 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi all
I know this is a fairly basic question...but i am a fairly basic skiier (and some would say basic individual!)
But when I started skiing, the trend was to learn on longer skis (I was given 180s) and then get shorter as you got better. Now they seem to teach on shorter skis for beginners and get longer? I know trends, teaching methods and technology change, but every time I go skiing I seem to get given a different set up at the hire shop and I don't know enough to be able to say what I want.
I would say I am an average intermediate skiier now. Not that fast but can get down most reds except the really tricky ones, and I struggle a bit when conditions aren't great. I'm just over 6' tall. What should I be using???
Cheers all
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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the trend was to learn on longer skis (I was given 180s) and then get shorter as you got better
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 that's an interesting concept. May one enquire as to when (and indeed where) this was?
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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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That was my first trip on snow which would have been in St Johan in the Tirol sometime around 15 years ago.
Which in itself is terrible, as i've now realised how old I'm getting!
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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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cattlegrid_79, Hi and welcome to snowheads.
Im 6ft and 11 stone 8, I use 172cm. I like a short turning radius, less than 19m.
There are differences in speed and handling in different length skis, longer ski will usually be faster in a straight line down the piste than a shorter ski.
How do you make your turns? do you like to bomb down the piste making wide/long fast turns that gives you the feeling of compression in your spine?  Or do you prefer to make shorter tighter turns at a slightly slower speed?
This however may not have much of a bearing on what a ski hire shop stocks or will give you, but generaly the skis are all round/all ability skis for beginner to intermediate level.
The best thing to do is try a few different sizes of the hire shop ski and see which length you find easiest to ski. The old rule of thumb was for the ski tip to reach somehwere from your chin to your forehead.
Im sure there will be many more posts regarding choice of ski length.
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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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I don't think there was ever a time you didn't start on shorter skis and get longer. Perhaps they didn't realize you were a beginner when they first gave you skis and had to back-track.
However skis now are generally shorter than when I learned (later 50s and 60s). Even shorter for slalom and short turns - longer for speed and off-piste.
Last edited by Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do. on Tue 21-10-08 15:15; edited 1 time in total
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Last time I went (last season) I had 165s. Seemed ok on decent snow in Italy (not that there was much of that around last year!) but really struggled second to last week of the season in Tignes in porridge!
Just wondering whether it would be worth me getting my own pair so that at least i've got the same ones all the time and if so what to look for.
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Hi cattlegrid_79,
There is certainly nothing wrong skiing short skis these days as the developments in technology and materials took care of the stability of the ski even in ridiculously short lengths... But the choice of length indeed depends on your skiing style. Keep in mind that the stiffness of the ski is a very important factor too. A ski which is too stiff for one's ability will force one to skid rather then to carve.
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cattlegrid_79, Welcome to  s. I think snowball, was correct the shop may have assumed that you were not a beginner or they did not have any proper length skis in stock! We skied in April last year and the snow seemed good! Well good for April!
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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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Thanks for all the replies! mark handford, my style is definitely more of the controlled, shorter turns. I've been told to let flow a bit more - but sometimes I'm just not that brave!
Roy Hockley, there was certainly a sufficient amount of snow in April, it was just so warm in Tignes that it was slush so early on in the day. Just found it so hard to put any of the technique that I had supposedly learnt into practice on that. But I guess it's just something else I hadn't experienced before!
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Why not go to one of the indoor snowslopes before you travel and try a few different lengths - if you are thinking of buying your own many of the adjacent ski shops will have demo pairs you can try in different lengths - this might be a better idea - at least you are trying reasonably ok skis rather than the trashed ones the indoor slopes lend out!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| cattlegrid_79 wrote: |
| Just wondering whether it would be worth me getting my own pair so that at least i've got the same ones all the time and if so what to look for. |
For a number of reasons I suggest that unless you ski for more then one week a year dont even consider buying.
Hire shops are usualy happy for you to chop and change your set untill you are happy with them.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Go Long 
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