We have one of the largest selections of skis on the web, a super knowledgable staff and expert guides to help you make an informed decision.
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How do you pick the correct ski size?
The truth is that there is no one perfect size ski for one skier. Factors such as height and weight provide an excellent starting point but there are other things to consider. Ski category, snow type, terrain and personal preference are just some of the things to take into account. The general rule is to pick a ski length that is somewhere between your chin and the top of your head. Advanced and expert skiers may choose skis that are slightly longer than head height.
Ski Sizing Chart
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Skier Height in feet & inches |
Skier Height
in centimeters (cm)
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Suggested
Ski Lengths (cm)
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Shop Skis
by Length (cm) |
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4'4" |
132 |
115-130 |
130-139 |
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4'6" |
137 |
125-140 |
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4'8" |
142 |
130-145 |
140-149 |
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4'10" |
147 |
135-150 |
|
5' |
152 |
135-155 |
150-159 |
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5'2" |
158 |
145-165 |
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5'4" |
163 |
150-170 |
160-169 |
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5'6" |
168 |
155-175 |
|
5'8" |
173 |
160-180 |
170-179 |
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5'10" |
178 |
165-185 |
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6' |
183 |
170-190 |
180-189 |
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6'2" |
188 |
175-195 |
|
6'4" |
193 |
180-200 |
>190 |
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Within your suggested ski size range there are several reasons to choose a shorter or longer ski. A shorter ski will be easier to turn yet not as stable as a longer ski. A carving ski with a skinnier waist width, and a smaller turn radius, can be skied at a shorter length than an all-mountain or freeride ski with a larger turn radius and fatter waist width. Rockered skis are easier to pivot between turns and can be skied slightly longer.
Reasons to size your skis shorter, closer to your chin:
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You are a beginner or intermediate skier.
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Your weight is lighter than average for your height.
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You like to make short, quick turns and seldom ski fast.
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You want a carving ski with only camber, no rocker.
Reasons to size your skis longer, closer to the top of your head:
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You are skiing fast and aggressively.
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You weigh more than average for your height.
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You plan to do the majority of your skiing off the trail.
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You plan to ski a twin-tip ski.
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You want a ski that has a lot of rocker.
Different ski brands don’t always measure length in the same way; therefore it is possible that a ski size from one brand may be a slightly longer or slightly shorter than another brand.
Ability level has become somewhat less relevant as ski technology has made it possible for a beginner to ski a much wider variety of skis. Still, there are certainly features that differentiate skis for different ability levels.
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Beginner-Intermediate
Someone who is new to skiing or a skier working on linking smoother turns falls into this ability level. Typical beginner ski qualities include: softer materials, narrower widths, and capped constructions. The idea is to create a ski that is easy to turn and very forgiving in case you become off balance or fall in the back seat. The addition of rocker in the tip and tail gives a catch-free feeling and shorter contact length when the ski is flat on the snow, making it easier to turn.
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Shop Beginner-Intermediate Skis
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Intermediate-Advanced
The majority of skiers and skis fall into this level, whether you like to carve on groomers or venture into the powder. These skis may be somewhat wider than beginner-intermediate skis, usually with a stronger wood core and sandwich sidewall construction. Depending on the type of ski, intermediate-advanced level skis may have full camber, rocker, or some combination of the two.
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Shop Intermediate-Advanced Skis
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Advanced-Expert
Whether you charge the steepest lines, carve with race-like precision, hit the biggest jumps or halfpipes; advanced to expert level skis are for the more aggressive skier. You will often find the addition of layers of metal, carbon, bamboo, or other stringers in these skis. These features work to make a stiffer ski with more power and rebound. Although typically the widest powder skis fall into this level, you will also find expert level carving, park, and all-mountain skis. Again, you will see skis with full camber, rocker, or some combination of the two.
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There are a lot of factors that contribute to the way a ski feels and its best use. Beyond construction there are three main parts of ski shape that determine feel: width, turning radius and rocker type.
Ski Waist Width
This is the measurement at a ski’s width at the middle (waist) of the ski, which is usually the narrowest point. Narrower waist widths are quicker edge to edge during turns, while wider waist widths provide better flotation in powder and choppy snow.
You will usually see ski dimensions specified by a 3-number measurement for the tip/waist/tail, like 115/90/107mm. In this example 115mm refers to the tip width, 90mm refers to the waist width, and 107mm refers to the tail width.
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Turn Radius
Turn radius is the shape of a ski determined by its tip, waist, and tail width, usually expressed in meters. The narrower a ski’s waist is in relation to its tip and tail, the shorter the turn radius and therefore the deeper the sidecut. A ski with a deep sidecut (short turn radius) will make quicker turns, while a ski with a subtle sidecut (long turn radius) will turn more slowly and is typically more stable going straight at high speeds.
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Turning radius |
Turn type |
Type of skiing, intermediate all-mountain |
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< 16m |
short |
carving |
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17-22m |
medium |
all-mountain, park & pipe |
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> 22m |
long |
powder, big-mountain |
Rocker Type
Although camber has been around since long before rocker, we classify it as a type of rocker for purposes of simplicity. Rocker is also known as reverse camber, so think of camber as reverse rocker.
Camber
Camber is the traditional profile for skis offering skiers lots of edge hold, especially on harder snow. A cambered ski has a smooth arch underfoot and contact points near the tip and tail when unweighted; when the rider’s weight is added with the initiation of a turn, the pressure of their body weight flexes the ski providing a long, evenly pressured running surface and edge. Furthermore, as you unweight your skis at the tail end of a turn, cambered skis rebound to their natural profile, propelling you into your next turn. Camber skis excel at carving on hard snow; you won’t ever see a ski racer on anything other than cambered skis.
Rocker
Rocker (also called reverse-camber) is just as it sounds – camber turned upside down. Rocker skis have a side profile with a smooth downward curvature and a contact point at the middle of the ski. Rocker skis excel in deep powder. This profile provides the skis with less tip and tail hang up to prevent from catching edges and allows the skis to initiate turns extremely quickly because the ski achieves the shape it needs to carve before the skier puts any weight on it. This profile doesn’t perform as well in icy conditions or on harder snow but if you spend lots of time in deep, untracked snow and like a more playful ski, Rocker is a great choice.
Rocker/Camber
Rocker/Camber skis pair a traditional cambered profile underfoot with an elongated, early rise tip borrowed from fully rockered skis. This profile places the front contact point further back from the tip, while the rear contact point remains close to the tail. The rockered tip allows for better flotation and less edge catch for increased float in deep snow, while the cambered rear stores and transmits energy similarly to a fully cambered ski. More and more all-mountain and big-mountain skis are being built with this profile. Because of its asymmetric shape, this profile does not ski switch as well as other profiles, but if you are looking for an all mountain charger that floats in the fluff, but edges on ice, Rocker/Camber is a great choice.
Rocker/Camber/Rocker
Rocker/Camber/Rocker skis have the playfulness and float of a rockered ski as will as the added edge hold of a cambered ski. The contact points on skis with this profile are closer towards the middle of the ski than a fully cambered ski, but still not underfoot. The cambered midsection provides a longer effective edge on hardpack, increasing edge hold and stability, while the rockered tip and tail provide floatation in deeper snow and allow the ski to initiate and release from turns easier. This profile provides playfulness for park skiers, flotation for powder lovers, forgiveness for beginners and versatility for those who only have one pair of skis. Many ski manufacturers offer multiple types of Rocker/Camber/Rocker to facilitate different skiers, by pairing different amounts of rocker and camber with different ski widths and sidecuts, so there’s sure to be one for your needs.
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Rocker/Flat/Rocker
Rocker/Flat/Rocker is another variation on the rocker theme that seeks to provide a little more hard snow edgehold and pop than full rocker while retaining ease of turning and float. Performance is between a fully rockered ski and a rocker/camber/rocker ski.
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Other combinations of ski profiles include Flat/Camber/Flat Skis. We have done our best to make sense of all these different combinations, but keep in mind different brands will combine the above profiles in many differnt ways, and with many different, and creative, names such as "Mustache," "reCurve" and "Jib Rocker."
You will find that the lines between different types of skis are more and more blurred these days so that many skis fall under more than one category.
All-Mountain Skis
Just as the name states, all mountain skis are for skiing the entire mountain. They are designed to handle anything you throw at them including powder, ice, groomers, steeps, heavy snow, and everything in between, but they aren’t necessarily a master of any one terrain. If you’re only going to own one ski to do it all, this is what you want. That said, all-mountain skis come in a range of shapes and widths to match the specific needs of different skiers, and the conditions. All-mountain skis generally have what we call mid-fat waists that range from 80-110mm. The key is to figure out where you will be spending the majority of your time on the mountain and what type of terrain you like to ski most. Remember, it’s not just about what you ski now but what you aspire to; trust us, today's skis can help you make leaps in ability that will blow you away.
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Powder Skis
These skis are for the deep days. If you like to find powder stashes at your local resort, go on backcountry missions for the freshest of fresh or heli ski trips to BC, powder skis are what you need to stay afloat. Skis in the powder category are wide and most often have some form of rocker or early rise plus a relatively softflex. You will see unique sidecut shapes; the tip and tail are not always the widest parts of the ski. Many powder skis today are versatile enough to handle mixed conditions and harder snow.
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Carving Skis
For those that like the classic feeling of laying a ski over on edge and arcing a perfect turn, carving skis are what you want. These skis have narrower waists and shorter turn radii for edge to edge quickness and responsive turn initiation and exit on groomed runs and hard pack. The beginner-intermediate skis in this category are designed to make learning how to turn as easy as going from pizza to French fries.
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Park & Pipe Skis
Park and pipe skis, often called freestyle skis, are for skiers who spend the majority of their time in the terrain park. If jumps, rails, and jibs of all kinds are your thing then check out this category. Though traditionally park and pipe skis have narrower waists with full camber profiles, this category is incorporating more rocker patterns and different shapes. You will almost always find these skis with twin tips as well as other park specific features like thicker, more durable edges, dense extruded bases, and butter zones.
Alpine Touring Skis
Also known as backcountry skis, alpine touring (AT) skis are designed for going uphill as well as downhill. These skis are typically light for their width and many feature fittings that accept climbing skins. AT skis vary in width and weight, with the wider heavier versions usually used for winter/deep snow touring and the skinnier, lighter skis usually used for spring/summer/long distance touring.
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Women-Specific Skis
Skis designed specifically for women are typically lighter, softer, and shorter. Women usually have a lower center of gravity and therefore exert less leverage and a lower force on their skis (than a man of the same size). Women’s skis take less force to power and turn; this is accomplished by softer core materials and thinner core profiles. Also, to enhance balance, mounting positions are usually a few centimeters further forward on these skis. There are plenty of hard charging skis built for women these days and the graphics often feature fewer trucks, skulls and blood than men’s graphics. Of course there is no reason a female skier cannot ski well on a men’s ski, and vice versa.
System Skis
System skis come with bindings that are often integrated into the ski. Besides providing you with a simple package to purchase, system skis are designed to have a truer flex through the entire ski. The binding is mounted to an integrated plate that allows the toe and heel to float independently from the ski and eliminate the “dead spot” formed underfoot; the ski can now make a perfect arc all the way through a turn. System bindings usually do not come attached to the skis, and you should always have a certified technician adjust your bindings to your boots.
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