bought a metal drill bit and wood screws that can be tightened by a wrench. i drilled a hole in each end of the pipe then screwed them in using a wrench.
mines 5ft with an 8ft ramp on a pretty flat area. it works really well. however it depends on how tall your rail is. my rail is 10inches and i have no problem getting speed for it. if your rail is over a foot tall than i would recommend a 6ft tall dropin.
heres a pic of my setup
ya i think its the more plasticy kind but im not really sure cause there werent any other types. it cost $15 for all that you see on my setup. slides real well when wet, no need for dish soap or snow gel as long as the drop in is legit.
169s have an actual running length of 174cm and it wouldnt be like snowblading at all. since he's 5'4" it would be stupid to get 179s unless all he wants to do is ski big lines with them, which is clearly not what he's looking for.
haha i didnt call anyone a pussy. i simply said that i personally would feel like a fag putting on pads before i go skiing which is why i never will. i could careless if other people wear them or not its their call. and if i got severely hurt the hospital bill would be one of the last things...