Ski length selection

Question
I am an intermediate skier- groomed blues and blacks and ski about once/twice a season for several days. My height is 69" weight 155 lbs. Female. What ski length range would you recommend. At the ski shop the techician recommended 160-165 range. Head website recommended 170????  What would the advantage/disadvantage of shorter vs. longer length be.  My old straight skis are 185cm.

Answer
Hey Sue,

The old school rule of thumb for ski length used to be about 6-8" longer than you were tall. Your old skis were just about right. The newer shaped skis allow skiers to use a shorter ski because the side cut makes the ski work better with less work from the skier. The new rule of thumb puts the tip of the ski anywhere from the chin to the top of the head. The length for you would depend upon the type skiing you will be doing the most.

A shorter ski with a larger side cut will carve sharp turns and be a bit slower in the fast areas. A longer ski with less side cut will still carve nice turns but be faster and more stable at higher speeds. I tend to recommend a bit longer with lesser side cut as they are more versatile for all mountian skiing. I would say that you could go as long as 175-178cm with a lesser side cut.

Look for the three numbers that they post for the ski. The first number is the tip width, the second is the waist, and the third is the tail. Some manufactures will also list a percentage of side cut along with the measurements. Go for something with a lower %. Look for something that advertises as an all mountain ski. Unless you plan on getting into racing, you won't really want something with a large side cut. Some shops will try to sell you this type ski but just be firm and tell them you want an all mountain ski.
Hope this helps.

Keep on skiing,
Windlover