All day we had skied the famous freeze dried powder of Utah. Travelling the backcountry between the close knit resorts of the Wasatch mountains on the Utah Interconnect tour. The guides taking us to off piste bowls and tree saturated slopes had been smothered with the finest powder in the world, A day of floating through untracked snow had generated an internal grin that would keep us smiling well into the next century.

Face shots and snow that billowed over head height had been the order of the day so far but the last run looked different. The weather had closed in around us and the light was fast becoming flat. Standing below the ridge of Patsy Marley a gale was gusting straight up towards us, channelled through a passage in the mountains. The top half of the bowl wide and open with the trees closing in around as you descend. It became apparent that the wind had gusted strong and hard all day over this slope turning the snow into creme brulee complete with thin caramelised crust. Mark, our guide, was ever optimistic.

"Windpack. Might be okay lower down in the trees ." He said matter of factly. His own gruffled moans as he descended were evidence enough of the task to come. Eyeing up one another, wondering who would be first to follow. In turn each member of the group pushed off. Some reached the bottom intact after a staged struggle but many faltered more then once. I jumped in and began to wiggle in the wind blown dream topping. Blasting past others, carving turns into effortless linked arcs, bobbing and weaving in the trees like a prize-fighter feeling as though I could have gone on forever. Arriving at the bottom a kind of smugness enveloped me that only comes of finding yours is the only economy airline ticket has been upgraded to first class. Was this testament to my skiing skills ? Unfortunately not. It was more testament to the special off piste sleds that I had attached to my feet, a pair of Atomic 'Heli-Guide 'Powder skis.

It's been a long time coming but the revolution is finally here. Now for any skier who can tilt and turn a ski on piste a whole new world awaits beyond the coloured poles. Super wide skis that allow intermediates to ski powder like experts. While those already competent off piste will revel in these fatties that make skiing even the most feared of snow types - breakable crust -seem like a walk in the park.

At one time these powder skis were eyed with suspicion and scepticism by experts. The Puritan skier labelling these chubby sticks in the same category as snowboards, but things are a changing. In Canada, the powder skiers Shangri-La, most heli-ski outfits make the wearing of powder skis compulsory so that no one holds up the group. Even the heli-ski guides have switched to these new fat sticks in order to keep up with their clients. Jupiter Jones who runs Steamboat Powder cats 'Strongly' advises that skiers hire fat skis for the day on his off piste adventures where uphill travel is via converted piste basher instead of whirlybird.

The secret behind these wonder planks is the width. Between 70% and 90% wider then a conventional ski they add sufficient buoyancy that allows the skier to float in powder, crud and windpack . Staying on top or just under the surface eliminates the need to raise the skis near to the surface prior to a turn. A by product of this feature is that the skis are easier to turn with less effort involved. The shortened length, maximum 180cm, allows the ski to be turned fully across the fall line and thus keeps speed under control. While the flex is softened in order to help the skier rebound out of the powder. The downsides are that the skier doesn't get the bounce and in-and-out that a normal ski would in deep snow. Back on the piste they lack the holding characteristics of skinny skis and skid in all but the most forgiving snow. The softness of the ski that allows it to flex and spring back offpiste also reduces the grip of the edge on hardpacked snow.

In March I found myself guiding a group around the French resort of Les Arcs. It had snowed the night before and there was eight to ten new inches of snow on the ground. My group, that consisted of Nick, Sue and Mike, all of whom had skied for one to two weeks a year for the past ten years had never really had the chance to ski powder. All day long they struggled, continuously picking themselves up, dusting down and trying again. Tired and weary in the bar that night I suggested we go to Sainte-Foy the next day, hire some fat skis and try again. With a little coaxing they agreed.

If anyone had been praying to the ski gods that night their prayers were answered. A new dusting greeted us as we headed for Sainte-Foy. Riding the second chair they stared down at their new toys with a mixture of interest, fear and excitement and after a brief warm-up on piste we headed for the deep. Their new found buoyancy took a couple of hours but then it was blitzkrieg as we roamed the mountain hunting for powder. With the largest hurdle of floatation, or lack of it, dissolved they were able to concentrate more on rhythm, control and enjoyment. Nick, Sue and Mike had been introduced to the feeling of floating in deep snow and carried their new found skills back to their conventional skis the following day. Above Arc 2000 1 watched on like a proud father as each of them descended an untracked face in a serious of linked turns instilled with the confidence they had found on the Rossignol Axiom's Powder skis the previous day.

DEGREES OF FATNESS

So what's the answer. What type of ski do you go for ? My first piece of advice would be to rent rather then buy a pair of fatties. Most good ski shops will have at least one make for hire (approx. £1O - £l5) for the day. Secondly if you use lifts and dive in and out of powder near the piste the 'Rather Stouts' would be your best bet as they behave better on the groomed then the real chubbies. If your going heli-skiing or snowcat skiing and your nervous about powder rent a pair of the 'Obese' they are the easiest way to learn powder skiing, also there isn't one off piste condition they don't excel in.

Powder slopes are no longer the domain of the advanced skier. Solid intermediate skiers can now link turns in soft snow and understand the reason expert sliders go all gooey at the word powder. There is no need to feel an outcast at a pre-season party when the group starts talking about the steep and deep. This winter season at the first hint of fresh snow run down to the ski hire shop. Rent some fatties, get ready for downhill delirium and cry aloud,

" NO ANOREXICS PLEASE, WERE FAT AND PROUD".