Q: I don’t ski in the park, so I don’t need twin tips, right?
A: If you aren’t skiing switch, you don’t need twin tips, but don’t be scared of them. The curved-up tails make the skis feel shorter and more playful. Plus, they’ll motivate you to explore new terrain.

Q: I’m a girl who skis harder than the guys. Should I buy women-specific skis?
A: You have the luxury of choosing any skis – they come in unisex or women’s. But ski manufacturers have stepped up the quality of their female boards, so they’re not just softer and painted pink.

Q: I’m an intermediate skier, but I plan on becoming an expert soon. Should I buy advanced or expert skis?
A: If you’re a strong athlete and a quick learner, try expert. But you may be overpowered. The advanced skis are more forgiving, meaning they won’t punish poor technique as much.

Q: Why are all the gear reviews so nauseatingly happy?
A: Manufacturers submitted 263 skis to our test. We tested all of them and chose the top 133 – the top performers – to be reviewed in our 2008-09 gear guide. Each review has both positive and negative analysis built in (our website only shows the positives – snag a copy of Skiing’s September 2008 issue for the full guide, on newsstands now). See a ski in a shop that’s not here? It either wasn’t entered or didn’t perform well.