Ski Length Calculator
Enter your height, weight and skill level. The calculator gives a ski length in centimetres, the range either side worth considering, and the weight adjustment that charts printed on walls keep forgetting.
Rental shops size by eyeball and end-of-day patience. This one shows the modern arithmetic - chin to brow, weight bending the ski, skill picking the end of the range - so the shop conversation starts from your numbers, not their stock.
How to use
- Enter height and weight; the weight adjustment is where the chart and the body disagree.
- Pick your honest skill level - beginners take shorter for forgiveness, advanced longer for stability.
- Treat the result as the shop's starting point: terrain and preferred snow refine the final centimetres.
Frequently asked questions
What length skis should I buy for my height?
Modern skis run chin to brow - roughly 15 to 25 cm shorter than you are tall, tuned by weight and skill. The old head-height rule belongs to straight skis; sidecut and rocker turned shorter into nimbler.
Does weight matter more than height for ski length?
For the turn's physics, weight matters: it bends the ski into its edge, so heavy-for-height skiers go longer or stiffer, light skiers shorter. Two same-height skiers of different builds genuinely need different skis.
Should beginner skis be shorter?
Yes - the shorter end of the range turns easier and forgives the late-weight-shift habits every beginner has. Length rewards skill with stability at speed; shortness rewards learning with control at realistic speeds.
How do I know if my skis are too long?
The tell is the turn you cannot finish: tips that won't release at low speed, legs exhausted by lunch, edges that wash out on hard snow. Rent one length down for a day before selling - the fix costs a day ticket, not a season.