3
1. PRESENTATION AND INSTRUCTIONS
FOR USE
The objective for the following explanations is not to teach the user to ski but to give
basic advices for the use of this equipment.
The
Dualski
®
is intended for those disabled at the lower limb, allowing them to ski in
an independent manner after some initial instruction.
An
assistance bar
(optional) allows the accompanist to help the seated skier during
the learning phase.
The articulated
piloting bar
(optional) is designed for the driving of the Dualski by an
accompanist to make skiing partially or totally dependant person.
For those two options, read the specific document before use.
The first prototype appeared in 1996. The Dualski has changed considerably since
then and has become a high-performance apparatus with a great deal of versatility. It
has a totally articulated frame allowing the fitting of two skis with standard bindings.
The technique used for the Dualski has been the subject of two patent applications.
Choice of skis
Autonomous skiing:
As for an able-bodied person, this depends on the type of ski used, the weight of the
skier and his ability. Our own experience has shown us that it is necessary to use
skis that are approximately 10 cm shorter in relation to an able-bodied person of the
same weight and ability. Medium-of-the-range parabolic skis are sufficient and are
often more efficient than competition skis on whic
h a “Dualskier” could hardly put
enough pressure to use their potential. We recommend not sharping the edges of the
skis at 87° or 88°. A good sharpening of the ski edges at 90° is enough and avoids
ski vibration problems.
With a piloting bar:
When using the Dualski with the piloting bar, medium-of-the-
range “carving” skis with
a length between 140 and 150 cm are recommended.
Choice of bindings
The binding
to be used depends on the skier’s weight and ability. It is advisable
never to take one’s skis off so the bindings must always be adjusted to their
maximum level.
With the Dualski, we recommend “standard” bindings that can be adjusted up to 14
DIN or more or “pivot” bindings that can be adjusted up to 12 DIN (or
14).
“Pivot” type bindings are well adapted to the Dualski because
they tolerate punctual overloads
- Standard binding: 14 DIN minimum
- Pivot binding (Rossignol Axial or Look PX): 12 DIN minimum