Skis

snow sports · winter · gear · speed

Runners for snow. Skis are long, flat boards that you attach to your boots with special bindings so you can slide across snow. You use them in pairs, one on each foot, and they let you move much faster than you could just walking or running through snow.

Heel options. Different types of skis have different heel systems. Some let your heel move freely, some lock it down completely, and some do both, depending on whether you're going downhill or climbing up a snowy slope.

Sticky skins help climbing. When you want to go uphill without sliding backward, you can attach special strips called ski skins to the bottom of your skis. These skins have tiny hairs that grip the snow and keep you from slipping.

Skis on vehicles. Skis aren't just for people on mountains. Airplanes and snowmobiles can have skis attached to them too, so they can land and travel on snowy ground instead of needing roads or runways.

From travel to sport. Long ago, people invented skis to help them travel across snowy lands more easily. Today, skis are mostly used for fun sports and competitions, like racing downhill or cross-country skiing.