Free ski length calculator. Enter your height to find a starting ski length in centimetres and inches for a recreational skier.
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Enter your height in centimetres. The calculator multiplies by 0.95 to give a recreational starting length in centimetres and inches. Then use the ability, terrain and ski type sections below to adjust up or down before buying.
A good recreational ski length falls between your chin and the top of your head. This calculator uses 0.95 times your height as a starting point, which lands near the nose for most adults. For a 175 cm skier that gives 166 cm, a sensible all-mountain starting size to adjust from. To measure ski length, run a tape from tip to tail in centimetres.
Beginners ski best on shorter skis near chin height, because shorter skis turn with less effort and forgive balance errors. Intermediates suit chin to nose height for a balance of turning ease and stability. Advanced and expert skiers often choose eye level to head height or above, since longer skis hold an edge better at speed.
Charts from the major guides agree closely. A 173 cm (5 ft 8 in) skier lands near 160 cm as a beginner, 170 cm as an intermediate and 178 cm as an expert. A 183 cm (6 ft) skier lands near 170 cm beginner, 180 cm intermediate and 188 cm expert. Use the chart as a starting range, not a fixed rule.
Weight changes the right length: heavier skiers need longer skis to use the flex and edge grip properly, while lighter skiers turn shorter skis more easily. This weight adjustment is usually a few centimetres. Women use the same length calculation as men for the same height and weight; the difference is flex and mounting position, not length. Waist width matters too, with narrow waists near 70 to 80 mm for carving and wide waists over 100 mm for powder. Rocker lifts the tip and tail off the snow and shortens the effective edge, so size up 5 to 8 cm on heavily rockered skis.
Powder skis run longer, about 5 to 10 cm over your all-mountain length, for extra float in deep snow. Park and freestyle skis run shorter, about 5 cm under, for easier spins and switch riding. Carving skis run shorter for quick edge to edge turns, while all-mountain skis sit in the middle as the reference size.
Children need shorter skis relative to height than adults. Under age 7, skis should reach the chest. From 7 to 12, chin height is right. From 13, the adult sizing applies. Never buy skis for a child to grow into, because skis that are too long make learning harder and falls more likely.
The most common mistake is sizing on height alone and ignoring weight, ability and rocker profile. Another is overestimating ability and buying an expert ski that is too long and stiff to turn. A third is treating skis like snowboards, which size on weight and stance, not on the chin to head rule.
Start with 0.95 times your height in centimetres, then adjust by ability: shorter for beginners, longer for experts. Check the size chart section for your height row.
Yes. Shorter skis near chin height are easier to turn, more forgiving and build confidence faster on groomed runs.
Longer than your all-mountain length, usually head height or above, so the extra surface area floats in deep snow instead of diving.
Yes. Heavier skiers compress the ski more and need extra length for stability and edge grip, while lighter skiers can go shorter.
They are the same thing: the length from tip to tail in centimetres. Some brands also quote a running length, which is the contact area without tip and tail rocker.
It depends on height and ability. 160 cm suits an intermediate skier around 164 to 165 cm tall, a beginner around 174 cm, or an advanced skier around 157 cm.
Size down if you are a beginner, prefer short turns, ski park, or are lighter than average. Size up if you are advanced, ski fast, ski powder, or are heavier than average.
Chest height under age 7, chin height from 7 to 12, and adult sizing from 13. Never buy longer than chin height for a learning child.