Ski Edge Bevel Guide
Recreational Skier Bevel Recommendations
| Average Recreational Skier | Hard Snow | Soft Snow |
|---|---|---|
| Base Edge Bevel | 1° | 1° |
| Side Edge Bevel | 1° - 3° | 1° - 2° |
| Advanced Recreational Skier | ||
| Base Edge Bevel | .5° - 1° | 1° |
| Side Edge Bevel | 2° - 3° | 1° - 2° |
Ski Racer Bevel Recommendations
| Junior Racer | Slalom | GS | SG & DH |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base Edge Bevel | .5° - 1° | 1° | 1° |
| Side Edge Bevel | 2° - 3° | 2° - 3° | 2° - 3° |
| World Class/Elite Racer | |||
| Base Edge Bevel | .5° | 5° - .75° | .75° - 1° |
| Side Edge Bevel | 3° - 4° | 3° | 3° |
The angle ranges listed are variable depending on snow hardness, speed and your strength and skill level. A high level, technical skier tends to encounter hard and icy snow conditions. An increased bevel angle enables the base edge to be in immediate contact with the snow surface and side edges to penetrate deeper for better grip. A less experienced athlete may find that these extreme bevels tend to cause the ski to hook too quickly and edges to bite into the snow too much. This can cause erratic ski performance and possible knee injury.