Automatically adaptive ski

A ski for use on ice or snow comprising:

• a ski body comprising a tip portion, a tail portion, and a longitudinal running length extending between the tip portion and the tail portion and a substantially flat bottom surface for sliding on snow or ice;
• a suspension system comprised of a substantially rigid support structure attached to a longitudinally central region of the ski body at two attachment locations separated by a distance of at least 5 inches along the longitudinal axis of the ski body, wherein one of the attachment locations is forward and one aft of a central longitudinal region of the ski body that exhibits a low flexural modulus relative to a flexural modulus of the ski body at the two attachment locations;
• and
• at least one spring element configured to exert an opposing force between the support structure and the ski body in an area between the two attachment locations,
• wherein expansion of the spring element that is configured to exert an opposing force between the support structure and the ski body between the two attachment locations causes the tip and/or tail of the ski body to bend upward, decreasing camber and increasing rocker,
• wherein compression of the spring element that is configured to exert an opposing force between the support structure and the ski body between the two attachment locations causes the tip and/or tail of the ski body to bend downward, increasing camber and reducing rocker;
• and
• at least one compressive resilient element, one end of the compressive resilient element coupled to either a front or rear quarter of the running length of the ski body, and the other end coupled to a front end or rear end of the support structure respectively, or to elements within the support structure.

A ski for use on ice or snow comprising:

• a ski body comprising a tip portion, a tail portion, and a longitudinal running length extending between the tip portion and the tail portion and a substantially flat bottom surface for sliding on snow or ice;
• a suspension system comprised of a substantially rigid support structure attached to a longitudinally central region of the ski body at two attachment locations separated by a distance of at least 5 inches along the longitudinal axis of the ski body, wherein one of the attachment locations is forward and one aft of a central longitudinal region of the ski body that exhibits a low flexural modulus relative to a flexural modulus of the ski body at the two attachment locations;
• and
• at least one spring element configured to exert an opposing force between the support structure and the ski body in an area between the two attachment locations,
• wherein expansion of the spring element that is configured to exert an opposing force between the support structure and the ski body between the two attachment locations causes the tip and/or tail of the ski body to bend upward, decreasing camber and increasing rocker,
• wherein compression of the spring element that is configured to exert an opposing force between the support structure and the ski body between the two attachment locations causes the tip and/or tail of the ski body to bend downward, increasing camber and reducing rocker;
• and
• at least one compressive resilient element, one end of the compressive resilient element coupled to either a front or rear quarter of the running length of the ski body, and the other end coupled to a front end or rear end of the support structure respectively;
• or to elements within the support structure,
• wherein the at least one compressive resilient elements is preloaded so that the compressive resilient element will not compress until the compressive force exceeds a specific threshold, and, prior to said specific threshold force being exceeded, elongation or expansion of the preloaded compressive resilient element is precluded.