How do I know if my skis are too short? - Page 2

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Originally Posted by jmblur 

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Originally Posted by arewolfe For your reference I ride 176cm Gotamas and 176 is shortest ski I would ever want to be on. I am 6 feet and 135, upper-intermediate, East Coaster. For me a twin tipped 176 feels a bit unstable at higher speed, but this doesn't concern me since I'm mostly a woods skier. You may want to demo the K2 Extreme in 169 & 174 (or something similar) if you have a chance.

There's a lot of stuff going on in that post above that gives me pause. Longer skis feeling more unstable at speed... longer skis being better for tight eastern glades - hell, 105 underfoot being used as your only ski for the east period. Not to mention somebody who weighs 130 saying they'll never ski anything shorter than a 176! Hope you don't take up slalom...

For what it's worth, I'm aiming at skis around 170-174cm for a frontside ski at 160lbs/5'11. If I can, though, I'm certainly going to demo the 170ish size and the 178ish size of the same ski - it can make a big difference.

As has been mentioned MANY times in this thread already, ski sizing is affected by the following:
1) Height + Weight
2) Ski type (twin tip? midfat?)
3) Target Terrain
4) Exact ski model
5) Skill level + style
and here's the important caveat... 6) Personal preference!!!

You pulled the word "longer" out of nowhere, I never used that word. The 176 is a fairly short ski considering I'm 6 feet. It was the perfect ski for me (an advancing intermediate) last year. I skied moguls, spring snow, lots of trees, powder, groomers, crud and loved every minute of it. I even stuck a 15 foot cliff on them. Ice sucked as per usual.

Seeing as last year was really my first year skiing in over 10 years, and with all the new technology and fun shapes coming out I obviously had to go out and buy a bunch of new skis this summer. And guess what? They are all bigger and/or wider than my 176 Gotamas.

I still weigh 130. I added 183 Gotamas for days when I just want to go fast. 175 Volkl Sumos (125 underfoot, soft, normal camber) and 185 Armada ARGs (133 underfoot, reverse sidecut, reverse camber) for pow days. Still debating Aramada JJ's and Moment Night Trains to be my everyday ski when the snow is soft.

After I sell my Fischer RX 6's (which I used a total of 4 days last season) my skinniest skis will be 105mm. Unless I sell the 176 Gots and grab a pair of 176 Legend Pro Riders. Then it'll be 100mm.

The OP's skis were too short. He got a good deal on a better length. I guess that's all that matters.

Hi, I am 185 cm, 80 kg, and I want to buy a Volkl Bridge. I am from Europe, and I found a pair of these skis at the price of 250 euros at sale,new,2011, which is half of the usual price for that ski in my area. The problem is that I don't know if they are not too short for me. I usually ski on hard snow, I am used with stiff skis, I am a very good alpine skier, but I started to go off piste and in park, where I am a beginner. I want a ski that is good for all, and also good at high speed on hard snow. The volkl is 179 cm. Is it ok for me, because it sounds very attractive at this price...?

179 should be fine as you are just learning off piste and it will be only when you get real fast off piste progression to a 184 will be of benefit as they feel just a little more secure at speed. I ski both 177 and 184 in skis. Long 184cm skis like to be skied with a stiff boot. Mine are about

130 flex

179 sounds like the perfect length for you for that type of ski and how it's intended to be used (on / off / park).
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tamaian 

Hi, I am 185 cm, 80 kg, and I want to buy a Volkl Bridge. I am from Europe, and I found a pair of these skis at the price of 250 euros at sale,new,2011, which is half of the usual price for that ski in my area. The problem is that I don't know if they are not too short for me. I usually ski on hard snow, I am used with stiff skis, I am a very good alpine skier, but I started to go off piste and in park, where I am a beginner. I want a ski that is good for all, and also good at high speed on hard snow. The volkl is 179 cm. Is it ok for me, because it sounds very attractive at this price...?