Backcountry skis how long

Correct ski length: recommended lengths for women, men and children Key factors. The right length ski is essential to really enjoying skiing.

Control, turning, and stopping will all be more precise with less effort. Three factors need to be considered for ski length. There are no specific, exact standards for skiers to reference. All tables and charts are just guidelines. You might receive a recommendation in the table that you find is not the best ski for you.

But it will definitely be a good starting point. Ski length has no relation to gender. The only time gender comes into play is in the flex of the ski, which needs to match the weight of a skier at a certain height. The position of the binding on the ski is also different for men and women.

Note that skis are always sold in centimeter lengths. Remember, two of our critical factors are missing; and the same skier would not necessarily want or need the same length touring ski as carving ski, for example.

In general, that can be addressed by choosing a ski with a higher flex rating. Alpine touring skis, boots and bindings, are covered here. First, a clarification of terms. Alpine ski touring also known as AT or randonnee is backcountry skiing in mountain terrain with alpine width or wider skis at least about 80 mm at the waist, or the narrowest part of the ski , plastic ski boots, and bindings that allow vertical heel movement for walking and a latched down heel for downhill skiing.

Conversely, it is possible to secure the heel of your boot on a free heel rigs, and recent telemark gear can be set up with so much tension holding your heel down it is really closer to fixed heel AT gear than its nordic roots. Indeed, the fact that telemark gear is frequently heavier than alpine ski touring AT gear should send a clear message. When you shop for gear, acquire well made and functional items that are proven by broad consumer use over a few seasons. Poor equipment can make a day seem like a year or eternity, if you get massive failure in the wrong place — with good gear a day will never be long enough.

One word describes the price of AT gear : astronomical. In part this is due to exchange rates, but it also hinges on the small size of the market along with the present scorching pace of expensive innovation.

Bad boots will ski poorly and wreck your feet, while poor bindings will make your setup heavy or unsafe. The wrong skis will just make you cuss and go home. Around cm is a common length for the average male backcountry skier. Many find it unpleasant to adjust to a radically different ski on their rare backcountry trips.

If this is the case, simply mount AT bindings on your favorite alpine boards and go. Except for ultra-light touring skis, alpine and backcountry skis are virtually the same thing. As with your other gear consider your primary use when choosing skis. Many people reserve their ski touring days for springtime when snow is often compacted, while others stick to a diet of mid-winter fluff. Moreover, it is common for highly active backcountry skiers to encounter nearly any snow condition imaginable.

Consider the fact that while ski design varies, skis all fall under the same general design umbrella. Thus, any ski can ace any snow — with a good pilot. Work on your technique. So, your AT skis have to handle varied snow. With space-age materials they ought to be able to build a ski that will do anything. Not so. A few skis come close to the ideal, but each is still a compromise in some area of performance.

Okay, the choices are many and hard. How do you hack through the jungle? To begin, form an image of your skiing style, both present and future. Do you want the security and comfort of an AT setup for your next hut trip? Are you planning on mostly lift serviced skiing, but want a setup for the occasional sidecountry hike to the powder runs on the back side?

Are you doing long winter walks with a bit of skiing thrown in? Or will you explore the extreme skiing arena? Volkl Nunataq ski won awards in both and Wider can also be effective, but may cause the ski to be too heavy for significant uphill travel.

Nunataq makes effective use of 'rocker' described below. Next, identify the season when you do most of your skiing, and the snow conditions you expect. Then think about your spend; you can opt for a budget outfit by purchasing used alpine skis and boots, upgraded with new bindings and climbing skins. Or you can go whole hog for a state of the art setup. An easy way to conceptualize ski touring gear is to remember the bindings come first in terms of providing function.

Next, you need climbing skins. Beyond those two essentials you can use alpine boots for short tours, but modern backcountry ski boots let your ankle hinge for an efficient and comfortable stride.

Again, skis are the least of your shopping problems. There are generally two ways of going about acquiring ski touring skis. The first is easier on the pocketbook : purchase one pair of skis that work best in the conditions you will encounter most often, then learn to get the best out of them in other types of snow. The best way to do this is seek out adverse conditions at a ski area. If you have soft snow boards, seek out the hardest steepest ice you can find. The second option is one usually taken by professional skiers and ski fanatics: accumulate a quiver of skis and choose your daily boards the way a golfer picks a club.

Length: Shorter skis between centimeters and centimeters in length weigh less, are easier to carry on a pack, and will turn with ease through the tightest trees and narrowest couloirs. Some folks even contend that shorter skis contribute a degree of safety by applying less leverage in a fall. With the possibility of inconsistent release that many touring bindings have, this could be important.

More, be sure to buy your skis in a size that is compatible with your weight. This is especially true of rockered skis see below.

Some ski manufacturers print recommended body weights on their skis. That can be useful but only as a general guideline. Width: Skis come in a dizzying array of widths. Rule of thumb is the wider the ski, the easier it is to ride — especially in soft snow. Nonetheless, skis much wider than mm at the waist are usually overkill for backcountry skiing.

Too wide, and your skis will weigh a ton, and mass even more when they pick up piles of snow on top as you walk. It goes on and on. Sidecut is the difference in width between the front shovel and the center waist of the ski.

Sidecut helps a ski to turn by allowing it to flex in a smooth arc when placed on edge. Skis with less sidecut require more effort to turn, especially if they are longer.

But they are more predictable, especially in junk snow and breakable crust. There is consensus that better backcountry skis have significant width under the foot see above , so keep that in mind as well. Remember other factors, such as type of boot and ski construction, influence your perception of a skis quickness and predictability. Consequently, using dimensions alone to choose a ski can be next to useless.

Flex is a valid criterion of performance, but is really only a small part of the design. As a rule of thumb, a softer flex may be better in soft snow because the ski takes less effort to flex into a turn arc, and a stiffer flex will frequently give better edge hold on hard snow. Skis have gotten softer over the years as manufacturers have learned ways of building in torsional twist rigidity without lengthwise rigidity.

This has made flex less of a consideration than it used to be. Backcountry skiing and alpine ski touring basics, tips and techniques. The less you weigh, the softer you may want the ski in a given length. After you pick a pair for softness, look for an even curve.

Do this by placing the tip of the ski at eye level, with the base downwards and tail on the floor. Sight along the bottom of one edge while weighting the ski with your foot. If you see any ripples or flat spots the pair should be sold as seconds. Before you head out — are you all trained up? Shop backcountry skis. What style of backcountry skiing are you doing? There are a few different terms used to describe skis built for backcountry riding: Alpine touring AT : Do-it-all skis meant for a variety of terrain.

Not the best in powder, but easy to handle in mixed conditions. If you ski all snow conditions: Heavier skiers should size up longer , while lighter skiers should consider sizing down shorter. Ski size guide: Beginner: Your height, minus 5cm Intermediate: The same height as you Advanced: The same height as you Expert: Your height, plus 5cm What climbing skins are best? Nylon skins : generally very durable, less expensive and offer good climbing and gliding.

Shop climbing skins. Shop avalanche safety gear Shop backcountry skis. Related articles Ski touring checklist How to wax your skis Avalanche safety gear and training. Related articles. Read more. They feel comfortable and not heavy enough to slow you down while skinning up. You can pick a length that's 5 to 15cm shorter than you. Finally, if none of the above caught your attention because you're a downhill-focused tourer, then you probably looking for freetouring skis.

Wider and heavier, these skis are not suited for long tours but they perform way better when the path points downhill. Their wider waist maximises skiability. Some skiers even combine traditional freeride skis with touring bindings. If you opt for freetouring skis waisted between 85 and 95mm, you'll get something versatile. A ski length that equals your height is recommended.

If you want a downhill-oriented ski or if it features a waist width between 95 and mm then you can add a few extra centimeters to feel more comfortable on the slopes.

Light touring skis for long and steep ascents, allround ones for making the most of the mountain, or freetouring skis for having the best time ever on the downhill?