Choosing the correct ski length isn't always so easy. There are many factors that contribute to it. Style of skiing, the shape of the ski, ski flex, camber/rocker profile and so on. A situation where two different lengths of the same ski make sense isn't at all uncommon. Why shouldn't the buyer then ask for NS's opinion?
Lol do you know about all the new kinds of skis on the market?
Someone may have a 180cm park ski at say 80 under foot but may wanna ski a fatter (say 100 underfoot) ski in the park so he may wanna go with maybe only 175cm ski. Also going from a 178 full cambered ski to a 178 rockered ski will leave you with a lot less ski and edge touching the snow making it feel like a lot shorter of a ski..
I guess I wouldn't turn to NS for advice on something like ski length, which, to me, has a lot more to do with personal preference. There is no "right" answer to that question.
not everyone is an advanced skier on this site. Some people are new to the world of freestyle skiing and even if they are experienced with normal skiing freestyle skis are a whole different ball game.
Yeah, but 90% of NS is going to recommend park skis that are over your head, even for a beginner. Then they back it up by saying, "Oh, you need super long skis for the extra stability when you're hucking yourself over those huuugggge 25 foot booters in the park!"
Not to mention skiier weight. a line afterbang is going to feel a whole lot softer when a 100 pound kid is riding it versus a guy who is 6 feet tall and 180 pounds.
Of course you always have to be a critical reader. There will always be those who just recommend what's trendy at the moment, but there are also those who really know what they're talking about.
Would you rather people recommend skis up to people's chins so that they enjoy them for 1 month and they berate themselves why they didn't purchase a longer ski with their hard earned cash of $500? Most people who venture onto this site are taking skiing relatively seriously and want what's best for them, and sometimes thats growing into gear.