Decades ago there was only one way for people to be measured for skis: have them raise their arm over their head and if they could cup the tip of the ski with the palm of their hand, it was a perfect fit. Of course, it also meant that they wouldn’t be able to turn or stop, but that was irrelevant. Thankfully, things have changed and our ski size calculator will help you determine what size skis to purchase.
Today’s shaped ski technology has dramatically evolved into a new way of fitting skis. Taking into account a skier’s size and skiing ability, there are basically three lengths to choose from: chin, nose or brow. Beginning skiers are typically pointed toward skis that are easy to turn, and should reach from the floor to their chin – somewhere in the range of 140cm and 150cm, depending on their height. Intermediate skis have a little more stability at faster speeds and reach from the floor to a skier’s nose – approximately 155cm and up, according to height. More advanced or aggressive skiers who prefer skis that track well at high speeds, often gravitate to skis that reach from the floor to their third eye or eyebrows, typically in the range of 166cm to 180cm.
One interesting thing to note is that the amount of rocker (reverse camber) in the ski’s tip will determine how much effective edge there is (the length of the ski’s edge that makes contact with the snow). Therefore, some people size up with a dramatically rockered ski tip (often found in freeride or powder skis) because the ski will ski shorter due to less effective edge, while benefiting from more surface area for flotation and stability at speed.
Use our ski sizing chart and calculator below to find your suggested ski length.
Ski Size Chart
height in feet-inches | height in centimeters | suggested ski lengths |
4’4″ | 132 | 115-130 |
4’6″ | 137 | 125-140 |
4’8″ | 142 | 130-145 |
4’10” | 147 | 135-150 |
5’0″ | 152 | 135-155 |
5’2″ | 158 | 145-165 |
5’4″ | 163 | 150-170 |
5’6″ | 168 | 155-175 |
5’8″ | 173 | 160-180 |
5’10” | 178 | 165-185 |
6’0″ | 183 | 170-190 |
6’2″ | 188 | 175-195 |
6’4″ | 193 | 180-200 |
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