Do world cup skiers use the same skis as you buy?

Answer 1

Not unless you are a ski racer yourself, and were lucky enough to get top of the line equipment. World Cup skiers get the best race skis that their factory makes. They have many different pairs of the same type (downhill skis, for example) that they will test to see which are the fastest. Race skis are highly specialized and differ greatly from demo skis or skis that the public usually buys. You can see this reflected in the price. Race skis typically run $800-$1000 for the skis, not including bindings.