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Another ski length question

ddskis

Certified Ski Diva
Been thinking about ski length as I’m hoping to get some new skis for next year. Didn’t get a chance to demo at all this year with the abbreviated season and def plan to do so, but specifically wondering if others have gone shorter w/age and the inevitably(grrrrr) shrink.

I used to be almost 5’2” but find myself edging closer to 5’0” as I push 60. Weight unfortunately doesn’t seem to decrease along w/height so still 120lbs. I’ve skied since I was 14, can ski all over, and consider myself advanced, but do find I’m slowing down some, or at least trying to when I find myself going way too fast and think, holy crap, I could get hurt bad if I bit it right now. So yes, slowing down some.

Have been on skis ranging from 156-166 and this feels like the right length, depending on the ski, but am I missing something, or just overthinking this?
 

powderfan

Certified Ski Diva
Where do you ski? What terrain and conditions? What (type of) ski’s are you considering? How many days a year do you ski? What ski’s are you on now? But as an advanced skier here on the forum you probably know all that.

You ask if you miss something. You mention the speed, but may be the required strength to initiatie the turn and to bend the ski’s to vary the radius is also something to consider.

I’m about the same age ( but 5’7”; 150 lbs), skied since I was 13 and recognize your thoughts about skiing when you get older. I was looking for ski’s that required less strength. I had always skied unisex-ski’s and decided to switch to women’s skies with a shorter radius than I used to ski, so the ski’s wouldn’t require as much strength to bend them in the turn. Length is about the same as the ski’s I skied before.
 

ddskis

Certified Ski Diva
Thx for this. Def think strength comes into play and something to consider. I’ve found it helps to try different lengths when doing demos and I can usually tell right away if it’s a good fit.

Ski PNW, mostly groomers, some off piste. Usually get 10-20 days/season. Wish it was more; as I continue to age and work less it WILL be more!

Been on BP 159 for past couple years. They’re demo skis, I think ‘14? and prob just a tad heavier w/the demo binding. I mostly love them but have occasional chatter which I don’t love. I like short radius turns and some pop out of the turn, but hate that chattery feel when I let them rip. Looking for a daily driver, 84-90 underfoot.
 

marzNC

Angel Diva
Thx for this. Def think strength comes into play and something to consider. I’ve found it helps to try different lengths when doing demos and I can usually tell right away if it’s a good fit.

Ski PNW, mostly groomers, some off piste. Usually get 10-20 days/season. Wish it was more; as I continue to age and work less it WILL be more!

Been on BP 159 for past couple years. They’re demo skis, I think ‘14? and prob just a tad heavier w/the demo binding. I mostly love them but have occasional chatter which I don’t love. I like short radius turns and some pop out of the turn, but hate that chattery feel when I let them rip. Looking for a daily driver, 84-90 underfoot.
While I'm in your size category, my skiing technique has gone the other way. I didn't start working at becoming an advanced skier until after age 55. That was after a knee injury (not skiing) and rehab. So I'm actually in much better shape now than 10 year ago. My all-mountain skis are 159cm. My carvers for small hills in the mid-Atlantic are 148cm. I have skied rental powder skis out west that were 166cm. I recently bought DPS Zelda skis from a Utah Diva, 106 underfoot, at 158cm and that works well too.

I've skied a version of the BP88 at 145cm (2 years ago?) and enjoyed it not only in small bumps but also handled well at speed on long groomers (low snow season at Taos). Very different from the original Black Pearl 159cm that I bought in 2012.

As I improved technique I started using skis that were longer, going from mid-150s to around 160cm. However, in recent years I started experimenting with shorter lengths. That was partially because I was skiing at Taos and taking bump lessons from instructors who prefer people to use shorter skis. Obviously shorter lengths are easier to turn in bumps and trees.

I've shrunk a bit in recent years, not quite an inch yet, but my weight hasn't changed (110 lbs). I haven't considered going shorter for skis because of the change in height. I could say I'm 4'11" at this point but sticking with 5'0" on rental forms. :smile:

My current daily driver for skiing in the Rockies is the Stöckli Stormrider 85 @159cm from a few seasons ago. I've skied them in assorted conditions, including deep fresh powder. Would be perfectly happy with them as a One Ski Quiver if I didn't already own other skis. Stöckli has new models for the upcoming season that may be even more fun.
 

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