I'm just getting into touring and trying to decide whether I'd like to go with a 190-192cm ski or a 186cm ski. I'm 6'2" ~190lbs and understand that the 190-192 range would be closer to a standard ski length for someone my size and is pretty much the size I ride. I was hoping to get some words of wisdom on what people find works best.
What length to use for a backcountry ski
- Thread starter mbrooker
- Start date
snowpocalypse
Active member
I personally size down for a pure AT ski. Tight trees, rocks and skinning all are way nicer with a shorter ski. I'm typically milking the turns a little more so I'm not as concerned with stability at speed like I would with a lift ski. I ski a 189 for a resort ski and 175 for a BC ski. My touring partner at 6'5" still skis a 175. Food for thought.
bust out your dad's 215's like a real man who has dingleberries on his sack from shitting in the woods.
Realtalk:
I use a 192 TST with kingpins for sidecountry and deeper days, then my 178 Vanguard 97's for peak bagging or longer tours where the weight would mostly get in the way.
Then an assortment of options with Dukes or Aaadrenalines for purely sidecountry on my fatshit skis that I wouldn't want to go on any sort of long tour with anyway.
I use a 192 TST with kingpins for sidecountry and deeper days, then my 178 Vanguard 97's for peak bagging or longer tours where the weight would mostly get in the way.
Then an assortment of options with Dukes or Aaadrenalines for purely sidecountry on my fatshit skis that I wouldn't want to go on any sort of long tour with anyway.
Literature
Active member
Echoing the "size down" thinking.
1. You won't miss 5cm in the bc. It simply won't be an issue.
2. Lighter.
3. Less tail to get in the way with kick turns.
4. For lighter, narrower setups (spring, hard snow, big days), folks typically size down because they're still getting a longer contact length out of a barely rockered 178cm than they would with a rockered 184.
1. You won't miss 5cm in the bc. It simply won't be an issue.
2. Lighter.
3. Less tail to get in the way with kick turns.
4. For lighter, narrower setups (spring, hard snow, big days), folks typically size down because they're still getting a longer contact length out of a barely rockered 178cm than they would with a rockered 184.