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Help Needed: Petite skier - Bought wrong size skis!

kayobiii

Certified Ski Diva
Hello Divas!
Lovely to meet you all virtually, I hope you’re having a great week so far. Essentially, I’ve made a blunder and purchased skis a little short for me and I’m looking for advice.

They are the brand new 2025 Blizzard Black Pearl 84s in 146cm. I’m around 153cm tall and they come up to my cheekbones. I’d normally go 146-155 for skis. I was previously advised these would be the most fun and versatile, which is why I got them. I also got them mounted with beautiful matching bindings, and although a lovely combination means I now obviously cannot return them!

I took them in to get them checked with my boots and the guy asked me why I got them short, and that he would’ve went longer given I’m an advanced skier and these have a rocker so slightly less effective edge. He says they’ll still be super fun but knows I like to charge fast on piste, so said they might be a little less stable for the higher speeds I like to go at. I feel really stupid and sad now!

I’m worried I’ve just wasted my money, of which I don’t have loads anyway so it’s making me quite anxious. Could any petite skiers reassure me they’ll be fine? Also, I know not to sell here as I’m a newbie but if anyone was interested (either a petite skier or perhaps for their teen) in knowing more or swapping, I’m happy to give you more information if you want it. I’d be willing to swap for used, or give away very discounted from what I paid to be able to buy my right size. I can’t afford to buy another pair right now..

Thanks for reading and happy ski season ❄️
 

contesstant

Angel Diva
The answer is to go ski them. I have the 2025 BP 88s and they are a very stable yet playful ski. They do have a fair amount of tip and tail rocker but I'm on a 164 when I typically go a bit longer for my all-mountain skis. Give them a whirl before you decide as you might love them!
 

kayobiii

Certified Ski Diva
The answer is to go ski them. I have the 2025 BP 88s and they are a very stable yet playful ski. They do have a fair amount of tip and tail rocker but I'm on a 164 when I typically go a bit longer for my all-mountain skis. Give them a whirl before you decide as you might love them!
Thanks so much for your quick reply! What height are you?

I’ll definitely try them out, I’m sure I’ll still be able to have fun with them. I just really wish I went for the 152s as they’d probably be perfect. Major buyer regret!
 

badger

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I am 5'1 and 95 pounds. I too have purchased skis in the past that I regretted as being too short. One pair the store took back even after a binding mount. And I had used that ski several times! It was a popular ski that year,, so I believe the shop knew it would go quickly. You may be able to do the same thing since the BP is a hot item...and you have matching bindings . LOL

The BP is significantly rockered and yours coming to your cheekbones are short for sure. But as @contesstant suggested, take them for a spin ( they may just do that ) and play around. Stability at high speed won't be their strong suit, but you may have a blast in the moguls and trees if you like that terrain.
 

kayobiii

Certified Ski Diva
They will make you a better skier because you will need to be more precise in your fore/aft balance - that's the "stability at speed" that everyone is referring to.
Oh really? I don’t mind anything that makes me a better skier and makes me think about my form more. I grew up skiing on narrow full camber skis so I feel my technique and balance is pretty reasonable, hopefully that has some bearing in making these feel more stable. I really don’t love chattery skis which is a bit of what’s worrying me.
 

kayobiii

Certified Ski Diva
I am 5'1 and 95 pounds. I too have purchased skis in the past that I regretted as being too short. One pair the store took back even after a binding mount. And I had used that ski several times! It was a popular ski that year,, so I believe the shop knew it would go quickly. You may be able to do the same thing since the BP is a hot item...and you have matching bindings . LOL

The BP is significantly rockered and yours coming to your cheekbones are short for sure. But as @contesstant suggested, take them for a spin ( they may just do that ) and play around. Stability at high speed won't be their strong suit, but you may have a blast in the moguls and trees if you like that terrain.
Thanks for making me feel less stupid. I’ve asked the shop and others but no takers, probably a very niche target market for these being 146cm. Yeah I’ll give them a whirl, thanks
 

marzNC

Angel Diva
They are the brand new 2025 Blizzard Black Pearl 84s in 146cm. I’m around 153cm tall and they come up to my cheekbones. I’d normally go 146-155 for skis. I was previously advised these would be the most fun and versatile, which is why I got them. I also got them mounted with beautiful matching bindings, and although a lovely combination means I now obviously cannot return them!
Welcome! What region do you ski in the most?

Your weight also makes a difference in terms of how skis feel making turns. Skiing them could be more fun than you think.

I'm 5'0", 112 lbs, a senior over 60, solid advanced skier who has been skiing black bumps and trees at destination resorts in the Rockies as a traveler in the last decade. I spent a day on an earlier version of the BP88 @145 several years ago at Taos. Wanted the 152cm but my fellow Diva beat me to it. For context, my own all-mountain skis are 85 underfoot and 159cm. Bottom line is that I had a good time using those skis for two days, including having lessons in the mornings.
 

kayobiii

Certified Ski Diva
Welcome! What region do you ski in the most?

Your weight also makes a difference in terms of how skis feel making turns. Skiing them could be more fun than you think.

I'm 5'0", 112 lbs, a senior over 60, solid advanced skier who has been skiing black bumps and trees at destination resorts in the Rockies as a traveler in the last decade. I spent a day on an earlier version of the BP88 @145 several years ago at Taos. Wanted the 152cm but my fellow Diva beat me to it. For context, my own all-mountain skis are 85 underfoot and 159cm. Bottom line is that I had a good time using those skis for two days, including having lessons in the mornings.
Thank you!
Ah cool! I’m a little heavier than you, around 118-120lbs but overall similar build by the sounds of things. I’m based in the UK, ski in Scotland and Europe every winter. I'm probably not as experienced as you and typically only ski <21 days a year due to my location, so it’s reassuring you got on okay with them even at your level! Even if they last me this season and then I could sell them afterwards would be better than nothing I suppose.
 

Jenny

Angel Diva
FWIW - I'm 5'9" (175 cm) and my Black Pearls are 166cm. I tend to like mine on the shorter side from a lot of the divas anyway. And mine are an older version, but I still love them.
 

Luna

Diva in Training
I am 5'1 and 95 pounds. I too have purchased skis in the past that I regretted as being too short. One pair the store took back even after a binding mount. And I had used that ski several times! It was a popular ski that year,, so I believe the shop knew it would go quickly. You may be able to do the same thing since the BP is a hot item...and you have matching bindings . LOL

The BP is significantly rockered and yours coming to your cheekbones are short for sure. But as @contesstant suggested, take them for a spin ( they may just do that ) and play around. Stability at high speed won't be their strong suit, but you may have a blast in the moguls and trees if you like that terrain
Hello Divas!
Lovely to meet you all virtually, I hope you’re having a great week so far. Essentially, I’ve made a blunder and purchased skis a little short for me and I’m looking for advice.

They are the brand new 2025 Blizzard Black Pearl 84s in 146cm. I’m around 153cm tall and they come up to my cheekbones. I’d normally go 146-155 for skis. I was previously advised these would be the most fun and versatile, which is why I got them. I also got them mounted with beautiful matching bindings, and although a lovely combination means I now obviously cannot return them!

I took them in to get them checked with my boots and the guy asked me why I got them short, and that he would’ve went longer given I’m an advanced skier and these have a rocker so slightly less effective edge. He says they’ll still be super fun but knows I like to charge fast on piste, so said they might be a little less stable for the higher speeds I like to go at. I feel really stupid and sad now!

I’m worried I’ve just wasted my money, of which I don’t have loads anyway so it’s making me quite anxious. Could any petite skiers reassure me they’ll be fine? Also, I know not to sell here as I’m a newbie but if anyone was interested (either a petite skier or perhaps for their teen) in knowing more or swapping, I’m happy to give you more information if you want it. I’d be willing to swap for used, or give away very discounted from what I paid to be able to buy my right size. I can’t afford to buy another pair right now..

Thanks for reading and happy ski season ❄️
Hey, so I’m 5 foot 1 and approx 57kg and also from the UK. I just brought the BP 88’s in 153cm. If it turns out they are too long for me we can swap so you can test them out (I’m based in Swizerland but come home fairly often). Wanted to try them out this Saturday but I won’t be able to get boots (bindings not on yet) in time. NB: I tried skis 158cm in length last weekend and hated them.
 

kayobiii

Certified Ski Diva
FWIW - I'm 5'9" (175 cm) and my Black Pearls are 166cm. I tend to like mine on the shorter side from a lot of the divas anyway. And mine are an older version, but I still love them.
Okay amazing! Love this response, thank you. I’m hoping I’ll be like you and love them shorter but let’s see!
 

kayobiii

Certified Ski Diva
Same FWIW I'm 5'6" (167cm) and my Blizzard Black Pearls are 159cm. Went a little shorter for more playfulness and control, and I am NOT petite. They have been the best skis I've owned so versatile and handle all sorts of terrain. Shorter also helps me towards end of day when legs get tired and squirrely on me LOL - enjoy!
Ah another person who prefers shorter, this is music to my ears! Hopefully I’m like you guys! I also have slightly dodgy knees, which I now remember played into my decision making for shorter. You’ve really cheered me up thanks!
 

BlizzardBabe

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Same FWIW I'm 5'6" (167cm) and my Blizzard Black Pearls are 159cm. Went a little shorter for more playfulness and control, and I am NOT petite. They have been the best skis I've owned so versatile and handle all sorts of terrain. Shorter also helps me towards end of day when legs get tired and squirrely on me LOL - enjoy!
@CaliSkiCat 's description was me on an earlier version of the BP, @kayobiii . You may find you actually like the length. I certainly don't see skiing that length as a detriment. You may have likes and dislikes, but I don't think it will compromise your skill level or your overall enjoyment.

FYI I'm about 5'6" (167.6 cm), about 155 (i.e., 11 stone), advanced. I ski anything from a 153 to 160 depending on the ski, and I've loved them all. My daily drivers are currently both 159 w/o much rocker. I'm 65, but still fairly strong and athletic and definitely NOT petite.
 
Last edited:

Amplify

Certified Ski Diva
Hi! I cosign the far more experienced advice given by everyone above - I just wanted to chime in as another shorty. I'm 5'0" and about 120lbs or so, and am a fairly mid-range skier in my 40s who is innately out of my comfort zone at high speeds (I don’t love roller coasters either) but I’m fine-to-happy on most east coast blacks (haven’t skied out west in 25 years so no idea how I am out there). I ski pretty exclusively on the icy east coast right now, and this year I’m on track to ski about 30-35 days total.

I was skiing 146cm skis for a long time. I picked them up since I was just getting back into skiing after 15 years out of it, and my young kid was only just learning so I knew I wouldn’t be doing anything hard, I just wanted to follow him around and not think a whole lot about what to get. I bought a former rental set of skis dirt cheap and they were fine. They were 146cm and I never really thought much about it until a couple years ago, a friend and fellow parent-skier at my kids’ school asked if I recommended going short in skis. He said he was thinking of investing in his own set-up instead of doing annual rentals each year, and he thought of me as a good person to solicit advice from (! I was blown away by that as I consider myself a fairly mediocre skier) and noticed I skied very short skis, even considering I’m a short person. I was like, “oh, wow, uh, this just what I have, but not because I actively chose it for any particular reason.” I had never really thought about my ski length before that moment.

After that I thought about it a lot, and wondered if I would be better served by a slightly longer ski. Over a season or two I rented some here and there for a day to try out and of course obsessed over online reviews and whatnot, and over time developed an idea of what I liked. I felt like I had the luxury of taking my time forming opinions, because I already had a perfectly serviceable ski, so there was no rush and no pressure. I eventually found a used pair on my short list pretty cheap in my size, in fine condition (in my case, Liberty V76, in 151 cm, which I have so far found to be a pretty good daily workhorse ski for my east-coast terrain though I know it’s not the right ski for everything). BUT the 146cm skis were not bothering me to the point where I felt like I had to go out and buy new stuff - I actually did not intend to buy skis at all for another year or two, would've preferred to upgrade other parts of my ski gear first, but the v76's are discontinued and when I saw some in my size at a great price I got major FOMO and pulled the trigger. The 146 were not in any way driving me crazy or feeling "bad" in a way that felt like an urgent "must replace." I was totally fine on them.

I do prefer the longer skis (but they are also better skis in general, so that is surely a big or possibly bigger part of it) and do feel more stable at higher speeds, but I have skied some days on my old shorter skis here and there and still been fine and had a great time. I skied on them earlier this season at Magic since it was fairly bare coverage after some warm rains, and I was feeling precious about my newer longer skis lol - and I was totally fine on them and had a great time.

If I were you, having bought the 146 you currently own, I’d ski them happily, but also take some days this season/next season to rent different other skis in different lengths. Ideally “demo days” where you can try out specific things you want, but ski shops will also let you request specific skis they have on hand to rent and try out. And that way, if and when you feel like you know something you like better, you will be ready to just buy it whenever the money works out. But IMO you’re not at all in a situation where you NEED TO BUY NOW or should feel stupid or silly. You will ski fine on the 146! And I agree that IF any “difficulty” comes from having a shorter ski, it will only make you a better skier in the long run - it's not going to hold you back.
 

Pequenita

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Oh really? I don’t mind anything that makes me a better skier and makes me think about my form more. I grew up skiing on narrow full camber skis so I feel my technique and balance is pretty reasonable, hopefully that has some bearing in making these feel more stable. I really don’t love chattery skis which is a bit of what’s worrying me.
My view is that the "just right" ski will probably be forgiving if you're too far forward or in the backseat, a too short ski will require precision, and too long skis are difficult to control. So, depending on where your skill set is, it could be a learning curve to get used to the shorter ski, but it is doable. Give them a whirl this season - give them time and see how they work. I think that if you can ski the 146s well, you will be able to ski everything well.

All that being said, I tend to think that the shortest ski in a manufacturer's lineup is gear towards tweens and tween-sized people. Up until around 2021, they were making 139s for some of the more popular skis; I'm not sure if that length has been taken out because the popularity of rockered skis makes 146s ski like 139s, or if 139s just didn't sell.
 

kayobiii

Certified Ski Diva
Hi Luna. Aw what a kind offer, thank you!
@CaliSkiCat 's description was me on an earlier version of the BP, @kayobiii . You may find you actually like the length. I certainly don't see skiing that length as a detriment. You may have likes and dislikes, but I don't think it will compromise your skill level or your overall enjoyment.

FYI I'm about 5'6" (167.6 cm), about 155 (i.e., 11 stone), advanced. I ski anything from a 153 to 160 depending on the ski, and I've loved them all. My daily drivers are currently both 159 w/o much rocker. I'm 65, but still fairly strong and athletic and definitely NOT petite.
Nice! I love hearing how so many of you advanced skiers enjoy skiing on shorter skis. Thank you for the reassurance, I appreciate it and I’m sure you’re right that I’ll enjoy them anyway. I’ll try them out next week and let you guys know how it goes!
 

kayobiii

Certified Ski Diva
Hi! I cosign the far more experienced advice given by everyone above - I just wanted to chime in as another shorty. I'm 5'0" and about 120lbs or so, and am a fairly mid-range skier in my 40s who is innately out of my comfort zone at high speeds (I don’t love roller coasters either) but I’m fine-to-happy on most east coast blacks (haven’t skied out west in 25 years so no idea how I am out there). I ski pretty exclusively on the icy east coast right now, and this year I’m on track to ski about 30-35 days total.

I was skiing 146cm skis for a long time. I picked them up since I was just getting back into skiing after 15 years out of it, and my young kid was only just learning so I knew I wouldn’t be doing anything hard, I just wanted to follow him around and not think a whole lot about what to get. I bought a former rental set of skis dirt cheap and they were fine. They were 146cm and I never really thought much about it until a couple years ago, a friend and fellow parent-skier at my kids’ school asked if I recommended going short in skis. He said he was thinking of investing in his own set-up instead of doing annual rentals each year, and he thought of me as a good person to solicit advice from (! I was blown away by that as I consider myself a fairly mediocre skier) and noticed I skied very short skis, even considering I’m a short person. I was like, “oh, wow, uh, this just what I have, but not because I actively chose it for any particular reason.” I had never really thought about my ski length before that moment.

After that I thought about it a lot, and wondered if I would be better served by a slightly longer ski. Over a season or two I rented some here and there for a day to try out and of course obsessed over online reviews and whatnot, and over time developed an idea of what I liked. I felt like I had the luxury of taking my time forming opinions, because I already had a perfectly serviceable ski, so there was no rush and no pressure. I eventually found a used pair on my short list pretty cheap in my size, in fine condition (in my case, Liberty V76, in 151 cm, which I have so far found to be a pretty good daily workhorse ski for my east-coast terrain though I know it’s not the right ski for everything). BUT the 146cm skis were not bothering me to the point where I felt like I had to go out and buy new stuff - I actually did not intend to buy skis at all for another year or two, would've preferred to upgrade other parts of my ski gear first, but the v76's are discontinued and when I saw some in my size at a great price I got major FOMO and pulled the trigger. The 146 were not in any way driving me crazy or feeling "bad" in a way that felt like an urgent "must replace." I was totally fine on them.

I do prefer the longer skis (but they are also better skis in general, so that is surely a big or possibly bigger part of it) and do feel more stable at higher speeds, but I have skied some days on my old shorter skis here and there and still been fine and had a great time. I skied on them earlier this season at Magic since it was fairly bare coverage after some warm rains, and I was feeling precious about my newer longer skis lol - and I was totally fine on them and had a great time.

If I were you, having bought the 146 you currently own, I’d ski them happily, but also take some days this season/next season to rent different other skis in different lengths. Ideally “demo days” where you can try out specific things you want, but ski shops will also let you request specific skis they have on hand to rent and try out. And that way, if and when you feel like you know something you like better, you will be ready to just buy it whenever the money works out. But IMO you’re not at all in a situation where you NEED TO BUY NOW or should feel stupid or silly. You will ski fine on the 146! And I agree that IF any “difficulty” comes from having a shorter ski, it will only make you a better skier in the long run - it's not going to hold you back.
Thank you so much for this reply. I’ve been feeling guilty and down about it, so I really appreciate this message which has made me feel less silly. We’re a similar build too which is reassuring you found them perfectly fine. I’ll probably keep them and compare them day to day with longer similar style skis to see what I prefer. Thanks again, also nice choice with the discontinued liberty Vs, I heard they’re amazing skis!
 

kayobiii

Certified Ski Diva
Hi @Luna, thanks for your message :smile: It sounds like we’re very similar size and build, with a very similar taste in skis too! That’s such a super kind offer, thank you so much! Where are you from in the UK? We could maybe meet at an indoor centre to try out, but can let me know what you’re thinking after testing them yourself. Interesting that you hated the 158cm, I reckon I would too. The Blizzard website says we should go for 158s as “advanced” skiers, but like yourself I’d be more included for the 152s or 146s!

Also just in case you didn’t know, your bindings can usually be mounted without the physical boots - just need to know the boots sole length (google) or even just the mondo size and a bit about you!

Feel free to msg if you want to meet up and try each others out :smile:
 

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