 Poster: A snowHead
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Sorry if this question has been asked a thousand times before but what difference does the length of a ski make? And more importantly, what length should i try?
I'm a huge 5ft 6 (without boots)
an equally huge 85 Kg
O.K.'ish intermediate
Non smoker, Likes dogs, good sense of humour, solvent......... sorry wrong web site 
Any help will be much appreciated.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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richlott, it depends on what sort of skiing you do. If you are doing a lot of piste cruising/short turns, then a shorter ski is easier to handle. If you are going off piste, then longer gives you more support.
(Someone will offer a far more technical opinion soon!)
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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richlott, i just demo'd then bought a pair of k2 recons at 167cm and i am the same hieght and wieght as you, i found the extra length a great help in the fresh snow and in the bumps,and they still cruise and turn well on piste, but you have to put up with a bit of chatter at low speed on cat tracks etc
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Thanks Elizabeth B and Neilski,
I do all my intentional skiing  , on piste and as i said above, i'm an O.k.'ish intermediate- happy on blues and reds and the occasional black. Any advice on what skis to hire and at what length are very most welcome.
I've read a number of comments along the lines of "longer skis go faster" can this be true? What does the length of a ski have to do with the speed that you can achieve.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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richlott, The more I see this sort of thread the more I see it as a black art than a science. I'm a beginner and my observations from comments on these boards seem to indicate that beyond the basic truths such as Elizabeth B, offered it boils down mainly to personal preference. Certainly it seems that 5cm here or there is likely to make very little difference unless you're the sort of skier who pushes his ski to the limit. The same seems to follow for the vagaries of ski tuning, and apparently even if you've got the most perfectly sized, tuned and shaped ski in the world for you and what you want to do with it, this I'm given to understand is something that you can't make full use of without perfect boots.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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richlott, The Salomon chart suggests 165 cm assuming you stay on the piste. So that would be a place to start. Longer will be (a bit) more stable and shorter easier to turn. +/- 5 cms probably difficult to feel much of a difference - assuming the same type ski. More important is that the ski is serviced properly as Megamum, says. So when you go to the hire shop, look at the skis you are given, are the edges sharp and do they have wax on them ?
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Megamum, I think that you are probably right in that, once you are proficient, the choice of kit is a very personal. That said, i would really like an idiots guide to what the features of a ski mean to me, so that i can talk in the hire shop with at least some knowledge. Does this make sense?
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richlott, Big question !
Length = more or less stability.
Width = more or less 'float' (in soft snow) / faster( narrow) or slower (wide) edge change.
Stiffness = increased ability to carve at speed (stiffer) or easier turn inititation (softer).
Sidecut radius = tighter carved turns (more side cut) vs larger carved turns (less side cut)
So a ski for making lots of turns on the piste at speed (say a slalom ski) will be shorter, stiffer and narrower than a ski designed for off-piste.
Does that help ?
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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yes ski, Thats a great help 
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