Best All Mountain Ski?

[HowieT2]

He has skied 40+ days a season since he was 11. so he can ski anything and will, but he is by nature not aggressive, so he doesnt huck off cliffs or take air. and he strongly prefers the woods to groomers.

 

[HowieT2]

I found the following on evo.com and thought it relevant.

[h=2]Men's Ski Size Chart[/h]

User Height (in)	User Height (cm)	Expert Length (cm)	Intermediate Length (cm)	Beginner Length (cm)
4'6"	137	140	135	125
4'8"	142	145	140	130
5'0"	152	155	145	135
5'2"	158	165	155	145
5'6"	168	175	165	155
5'8"	173	180	170	160
5'10"	178	185	175	165
6'0"	183	190	180	170
6'2"	188	195	185	175
6'4"	193	200	190	180

How do you pick the correct ski size?

So the truth is that there is no perfect size for one height and weight. The general rule is to pick a ski that is going to land somewhere between your chin and the top of your head. Pro and expert skiers may choose skis that are slightly taller than their height. Within your size range there are multiple reasons to choose a shorter or longer ski.

Reasons to size your skis shorter, closer to your chin:

• You are a beginner or intermediate skier
• Your weight is lighter than average for your height
• You like to make short, quick turns

Reasons to size your skis longer, closer to the top of your head:

• You are skiing fast and aggressively
• You weigh more than average for your height
• You plan to do the majority of your skiing off the trail
• You are purchasing a ski with significant rocker in the tip

A shorter ski will be easier to turn yet not as stable as a longer ski. A carving ski with skinnier waist and a smaller turn radius can be skied at a shorter length than an all mountain or a freeride ski with larger, longer turn radius and fatter waist width.

 

[mikestaple]

I loved my new Line Prophet 90s last year. Bumps, crud, trees, groomers, etc. I bought them last year so I won't reload anytime soon. But if I did, I would step up to the 98s. The prophet is a great ski.........

 

[Abubob]

DO NOT go shorter for skiing the trees. Ski length has nothing to do with tree skiing. Shorter skis don't make you ski the woods better, skiing better makes you ski the woods better, regardless of length.

Really? I must suck then cause when I went from 185s to 170s I enjoyed it much more.

 

[ALLSKIING]

I found the following on evo.com and thought it relevant.

Men's Ski Size Chart

User Height (in)	User Height (cm)	Expert Length (cm)	Intermediate Length (cm)	Beginner Length (cm)
4'6"	137	140	135	125
4'8"	142	145	140	130
5'0"	152	155	145	135
5'2"	158	165	155	145
5'6"	168	175	165	155
5'8"	173	180	170	160
5'10"	178	185	175	165
6'0"	183	190	180	170
6'2"	188	195	185	175
6'4"	193	200	190	180

How do you pick the correct ski size?

So the truth is that there is no perfect size for one height and weight. The general rule is to pick a ski that is going to land somewhere between your chin and the top of your head. Pro and expert skiers may choose skis that are slightly taller than their height. Within your size range there are multiple reasons to choose a shorter or longer ski.

Reasons to size your skis shorter, closer to your chin:

• You are a beginner or intermediate skier
• Your weight is lighter than average for your height
• You like to make short, quick turns

Reasons to size your skis longer, closer to the top of your head:

• You are skiing fast and aggressively
• You weigh more than average for your height
• You plan to do the majority of your skiing off the trail
• You are purchasing a ski with significant rocker in the tip

A shorter ski will be easier to turn yet not as stable as a longer ski. A carving ski with skinnier waist and a smaller turn radius can be skied at a shorter length than an all mountain or a freeride ski with larger, longer turn radius and fatter waist width.

175+ for a kid that 130lbs seems to long to me...Although it says I should go 190+ and I like 181....I would think in the low 160 range would be fine.

 

[HowieT2]

Really? I must suck then cause when I went from 185s to 170s I enjoyed it much more.

same here. According to the chart, I should be skiing 185-190's but I'm on 176.

 

[HowieT2]

I loved my new Line Prophet 90s last year. Bumps, crud, trees, groomers, etc. I bought them last year so I won't reload anytime soon. But if I did, I would step up to the 98s. The prophet is a great ski.........

I've had mine for 3 seasons and love love love them

 

[MadMadWorld]

same here. According to the chart, I should be skiing 185-190's but I'm on 176.

Check out the exceptions at the bottom of the chart
This may be why. Or sometimes adults just get so comfortable skiing on a certain length that anything else feels awkward

 

[Terry]

I have been skiing the line prophet 100's for the past 4 years in all terrain and wouldn't trade them for anything but a new not worn out pair! Awesome in all conditions except for sheer ice.

 

[riverc0il]

Really? I must suck then cause when I went from 185s to 170s I enjoyed it much more.

I never said shorter skis make you ski the woods worse or any one sucks for going shorter. Maybe you were on the wrong ski to begin with? Maybe other attributes besides length were also changed when you changed skis? All I am pointing out is that if you ski the woods with good technique, length isn't an issue to even be a consideration.

 

[riverc0il]

That chart is asinine. According to that chart, I should be between 190-195. I'm happy with 186 as my longest length. I skied 204s, 198s, and 193s back in the day. Not needed.

Which is besides the point, weight is going to have more impact than height. Flexing a ski isn't determined by height, which is only loosely correlated to height. It mentions early tip rise but I didn't see mention of going longer for a twin tip.

 

[Abubob]

I never said shorter skis make you ski the woods worse or any one sucks for going shorter. Maybe you were on the wrong ski to begin with? Maybe other attributes besides length were also changed when you changed skis? All I am pointing out is that if you ski the woods with good technique, length isn't an issue to even be a consideration.

Agreed. The 185 Dynastar's submarine in deep snow and while the tails are slightly turned up they're a little stiff. The Rossi's were mid fart twin tip with a over all slightly easier flex. I weight over 200 lbs so a ski that short probably wouldn't serve me well on an open cruiser.

 

[gmcunni]

He has skied 40+ days a season since he was 11.

you are a great dad!

 

[BenedictGomez]

if you ski the woods with good technique, length isn't an issue to even be a consideration.

Again, as with all other ski-related issues this too depends on the skiing. If you're skiing normal glade runs at most resorts, you're most likely correct. However, if you're skiing really tight trees off map or the few resorts with truly challenging glades, shorter skis do help. It's physics (and common sense). There is simply no point skiing on 196 or 190 skis in shoulder-bumping trees if you can maintain proper technique on 176 or 170, ASSUMING these tree skis also maintain adequate float for your weight profile.

Not to belabor this point, but the increased stability of the 196 skis will not really come into play in the trees where you're not skiing machII, and once you've reached a ski surface area profile (tip, waist, tail) that yields you nice float, there's simply NO point in going longer for a tree ski.

 

[MadMadWorld]

Really? I must suck then cause when I went from 185s to 170s I enjoyed it much more.

Oh dear lord......What do you need a shorter ski for? Are you turning your ski so far across the fall line that much that you think you are going to clip a tree?? If that's the problem then you really should practice on easier terrain and watch some instructional video

 

[MadMadWorld]

you are a great dad!

I wish I was that lucky!

 

[HowieT2]

you are a great dad!

not like I havent benefited from this arrangement

 

[HowieT2]

Oh dear lord......What do you need a shorter ski for? Are you turning your ski so far across the fall line that much that you think you are going to clip a tree?? If that's the problem then you really should practice on easier terrain and watch some instructional video

i definitely encounter some shoulder width worm holes where I am glad to have shorter rather than longer skis.

 

[riverc0il]

Again, as with all other ski-related issues this too depends on the skiing. If you're skiing normal glade runs at most resorts, you're most likely correct. However, if you're skiing really tight trees off map or the few resorts with truly challenging glades, shorter skis do help. It's physics (and common sense).

Actually, no, it is not physics but it is your common sense. We can agree to disagree here. I ski elevator shafts that are only a ski width on a 186cm ski. Never had a problem. Any one who is gone into the woods with me can attest how crazy I can be in snuffing how powder in tight and narrow places. Longer skis aren't slowing me down or causing me to have difficulty or crash. I have never ever thought "man, this would be easier with shorter skis." Never. And one reason is a shorter ski wouldn't be able to support my weight and would actually make my skiing worse... it is about flex and weight, not length. Unless you are in a 5' wide colouir...

 

[bigbog]

"Flex and Weight"

Sounds good enough to me, I'll go with that.....