Rocker for Racers
UNDERSTANDING AND APPLYING VARIABLE BASE BEVELS BY DAVE PESZEK
Serviceman Eddie Unterberger inspects bevels in Kitzbuehel.
I’ve been using the variable base bevel for decades,
and many other top level technicians use it as well. Additionally, the new Wintersteiger Trim NC, which some
World Cup factory technicians have access to in European race rooms, is now providing five separate zones
of base bevel along the length of the ski.
What is variable base bevel?
Simply put, variable base bevel is changing the amount
of bevel relative to the shape of the ski and also the
discipline. In essence, one will apply more bevel at the
widest part of the ski and less at the narrow. On a cambered carving style ski or a race ski, it is in essence a
micro version of the hyper-popular rocker that we are
seeing on modern all-mountain skis.
Why should racers consider using it?
First of all, it’s one of the easiest “trick” setups that you
can impart to improve performance; you can also have
your favorite race shop lay it down. As the ski is initially
rolled on to the edge, the grip builds from the center of
the ski out toward the tails, rather than the widest por-
tions of the ski grabbing first.
This is important for a few technical reasons. In mod-
ern SL/GS skiing, athletes are making a transition
within one ski length. During that distance, the skis are
aimed at a point down that hill and wide of the next
turning gate. And depending on the radius that the
athlete needs to pull, they may even be light on the
snow at this transition phase. So the athlete does not
want either additional carving action to occur while ex-
iting the previous turn, nor does he/she want the ra-
