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Advice needed: Going from 167s to 174s

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Alrighty,

I'm looking for some advice.

I've skied 5 weeks in total. I wouldn't say I was good but I have no problems in heading down reds at a decenct pace. I do ski the occasional black but stay away from the moguls mostly because I'm lazy and don't find anything fun in them.

Anyway, I've been using 167s and I'm tempted by a decent deal on a pair of 174s. Would I notice a huge difference? I'm 6' and 15st.

Cheers
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Should be fine on the longer skis. You'll notice more stability than the short ones given your height and weight.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
glp9 wrote:
Should be fine on the longer skis. You'll notice more stability than the short ones given your height and weight.


Cheers, I'll buy the skis and blame all the errors I made previously on the skis being too wee for me .
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You might find them a handful at first, and hate them. I'm a shade over 6' and probably about a stone lighter than you, on 178s. Traditionally I've always enjoyed myself more on shorter skis (165 ish were always my favourite). The first time I rented something over 175, I almost literally couldn't ski. Just couldn't get them to come round for the turns, really hard work. But when it came to buying my own, I went for 178 on the basis that they were probably 'right' for me and that I could grow into them. Really didn't enjoy the first couple of days, and found stuff like moguls horrible. Really like them now, it just took a period of adaptation.

Next time they're in for a service and I'm forced to rent, I'm going 180+ to see what it's like Smile
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Length is not the only thing to look at. Also flex. Look at radius, cause 167 ski's with long radius turn harder the 174 ski's with short radius. It is all in the flex (f.e. woodcore vs plastic) and in the shape (waist). Also (semi) rockers can make the ski ski shorter.

With 6ft 167 is too short except if they are slalom carvers.
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sean1967, if they're different skis, the change in length will be lost on all the other noise.

I wouldn't suggest buying skis without trying them first however... (although I did exactly that with my last 3 pairs, with a 2 out of 3 hit rate)
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Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
skiester wrote:
Length is not the only thing to look at. Also flex. Look at radius, cause 167 ski's with long radius turn harder the 174 ski's with short radius. It is all in the flex (f.e. woodcore vs plastic) and in the shape (waist). Also (semi) rockers can make the ski ski shorter.

With 6ft 167 is too short except if they are slalom carvers.


Good point. Flex and radius is certainly worth considering.

I hired some 165 slalom race skis once that were bloody hard work - way to stiff for me.

Most recently I've tended to move from 167/168 to 176 Salomon Enduro xt800 (?) rockers (I'm 178cm and 95kgs) and found them excellent - really stable and maneuverable.
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
HI, take a look at this, it could just be a case of technique rather than ski size. Loads more technique videos floating around youtube that Im sure will help

Goodluck
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I am no expert, but the advice i got from 3 different ski shops when i was looking to buy, is that if the ski is a rockered ski + or - 3-5cm your height is about right.

I am 6,01 so around 182 cm and i ended up buying a 178cm ski. I am 13 stone 9lbs though so a bit lighter than you.

Last season the hire shops put me on 176cm at one shop and 177cm on another type of ski.
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 Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
People get hung up on the actual length figure of skis, with so many designs (different flex, running length, sidecut etc.) it is best to look at the range of lengths the ski is available in and pick an appropriate length within the range rather than on the number alone. My all mountain/sidecountry skis are 179 and my slalom skis are 165, it all depends on the ski.

I have to say though, a 167cm ski at 6' and 15 stone would need to be a slalom race ski; definitely go longer, a run of the mill 167 piste ski is highly unlikely to be designed for a 15 stone guy. A quick calculation: the force on the ski with me (barely 11 stone) in a carved turn with 45 degree edge angle (~1.4g) is only slightly more than you just standing still with your weight on one ski.


Last edited by Ski the Net with snowHeads on Mon 1-10-12 12:36; edited 1 time in total
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For reference I am 1m90 (6'4") and 90kgs, I ski a 177 piste ski and and have a 191 all mountain ski. I only have the 177 as it's the longest they make in the ski, if they did a 180/5 then I would have gone with that.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
Length is what you make of it.

I've got 182cm Movement Jams and 173cm CoreUpt Dirt B'tard park skis, and I'm 'only' 5'8" and 77Kg so not exactly huge, but I found anything shorter just felt twitchy to me.
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So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
I usually condemn people for going too long too soon. But at 6ft and 15st with 5 weeks under your belt, you should be able to handle 174s.
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
I have found that changing ski size while on a ski trip can be difficult (I think muscle memory makes it difficult).

I did, however, buy skis that are 18cm longer than my usual pair one summer. When the next season came round, I clicked into them and they felt absolutely normal and I had no problems manouevering them.
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
feef wrote:
Length is what you make of it.

I've got 182cm Movement Jams and 173cm CoreUpt Dirt B'tard park skis, and I'm 'only' 5'8" and 77Kg so not exactly huge, but I found anything shorter just felt twitchy to me.


Conversely my quiver of one last season was a 173cm Movement Jam (136-85-117) and I'm 188 cm (6' 2") and 95 kg soaking wet. No issues with twitchiness.
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
cheers for all the advice

I think I'm going to take the plunge and get the skis. They're at a very good price and I have taken the notion. The 167s have always been rental skis so these will be my first owned pair. If I really can't get on with them, they'll be getting punted.
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
I'm just under 6 feet and about 105kg, ski 177cm volkl ac-30's. First couple of seasons I rented skis in the 168-172 range, some Dynastar Legends etc. If you're a big guy and a fairly confident/aggressive skier you'll definitely appreciate the extra length once you've got over the difference in maneuverability at low speed compared to shorter skis.

I feel much more confident going a fair lick with the longer volkl's than with anything previously.
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