Ski Height Buying Guide

If there's one question we get more than any other on the shop floor, it's "What size ski do I need?" The honest answer is that we can't tell you without knowing two things:

1. What ski are you buying?
2. What kind of skier are you?

Rather watch than read? Here's the video version:

Here's how we actually size skis at Aspen.

The old rule — and why it falls apart

You've probably heard it: beginners should have skis that come up to their chin, intermediates to their nose, and advanced skiers to their eyebrows or above.

It's not useless. It's a starting point. But it's only a starting point, because the right length depends heavily on the type of ski you're buying, how stiff it is, how much you weigh, and how you ski. Two skis that look nearly identical on the wall can be a full 8 to 10 cm apart in the correct size for the same person. Here are some real examples from our wall.

Same brand, two different answers

Start with the Elan Wildcat in a 160. That's a carving ski — narrow underfoot, built to hold an edge on firm snow. In a 160 it stands right above Alexis's nose, and that's about perfect for her.

160 Wildcat v 168 Ripstick, Contact Points

We also had the Ripstick in a 161, which lines up almost exactly with the Wildcat's 160. On paper that should be the match. But Alexis has skied the 161 and it's too short — it comes up around her eyes, and at 5'7" pushing 5'8" it just doesn't have enough stability or edge contact for her. She's going back to the longer length.

Contact points: the actual reason

160 Wildcat v 168 Ripstick, base to base

This is the why behind all of it.

A ski's contact points are where the base actually touches the snow when you set it flat on the floor. Everything between those two points is your effective edge — the part of the ski doing the work when you're carving. Everything outside them is tip and tail floating in the air.

Set the Wildcat and the Ripstick base to base and you can see it immediately. The Ripstick's contact points sit noticeably further in toward the middle of the ski, because it has much more rocker — the tip and tail rise off the ground early. The Wildcat has a longer contact point even though it's the shorter ski.

So the Ripstick, the longer ski, actually feels shorter underfoot. The 168 Ripstick and the 160 Wildcat put a similar amount of edge on the snow.

Stiffness and metal change the math again

Now flip it. The Mantra 88 is another all-mountain ski, but Chris would size it shorter — a 163.

Why? The Volkl Mantra 88 has metal in it, and it's a much stiffer ski than the Ripstick. When metal gets laid into a ski, it stiffens the whole thing up, and that stiffness gives you stability you'd otherwise have to get from extra length. Ski it a little shorter and it's still stable, still maneuverable, but there's less weight on your feet and it's a bit more forgiving.

You can feel this in your hands without ever clicking in. Stand the ski up, plant the tail, and push down on the tip. The Ripstick — no metal — is really, really soft through the tip; it folds easily. Put the same force into the Mantra 88 and it barely bends. It's a lot stiffer and a lot more supportive.

The Elan Ripstick has significantly more flex than the Volkl Mantra 88

Chris is 6’2” and has skied the Mantra in a 170. He can ski it, but he'd way rather have the 163, because he doesn't need the extra stability that length would give him. The stiffness of the ski already does that job.

Stand the 168 Ripstick next to the 163 Mantra and the height difference is obvious. Different brands, different skis — and even though they're nearly the same width underfoot, they're completely different tools. That's a huge factor in choosing your length.

163 Mantra 88 v 168 Ripstick

The most dramatic example

172 Salomon QST 94 v 168 Elan Ripstick

The Salomon QST 94 comes in a 164 and a 172. Held up next to Alexis, the 172 stands a little over the top of her head — which by the old chin-nose-eyebrow rule should be way too long.

It's absolutely the size she'd ski.

Flip it over and look at the profile. There's a ton of rocker in the tip and a very deep rocker line in the tail — the ski is lifting off the floor well before you reach either end — and there's no metal in it. Between the rocker eating up effective edge and the softer flex, she wants the longer length for the stability.

These skis are super playful. Tons of rocker, no metal, naturally maneuverable and fun. And because of that, you're probably going to want to size up compared to something with metal or less rocker — something more like a carving ski.

There is no single number

To put it in perspective: Alexis's (5’7” almost 5’8”) personal quiver runs from about a 159 to a 172. That's a 13 cm spread for one skier. Chris's (6’2”) runs from a 167 slalom ski up to a 195 Rossi — almost 30 cm.

When we go to demos and test fest, we'll often ski the same model in two or three lengths just to feel the differences and find that ski's sweet spot.

So when someone asks "can you just tell me my ski size?" — we can try, but not without knowing the ski.

160 Wildcat / 161 Ripstick / 168 Ripstick / 172 QST

What to actually look at

1. Ski type and width. A carver and a powder ski are not sized the same way.
2. Rocker and contact points. This is the big one. If you can get into the shop, do it — put two skis base to base, look at where each one leaves the ground, and you'll understand the difference in about five seconds. That's the single best thing you can do.
3. Stiffness. A stiff ski is demanding and supportive without extra length. A softer ski like the Ripstick or QST may need length added back for stability.
4. Your weight. The heavier you are, the longer you'll generally go. More weight means more force bending the ski, so you need extra length to get the support back.
5. If you are truly between sizes. Shorter is more maneuverable. Longer is more stable. There are exceptions, but that is the rule.

Where you ski matters too

If you're always carving groomers, staying on trail, or skiing out west on long runs, you can go longer — you've got the length of the mountain to make those turns and flex the ski.

If you ski a lot of trees, moguls, or tight terrain, size down a bit for maneuverability, or go with a ski that has more rocker in the tip and tail.

And if you only ski the Midwest, you can go shorter. Our hills are short — you're looking at a 30- to 60-second run, not a 10-minute one. You want to be able to flex the ski, and on a super long ski you won't have the time or the speed to load it up properly.

Still not sure?

That's what we're here for. Come see us on Polaris Parkway, put your hands on the skis, and we'll size you to the specific ski you're looking at — not a chart. Or give us a call at 614-848-6600.

Shop Skis