What is Your Skier Type?

   Although the green-blue-black scheme is used to classify skiers and snowboarders, this is not the same as one's “skier type,” which ski shops like Aspen Ski and Board use to determine the release settings for bindings. Type I is considered green/beginner, Type II is blue/intermediate, and Type III is black/difficult.

     For Type I or “cautious” skiers, bindings will release boots quite easily, which is a good things since spills and falls are to be expected. The settings are higher for Type II, and higher still for Type III, to decrease the chances of an inadvertent release of the bindings. But that also comes along with a greater risk that the bindings won’t release in a fall and cause injury.

     There are plenty of black and double-black skiers who don’t use Type III settings for their bindings because they don’t want to risk cartwheeling down the hill with their skis still strapped on; there’s not a one-to-one correspondence between a skier’s “color” and their binding settings. Feel to come and discuss what skier type best suits your skier ability with a technician during our store hours.