Howdy Folks,
I run an outdoor website. I figured I would share some of my content here on Steem. This week's article breaks down ski specs to help you purchase a suitable set of skis for your skill and riding style. Here is a blurb; The full article is linked below.
Long gone are the days of picking a set of flat boards that are 1.5 times your height and sliding down the mountain any way you please. These days, the specs and options for skis are mind boggling. Oh, you don't ride a super reverse triple three dimensional sidecut x-fatty? What's wrong with you? Uh, what? Ok, I made up half of that but still, the options are overwhelming. There is a reason this site does not even start to attempt to review skis. There are too many. Here, we will break down the basics to help you pick your first (or second, or third) set of skis. My first skis were park skis. I have never ridden park style. I got them because they were pretty. Then I shredded up the powder on them. My short skinny skis made this harder than it could have been (I tended to sink). The lesson here is, any ski will work. Some will just work better than others. This article will focus on All Mountain/Powder skis; skis one might want to take in the backcountry. If you want race, park skis, or other types of skis, this article will be a little useless to you.
Length
Skis are measured in centimeters. Ski lengths typically range from just over 100 cm for small children up to just under 200 cm for very tall skiers. Length is easy to find for a set of skis: it will be marked clearly on the order form online or paperwork in the store. Often it will be printed on the ski itself.
The right length ski for a skier is a function of the skier's height, weight, strength, and skill. Manufacturers typically have a chart suggesting a range of lengths for a given height. The chart is the best place to start when selecting a ski length. In lieu of a chart, you can just base it off your height. On the shorter end, you would want a ski no shorter than your chin. On the longer end, you would pick a ski not much taller than you are. For example, I am about 5'6". When I started skiing, I typically picked skies in the 165 range, about nose height on me. As my skill developed, I have sized up in ski length just a little to the 175 range.
Each manufacture makes every ski they sell in a range of sizes. When looking at a pair of skis, you will see the section "length" listed on the website. It will typically have 4 or more sizes listed: ex 168 cm, 176 cm, 184 cm, 192 cm. Ski lengths are typically listed in centimeters.
Typically, skis on the shorter end of your range are suggested for those newer to the sport. A shorter ski makes turning easier to initiate and complete. The drawback is that you have reduced stability at higher speeds and reduced float in deep powder. A skier who has mastered the art of turning will often opt for a longer ski for the benefits at speed and in powder.
Width
Length was easy enough to figure out. Width is a little more complicated. Skis are not cut straight and therefore do not have a single width. In fact, depending on where you measure there are thousands of width measurements per ski. To make things simple, manufactures will list the three most significant widths: the widest part in the front of the ski, the narrowest part underfoot, and the widest part in the back of the ski. These measurements are in millimeters. For example, a ski width might be listed as 100/90/98. The widest part in the front is 100 mm, underfoot width is 90 mm at its narrowest, and the widest part of the tail of the ski is 98 mm.
The main factor to pay attention to is the middle number, or underfoot width. The first and last numbers will be a function of other qualities of the ski, specifically the sidecut which plays a different role. Often the three width numbers will be listed somwhere on the ski, but not always. They will be listed on the website you buy them from or on the paperwork with the ski in the store. So, how do you pick a width? It is entirely up to you. In general, the narrower the ski, the less friction you will have, the faster you can go, and the more stable you are going fast. A wider ski will provide more float and control in powder. When it comes to width, the underfoot value is typically what is referred to. The underfoot value is also the important factor when you select the brake width for your bindings.
There are differing opinions on what width constitutes an "all mountain" ski. An all mountain ski will perform ok to well in a variety of conditions but not excel at anything. For new skiers or skiers on a budget, a good all mountain ski will serve you well. As ski technology develops, all mountain skis, also called a "quiver of one", are getting better and better at doing it all. For the average recreational skier, an all mountain ski is all you will ever need. They make great backcountry setups that can tackle a wide range of conditions encountered in the backcountry while saving a few ounces that a true powder ski would cost you on the skin up. A powder ski will not perform on choppy refrozen snow or a groomer as well as an all mountain ski will should you find yourself in those conditions and only have one ski to pick from. My personal suggestion, if you are only going to get one ski set up for the backcountry or resorts, get an all mountain ski with a width in the range of 90-103 mm underfoot, with 95-98 mm being the sweet spot.
If you really want to slay deep powder, some extra width underfoot will increase your float and control in these conditions. The drawback is the extra width adds weight and reduces the ski's effectiveness in almost all other conditions. I spent the first two years of my backcountry outings on a 95 mm underfoot all mountain ski and was fine every day except one. That day, we found deep fresh light powder and instead of slaying it, I just wallowed around in it. That was the day I decided to buy a second ski set up. I wanted to slay powder. I wanted face shots, not my face in the snow as I fell. If you are looking for a second set of skis or insist on only skiing on powder days, a ski with 103+ mm underfoot will serve you will.
Depending on where you look, most sites differ in their suggestions for selecting underfoot width. This is my personal definition from 10 years of skiing with inappropriately width skis that is based on general industry sentiment.
Snowbeastreview's ski width definitions:
Under 90 mm: Not covered in this article: race skis, park skis, skis for groomers.
90-103 mm: All mountain skis
103+ mm: Powder ski
For your first set of skis, really, you could stop reading here. Pick skis sized appropriately for your height and intended riding style that got good reviews. The rest of the specs are a little more nuanced.
Follow link to full article