Advice on moving up in ski size (beginner)

[Bostongal]

Hi Divas, this is my first season skiing, so if this sounds juvenile I apologize! My first few ski lessons were done on 120's. I didn't know til shortly after I looked into sizes, that those were really tiny for a 5'4adult woman (weight 115). But I progressed quickly, maybe getting too comfortable on something so easy. I since have tried to move up in size slowy, in hopes of being ready to purchase a pair at the end of this season. I right away tried some 140's and felt like a fish out of water, crossing tips, less control, just feeling like I had never skied before. I then went back down to 130's and 135s and felt much better. Now I'm weary of longer skis.

Question is, what is the best way to move up in size or do adults even stay in this range 130's long term range if it works?
Thanks!

 

[B.E.G.]

130s is really really short, even for a lightweight woman like yourself. I'm 5'1" and ~100 lbs. and I currently ski a 156 (I started long though - I learned to ski on 146s I think). I would do what you're doing and gradually start moving up - maybe go to upper 130s or try to find a ski that's a 142. It might be beneficial to take a lesson and have an instructor tell you what (s)he is seeing as you move up to longer skis too.

 

[SkiNana]

What do you mean when you say you are "weary of longer skis"? What length makes you feel comfortable and what is happening on the 135's?

The suggestion about having an instructor tell you what they observe and think works for you is a great one. It's even advice you might get free from a ski shop or ski school if a lesson is out of the question, though having someone ski with you and give advice based on actually observing you cannot be surpassed!

 

[Christy]

I'm almost exactly your size and I'm on 156s and 154s. My first pair were 146s and I had no stability--they were too short, and I was always falling down. They were fine on easy greens but anything harder and they were awful. I couldn't handle any bumps (even skied out groomers) or speed with them. They really held me back.

Crossing ski tips is generally from being in the back seat. If your weight isn't properly forward, you can't pressure your ski tips. And this is sooo common--even those of us that aren't beginners anymore struggle with it. Maybe having shorter skis lets you get away with bad technique the way that more size appropriate skis won't. I personally would stay on longer skis (146 at the absolute shortest) and take lessons to make sure your technique is right. I would not buy skis that short, unless you are okay with selling them in a seaon. I just can't imagine you're going to be happy on them when you move up to more challenging terrain, or start skiing faster.

There are some older threads about ways to make the transition to longer skis easier, if you search. I didn't have any trouble--I went right from 146s to 156s with no problem.

 

[Pequenita]

Do you feel like you were moving faster in the longer skis than in the shorter ones? My guess is that you were, and that contributed to the out of control feeling. Also, if you've only tried the longer length once, it's possible that you were having an off day in general or just need to acquire a better feel for the longer length.

I think that when learning to ski, the time to go to a longer length ski is when you are skiing fast enough that you start feeling unstable (skis chatter). It's definitely possible to ski a too-short ski well at speed; it requires a strong sense of balance. If the 130s/135s are working for you, then that's what's working for you right now. No need to get to a longer length in a rush. There was another recent thread that someone who had just bought short skis had started. If I recall correctly, she was fretting that she purchased too short skis. Maybe a longer ski would have worked, but if she nails her balance on the short skis, I think it's way more valuable in the long run. I didn't even post on that thread -- someone else raised the same point.


ETA: here's the thread I was thinking of.

 

[Bostongal]

Thank you for the advice, I apologize for the delay, I was off work the last 3 days and internet at home was out.

Well the 140's made me feel unstable, yes I noticed the speed was much different already, so thats probably what scared me. I also found them harder to turn and control. Again this could be my lack of experience (only skied 6 times) and being used to the little ones during my lessons.

I went out again this weekend and used a 130 again. Balance wise I'm very good on them I handled my first blues very well. I now feel I'm ready to give a longer ski a stab since I did some steeper terrain I feel confidence again.

I have one more lesson left in my package. I think next I'll try to rent some 140's again and have the instructor critique me. I probably was in the back seat now that I know that will cross my tips and the conditions last time with them were icy. I really want to get past this shorter ski phase!

 

[snoWYmonkey]

Another common cause of crossed tips is not weighting both skis and not turning both simultaneously. I never read whether you are making parallel or wedge turns. It is more common to cross tips when wedging.

Ski length choices have a lot to do with the given model. At 5'4" and 130 my quiver goes from a 152 to a 178. That is a huge range, but the skis are vastly different in their make and purpose.

Good luck with your lesson!

 

[snow addict]

This is way too short for you. I didn't know there were even skis for adults in 120 or 130. You can get snowblades in 120. At your height you should be able to walk all over on 120 with ease so maybe this is what you tried to do on longer skis. Crossing tips is not the ski length issue, but a technique and if you continue on that length your technique will take forever to improve. Correct length for your height should be somewhere between 146-151 for beginner skis with 146 being really on the short side. You should definitely take a lesson on a longer length even if you have to re-learn a few things.

 

[snoWYmonkey]

The standard at our rental shop is to have first day begginers in skis between chest and shoulder height. At 5'4" a 152 would be more like chin height. This is totally doable, but I understand where even that may feel long at this point.

More importantly is maybe for you to define quick progress. Are you now making solid parallel turns with pole plants on blues? I only ask because I have had the gamut of students over the years, and some may take a few seasons to move through the wedge turns as they are timid skiers who learned after retiring, while others are ripping parallel turns from day one.

I think flex can be more important than length for newer skiers. That being said, I would not go any longer than chin height and soft flex for a while, unless you are skiing a lot of powder and crud.

Another two cents worth....

 

[Bostongal]

For my progress I'm focusing my turns more parrallel and I've noticed I'm not wedging much anymore, maybe just to slow down. I did the pole plant briefly in my level 3 lesson. I just did blues my sixth time on the slopes, which was Sunday, I handled it well carving down with no falls.

I'm really aggro they started me off in really short skis. I think they are juniors, Why would they give a 5'4 adult such a short ski? I'm 115lbs.

I think my plan for this weekend is to get a 140 then go out with it before the lesson to get the feel, then hopefully I can feel I can get off the baby skis. Deal? Or should I just flat out get a 146 this weekend? I handled a 135 ok last time.

 

[AltaEgo]

If you did a 135 last time, 10cm isn't really very much longer. I'd start out with the 146. You can always switch back, right?

Our beginners start on 130's, unless they are very tall. I have a pair of 120's I teach in when I know I'm teaching kids on flat terrain. My normal ski? A 156 cm down from a 162 cm, down from a 180 cm, down from a 195 cm ten years ago. They keep makin' em better, and shorter!

 

[MissySki]

I'm really aggro they started me off in really short skis. I think they are juniors, Why would they give a 5'4 adult such a short ski? I'm 115lbs.

I think my plan for this weekend is to get a 140 then go out with it before the lesson to get the feel, then hopefully I can feel I can get off the baby skis. Deal? Or should I just flat out get a 146 this weekend? I handled a 135 ok last time.

This is just what they do at Wachusett I think. I had the same experience and when DH started out they put him on skis so short that when he would try to stop he'd end up turning and sliding backwards down the mountain because the ski couldn't handle his weight and wouldn't come to a stop correctly. (He is 6'2 and ~190 lbs and they had him on like 140s or 150s, it was ridiculous) For me it hindered me wanting to move to a longer ski for awhile just like you experienced, for him he quickly just bought a cheap longer pair on ebay to learn on and caught on really quick because he had snowboarded for 14 years beforehand and made the transition easily..

How'd this past weekend go for you?

 

[Bostongal]

I went to Wachusett this weekend and found out they only offered a 137 or 153, so I chose the 137 and did great. I'm planning to maybe get a deal on 146's to buy and go from there or rent in the 140 range from now on. I got a rush from going down my first real challenging blues. Finally feel like I'm turning the corner with new terrain and moving up in size..not to mention confidence too!

 

[canadianjem]

I am just learning too. Same height, same weight.
I started on 144. Just demoed 158 and had trouble crossing tips as well. Forced myself to ski them. At the end off the day I was taking them everywhere on the mountain. The added length felt waayyyy more stable and really improved my skiing in just the one day

 

[Bostongal]

I am just learning too. Same height, same weight.
I started on 144. Just demoed 158 and had trouble crossing tips as well. Forced myself to ski them. At the end off the day I was taking them everywhere on the mountain. The added length felt waayyyy more stable and really improved my skiing in just the one day

That is great to hear on the 158's! Persistance paid off, very impressive for a beginner!

 

[canadianjem]

That is great to hear on the 158's! Persistance paid off, very impressive for a beginner!

dont get me wrong...there was a lot of swearing and crying ;) I even debated taking the skis back to the shop because I was so scared of them.
I was determined and said "F*#k you skis...you are not going to get the best of me"!
Once that was behind me ... I really got to enjoy them and realized that the right ski really does make a huge difference.

 

[litterbug]

Bostongal, my advice would be to rent/demo something in the high 140s or low 150s and start by taking a lesson on them, even if it's a group lesson. I suspect you're getting away with skidding/slarving your turns because the short skis can be pushed around easily, and when you get on longer skis you need to actually be able to direct them where to go. Thus a lesson to start to learn how to get the most out of your shaped skis.

Assuming you're renting boots, be sure to get boots that aren't too big, because your foot will move around in big boots and not communicate your movements to the skis. They should be very, very snug, not like street shoes at all. There should be a little room around your toes when you rest your weight against the tongue of the boot. This won't be very comfortable in rental boots, but unless you can tell the boots what to tell the skis, longer skis are going to be very hard to control. In fact, boots may be your real issue.

 

[Bostongal]

dont get me wrong...there was a lot of swearing and crying ;) I even debated taking the skis back to the shop because I was so scared of them.
I was determined and said "F*#k you skis...you are not going to get the best of me"!
Once that was behind me ... I really got to enjoy them and realized that the right ski really does make a huge difference.

You inspire me!

 

[Bostongal]

Bostongal, my advice would be to rent/demo something in the high 140s or low 150s and start by taking a lesson on them, even if it's a group lesson. I suspect you're getting away with skidding/slarving your turns because the short skis can be pushed around easily, and when you get on longer skis you need to actually be able to direct them where to go. Thus a lesson to start to learn how to get the most out of your shaped skis.

Assuming you're renting boots, be sure to get boots that aren't too big, because your foot will move around in big boots and not communicate your movements to the skis. They should be very, very snug, not like street shoes at all. There should be a little room around your toes when you rest your weight against the tongue of the boot. This won't be very comfortable in rental boots, but unless you can tell the boots what to tell the skis, longer skis are going to be very hard to control. In fact, boots may be your real issue.

Thats a good point on the boots. I def was in too big boots early on. I'm an 8 and thought 26.5 was ok cause I didn't know tight was good, then after hearing how they should fit I am now between 24.5-25.5 depending on the mountains stock. I just used up my last lesson in the 137, so I may have my DH who is advanced, help me out from here on out with the longer skis. If I still have issues, then I'll try a coach. Thank you for your advice

 

[canadianjem]

Bostongal, my advice would be to rent/demo something in the high 140s or low 150s and start by taking a lesson on them, even if it's a group lesson. I suspect you're getting away with skidding/slarving your turns because the short skis can be pushed around easily, and when you get on longer skis you need to actually be able to direct them where to go. Thus a lesson to start to learn how to get the most out of your shaped skis.

Assuming you're renting boots, be sure to get boots that aren't too big, because your foot will move around in big boots and not communicate your movements to the skis. They should be very, very snug, not like street shoes at all. There should be a little room around your toes when you rest your weight against the tongue of the boot. This won't be very comfortable in rental boots, but unless you can tell the boots what to tell the skis, longer skis are going to be very hard to control. In fact, boots may be your real issue.

100 million % agree....if boots don't fit snug.... Can't control the ski at all.