@HerraBRE I think you're interpreting me too harshly.

Consider cross-country skiing vs. slalom. You go cross-country skiing and come up to the top of a hill, your actual path continues along the track but you see other people going downhill. You approach the initial slope but I stop you and inform about the dangers.

Here, continuing the metaphor, I explain to you that slalom equipment have safety measures that make sure that if you fall, the skis will be released and you won't break your ankle or whatever. I then offer you a slalom setup with {skis,helmet,boots}, the proper equipment for the job, and off you go happily and safely down the hill.

In both sports you're using skis and gliding on snow - but the equipment is very different for good reasons. Broad skis, heavy boots, quick-release and a full-head helmet are impractical when going cross-country skiing. Likewise, long thin skis without quick-release are incredibly unsafe in a downhill race.