Rocker vs. Camber... Crocker?

During the past few winters I have had more and more people ask me about rockered skis and why they are better than skis with camber- they are not necessarily better, just different. Here I will explain the main differences between rocker and camber and hopefully give you some valuable information for that you can use when it comes to making your next ski purchase.

Camber

Camber is what we refer to as a “normal” ski. If you take a cambered ski and place it on a flat surface, there are two points at which the ski makes contact - close to the tip and to the tail. You will also see that the area between the tip and tail is raised in an arc, which is what we refer to as camber. Camber makes it possible to pressure the tip of the ski evenly with only a small increase in the edge angle of the ski, which makes for a very active start to the turn. Similarly, “rebound” is achieved due to the higher pressure that develops in the tail of the ski at the end of the turn.

Rocker

Rocker is a relatively new technology to skis. It has been used in water sports for years, but only recently considered for use on snow. The initial purpose of rocker in skis was to float over a surface (i.e. powder) similar to how a water ski works on water. Looking at a full rocker ski placed on a flat surface, there is only one point of contact at the center of the ski. In fact, you will notice that it is the complete opposite to a camber ski, which is why they are sometimes referred to as “reverse camber.” Rocker has been finding its way into groomer skis more recently as a result of manufacturers looking for ways to produce skis that are more versatile and easier to turn (because of variable edge contact length) and less likely to catch an edge. These skis are suitable for all levels of skiers in various forms, from beginners to world cup racers.

A common misconception is that rocker is only for powder skiing; although it is true that rocker does ski better in powder than camber, the most important advantage of rocker is that it simply allows for easier turn initiation and reduces the chance of catching an edge.

courtesy of epicski.com

Combinations of Rocker and Camber

Rocker and camber are being used in tandem to meet the requirements of different snow conditions. These combinations are being used in the design of both on and off-piste skis. Here are a couple of combinations being used:

• Tip rockered (early rise) skis that are cambered underfoot can provide variable skiable edge in the tip (for ease of turning) joined with the stability of camber throughout the rest of the length of the ski.
• Tip and tail rockered skis make for a ski which is much more nimble and easier to turn, thanks to variable edge length. A cambered section underfoot retains stability on groomed terrain. 

I hope that this clears things up for those of you who had questions about this topic. Check back soon for more!