Safety Grab
aka Safety
The easiest grab and the perfect first one. Reach back and grab the tail of a ski behind your boot off a jump to build air confidence and style.
The Breakdown
Four phases from roll-up to roll-away. Scrub the analyzer above — each phase lights up as the board hits it.
- 01 Approach
Send a comfy straight air
Approach a mellow jump at steady speed with your skis flat and weight centered. Keep your hands forward and eyes up over the lip. Leave the jump straight and relaxed so you have a stable air to grab in.
- 02 Pop & Grab
Pop and reach for the tail
Pop off the tails at the lip and pull your knees up. Reach one hand straight back behind your boot and grab the tail of that same ski. Because the tail is close behind you, this grab needs only a small, natural reach.
- 03 Tweak
Hold it and look good
Hold the tail firmly and keep your chest up and core engaged. A small tweak or bone of the leg adds style, but even a clean, simple hold looks great. Stay balanced and centered over the skis through the grab.
- 04 Release & Land
Drop it and ride out
Spot your landing and let go of the tail in time to level both skis beneath you. Set down base-flat with bent knees to absorb the impact. Keep your hands forward and ride away clean.
When It Goes Wrong
The most common ways Safety Grab bails — and the fix. Diagnose your slam, then get back on.
What is the easiest grab to learn on skis?
The safety grab is the friendliest first grab. You reach back and grab the tail of your ski behind the boot, which is right there and needs barely any reach. It builds air confidence fast before you move to grabs that require a bigger tuck.
I tap the tail but can't actually grab it.
You're not bringing your knees up, so the tail stays just out of reach. Pop and pull your legs up behind you to bring the tail toward your hand. A higher pop and a tucked knee make the tail easy to grab and hold.
Grabbing throws my balance off in the air.
Reaching back tips you if your upper body collapses. Keep your chest up and core tight, and reach with just your arm rather than folding your whole body back. Staying centered keeps the grab steady all the way to the landing.
When should I let go of the grab before landing?
Release as soon as you spot the landing coming, giving yourself time to level the skis. Letting go early is always safer than holding too long and landing nose-high or off-balance. Drop it, get flat, and absorb with bent knees.
The safety is the grab everyone should learn first. You simply reach back and grab the tail behind your boot, a motion so natural it is the perfect confidence builder for getting comfortable taking a hand off your poles in the air.
Despite the name, the safety still looks good and is the doorway to every other grab. Send a mellow jump, pop, tuck the knees, and snag the tail. Once this feels easy, harder grabs like the mute are just a bigger reach away.
Dial In Your Setup
Gear that makes this trick easier to learn. Tune the setup, not just the technique.
Twin-tip park skis
True center mount · medium flex
A centered twin-tip floats balanced off a jump so a first grab feels stable. The symmetric tail is easy to find and hold behind your boot.
Shop skis & gearMellow beginner kicker
Small · smooth lip
A small, smooth jump gives you steady, predictable airtime to try your first grab. Learning the safety here means a missed grab costs you nothing.
Shop skis & gearStrapless or droppable poles
No straps · light grip
Going without pole straps lets you free a hand for the grab without a pole catching or twisting your wrist. It keeps that first reach back clean and safe.
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Stack Your Clip
Landed Safety Grab? Soon you'll drop your line here and battle the crew for the top of the board.