Everything you need to know about buying a set of skis: construction

Need to know how all the bits in your ski are wrapped together?

Cap construction

The inner guts of the ski are sealed together with a layer of fibreglass. This layer wraps from the top to the edge. This means that there is no sidewall or top edge to the ski. The relatively simple design makes cap construction the cheapest method available as well as one of the lightest. The relatively soft flex that this method allows also makes this type suitable for freestyle skis and recreationals.

Sandwich construction

The core is sandwiched between the topsheet and base material. The ends are then blocked off with a separate strip. This method creates a much stiffer ride to the Cap method, transferring energy more effectively through the ski. More expensive to construct than Cap types, and usually found on higher performance models.

Find out what's in the core of your ski