Ski Buying Guide - How to Buy Skis

• Before you buy Skis, make sure you have some ideas on the different aspects of Skis. It is advisable if you already know something about the different Parts and Features of Skis, the materials they are made of, and the various Ski Types. Doing so will roughly give you a general picture of what will suit your Skiing needs.



• As discussed in our Skiing Disciplines section, there are many Skiing Disciplines and variations. You will carefully want to consider what you are going to use the Skis for. Are you going to use it for a single Discipline or should you be able to do more than one with a single pair? Most skiers are Alpine Skiers who have the most variety and choice in gear. Their gear is also generally built for basic Downhill Skiing in a ski resort. Notice however that Alpine Skiing Skis cannot be used for Telemark Skiing. Make sure to know what you want to do and how specialized your gear has to be.


• Your skill level is the second most important factor. You will want to buy Skis that are designed for a skill level slightly higher than the one you currently posses. If you buy for your current level then it will hamper your learning curve. If you are a novice and you buy Skis designed for Skiers with a higher skill level, then you will be trying to figure out your Skis most of the time instead of actually learning.


• The surface is another factor that you need to pay attention to. Although all Skis will basically work on all surfaces, many Skis are designed to either perform perfectly under a specific surface or to offer general good performance on a multitude of surfaces. Are you planning to stay on well-groomed pistes in resort or are you going off piste? If you are planning to go back country Skiing, then you will want to go for specific backcountry Skis.


• Women have different needs. Their center of mass is lower than with men. This causes women to have the tendency to lean back more. Women also weigh less than men, which means that their Skis need to be more flexible to gain the same flex in turns as men do. If you are a woman, it is wise to buy Skis specifically designed for women. They are lighter in weight, more flexible and the Ski Bindings are set more to the front to accommodate the lower center of mass.


• Determine the appropriate Ski Length for you. There are a couple of basic guidelines in Choosing Skis with the Right Ski Length.


• Modern Skis have taken much of the knowledge and expertise of Snowboarding Camber and Sidecut Radius to come with more effective Ski shapes. It really depends on your Skiing purpose to find the right shape for you. In general, a Ski with more Sidecut will make it easier to make (carving) turns. Shaped Skis should also be shorter than regular Skis to further aid you in turning.

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