanced skiers prefer more support and responsiveness that comes from a stiffer ski. Additionally, you’ll want to consider what you focus on most – jumps, rails, the halfpipe, or a combination of it all – and where you ride most. Answer these questions to determine the best fit for you while considering your ability, needs, and terrain on the mountain.

2. What size skis do you need?

Ski length is a factor that can affect your skiing in more ways than one, especially when it comes to skis. Generally, when standing your skis upright, these skis should hit between your chin and nose, but you can also consider the characteristics you may want. Shorter skis are easier to maneuver, while longer skis offer stability at speed. If you find yourself hitting high-speed jumps and need extra control and confidence, consider a longer ski. If spinning is winning and you find yourself favoring the rails, the shorter option may suit you best.

3. How much should skis cost?

Park and freestyle skis generally range from $300 to $800. On the lower end, you will notice simple construction and durability as the main focus. These are a great option for just getting started or if you focus heavily on rails. In the middle of the price range, construction starts to offer responsiveness, improved pop, and technology to help you progress. At the high price point, you’ll notice fancy materials like carbon, metal, and different woods to keep these skis lightweight and offer premium performance.

4. What camber/rocker profile do you prefer?

When it comes to rocker/camber profile for park and freestyle skis, it all comes down to preference. Each design has benefits to cater to certain riding styles and skiers. The common profiles for skis you will see include:

• Traditional Camber: This profile has a strong edge hold, tons of pop, and stability for carving and hitting jumps. Typically, advanced skiers enjoy this construction for control and precision.
• Rocker/Camber/Rocker: The all-arounder! This profile includes camber underfoot and rockered tips and tails. It is great for a one-quiver park and freestyle ski that can handle anything from terrain park jumps, groomers, and all-mountain carving.
• Rocker/Flat/Rocker: With a flat underfoot with rockered tips and tails, these skis have a unique profile. While they lack some edge hold due to the profile shape, they are great for buttering, jibbing, and rail use.

While profile designs can help, remember every ski is different! Trying these different shapes at a local mountain demo shop can help you find out what might feel best. Preference is key when deciding your rocker/camber type, but also consider where you spend the most time on your freestyle skiing sessions.

5. How wide should your skis be?

I remember back in the day, park skis were inherently narrow. Nowadays, things have shifted gears. Brands like Line and Volkl skis are coming out with wider platforms in the park and freestyle categories to complement their usual 80-95mm waist pairings. I love this versatility!

Ski width comes down to preference. You won't want to choose a ski in the 110-120mm range. 80-105mm is the sweet spot in the modern ski world, and these different widths provide you with a variety of characteristics that can best suit your riding style and terrain.

• Narrower skis (80-90mm): The decreased width helps with quick transitions edge-to-edge when carving and can keep things more lively. Although these skis are much easier to flick around, you may sacrifice some stability.
• Wider skis (90-105mm): The increased width offers better flotation in powder and gives you a wider platform for stability. Additionally, you’re going to have much more versatility all over the mountain if you find yourself outside the terrain park, albeit with a slower edge engagement due to the width underfoot.

Are you a terrain park junkie? Or do you find yourself shredding the entire mountain? These are some questions to consider when finding the right park ski width for your riding and terrain! Keep in mind that 80-105mm skis can manage any freestyle riding you find yourself doing, but these subtle differences can help get the right sticks under your feet.

What Are the Different Types of Park & Freestyle Skis?

Park and freestyle skis are uniquely designed for use in terrain parks, slopestyle courses, half pipes, and for performing tricks. Although the skis in this category share a similar use, there is a variety of specific types to consider when choosing the right ski for you!

1. Symmetrical Twin Tips

These skis have your bindings mounted directly in the middle, with equal length in the front and back and identical rocker and tips to keep things in balance.

• Benefits: Center mount helps keep balance in check when skiing and landing backward (switch), spinning, and grabbing. Versatility is the key here.
• Keep in Mind: These may feel unbalanced when it comes to carving and skiing outside the terrain park.

2. Directional Twin Tips

With a binding mounted slightly back from the center, these skis have a more all-mountain feel while keeping the playful park ski vibe. The more pronounced side-cut gives more carving ability as opposed to a symmetrical ski while still maintaining full twin tips for switch skiing.

• Benefits: A one quiver killer! These skis can tackle any terrain from the park to the groomers while staying extra playful.
• Keep in Mind: Rails and backward skiing may feel unbalanced with a shorter tail.

3. Jib Skis

The design of jib skis focuses on a flexible construction. This helps with urban freestyle skiing, pressing into rails and the lips of jumps

• Benefits: Great on rails and boxes. Flexibility helps with creative tricks such as butters and spinning.
• Keep in Mind: These skis may lack stability at high speeds and are not the best for big jumps or halfpipe skiing.

4. Pipe Skis

Skiing on a halfpipe requires a stiff ski that can cut into the icy walls. Solid construction and a deep side cut edge are defining characteristics of pipe skis.

• Benefits: Confidence-inspiring and locks you into the icy conditions of a halfpipe to push your air time. Gives the skier great feedback on the hard surface.
• Keep in Mind: The stiff construction may feel out of place when venturing to other terrain park features.

5. All-Mountain Freestyle Skis

As the name suggests, these park-inspired freestyle skis blend all-mountain performance into the fun, playful nature of a park and pipe ski.

• Benefits: Versatility if you find yourself outside of the terrain park for all-mountain fun. One quiver option is to limit the pairs of skis you have.
• Keep in Mind: These skis may lack the performance of park-specific options and are not the best fit for rails and jibbing.

With all these options in the park and freestyle ski category, you are sure to find the right ski for your style!

Features to Look for in Park & Freestyle Skis

Ski features can go in one ear and out the other! Let’s break down the main terms you’ll see when choosing your ski set-up:

1. Twin Tips: Equal front and back tips allow for maneuverability and switch skiing.
2. Flex: This determines how easy it is to bend your ski. Flexibility can help on rails and jumps. Softer flex equals more fun, while stiffer flex offers more support.
3. Camber/Rocker: Camber is the arch underfoot, while rocker is the upturned splay at the tips and tails of your ski. Strong edge hold and maneuverability are why most park and freestyle skis feature these both for a balanced feel.
4. Width: Narrow widths from 80-90mm offer quick transitions, while wider skis in the 90-105mm range give you stability and flotation in deep snow.
5. Durability: Construction that is heavy-duty with strong side walls and extra protection helps park skis last longer when banging against rails.
6. Lightweight: Simply put, a lighter ski is easier to spin around. This will help you progress your spins and rail tricks.

Park and freestyle skis are packed with features to help you jump, spin, and progress. Remember how these key attributes can help with your specific style and needs. The ski with the right blend of features is out there for you.

How to Choose the Right Park & Freestyle Skis

To give you a real-world example, let’s go through two skiers who need the perfect park and freestyle skis for their style. What are their needs, and what products can they consider? Let’s find out!

Frankie

Frankie finds herself in the terrain park 60% of the time, while the other 40%, she is on off-piste runs with soft snow and lots of side hits. She is a rider who likes to make every terrain her playground, jumping and doing spin-off jumps created by humans or nature. If Frankie can send it, she will!

Features to look for: All-mountain ski performance, twin-tips, rocker-camber-rocker profile, and skis with a bit more width underfoot for float on pow days.

Products to consider:

• Faction Prodigy 2X Skis: All-mountain, playful versatility. With a waist width of 98mm, this is a great ski that can tackle every terrain while still shining in the terrain park.
• Armada ARW 94 Skis: Light caruba wood core, playful flex, and a strong side wall. These skis can take a beating while offering a fun, poppy experience all over the mountain.
• K2 Reckoner 92 W Skis: All-terrain twin rocker profile and a lively aspen veneer core make this ski fun and versatile to take you to the park, the moguls, or the steeps off-trail.

George

Needs: George is, by self-definition, a “park rat.” He finds himself in the terrain park day after day, hitting rails, jumps, and boxes. Skis for him should be lightweight, flexible, and center mounted to keep him skiing backward in balance. Durability is needed as he scrapes, bangs, and slaps his skis on metal rails constantly.

Features to look for: Heavy-duty construction, symmetrical twin-tips, ski with a softer flex.

Products to consider:

• Line Blend Skis: These skis are known for their soft flex and durable construction, great for rails and buttering.
• Faction Studio 1 Skis: Terrain park-specific, maple core, symmetrical twin-tip, and simple, durable construction. These skis shred the park for days on end.
• Icelantic Nomad 95 Skis: Playful and soft flex construction. A fully rockered shape helps maneuverability on any terrain.

Find the Best Park & Freestyle Skis for You

Park and freestyle skis are a unique type of ski that helps creative skiers perform and have fun on the mountain. When choosing the right one for you, consider the construction, versatility, and features that will help you excel in your type of terrain. Need help deciding what may be best for you? We’ve got Ski Experts at the ready for you! Chat with a Curated Ski Expert today to help you find the answers to all your questions.