I should start with a confession. Since I was 12 or 13, I’ve believed that carving skis—those narrow-waisted, parabolic sticks—were the stuff of antiquity and stodgy killjoys who cared more about ...

Mike Schneider riding his bike to the slopes to ride some back-country powder. Schneider is the founder and president of Surface, which manufactures a wide range of skis. (Mike Schneider) Mike ...