Selecting Skis for Intermediate Skiers

For those who have skied multiple times and are looking to find skis that match their abilities, this guide can assist you in the proper direction. As you've moved past the beginner level and ski with assurance, you'll need skis that provide enhanced responsiveness, enabling you to advance further.

There are abundant choices of skis for advanced skiers, so it’s wise to concentrate on where you intend to ski most frequently and select skis suited for your preferred terrain or style.
Moreover, factors like width, turn radius, and various ski profiles can provide further insight for personalising your preferences. Our aim is to assist you in finding the ideal skis for your skiing style, ensuring you enjoy your ski holiday to the fullest.

If you’re new to skiing or remain at the beginner stage, we have crafted a guide for that too. Check out Ski Buying Guide for Beginners for additional information.

ALL MOUNTAIN SKIS - Perfect all-rounders

All Mountain skis suit those who appreciate both on and off-piste skiing. While ideal for on-piste conditions, these skis can also manage lighter off-piste snow. You can ski throughout the day without concern for changing snow quality. Despite excelling in varied snow conditions, they may not be specialised for a specific terrain. A unique feature of these skis is the rocker tip, which elevates the ski front from the snow, facilitating turns and managing uneven surface conditions. If you plan to own just one set of versatile skis, All Mountain skis are a great choice.

How to Choose All Mountain Skis:
There are numerous options when it comes to All Mountain skis, and their capability in different snow conditions varies. A key factor in narrowing down your options is the ski's waist width. Typically, the waist width for these skis ranges from 80-100 mm. Narrower skis favour on-piste skiing, while wider ones improve off-piste performance. Hence, if your skiing is mostly on groomed surfaces with occasional off-piste attempts, opting for skis with a waist closer to 80 mm is advisable. Conversely, if you enjoy exploring softer snow beside the slopes, consider skis with a waist width nearing 100 mm.

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PISTE SKIS - Top choice for carving on groomed slopes

If groomed slopes are your preference and you focus on honing technique, Piste skis are an ideal match. Designed with a narrow waist between 68 and 80 mm and featuring a camber profile, they grip firm snow surfaces effectively and provide excellent control.

How to Choose Piste Skis:
Skiers predominantly on groomed slopes often develop a style that benefits from a specific turn size. Picking skis with a turn radius matching your technique maximises their benefits. Piste skis offer turn radii typically ranging from 13 to 17 m, where smaller numbers contribute to tighter turns and larger numbers facilitate wider turns. Remember that there is a wide variety of Piste Skis available, so ensure you select ones suited to your ability level. Beginner models tend to be softer for ease, whereas expert models are more rigid and heavier.

Within the Piste category are high-end Race skis, known for being exceptionally stiff and performance-driven. Slalom Race Skis (SL) feature a small turn radius of approximately 10-13 m, while Giant Slalom Race Skis (GS) boast larger turn radii of 22 m or more for enhanced stability.

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PARK SKIS/TWIN TIP SKIS - Ideal for performing tricks

Park skis are made for those wishing to spend time in a snowpark, practising jumps, boxes, and half-pipes. The standout feature is their twin tip design, where both ends curve upwards. This lets skiers land or take-off backward (in switch) without the rear tips catching snow. Mounting bindings nearer the ski centre aids weight distribution for spins and jumps.

How to Choose Park Skis:
When selecting park skis, it is beneficial to identify the tricks you plan to execute. If you enjoy engaging in tricks involving boxes and rails, choose park skis with wider waists, around 85 mm to 105 mm, for better balance. Generally, these are softer and more flexible. For those seeking speed and bigger jumps, narrower park skis with waist widths between 80-95 mm provide necessary stiffness for stability in high-speed situations or when landing.

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FREERIDE SKIS / Powder SKIS - Best for powder snow

Freeride skis cater to enthusiasts who prefer off-piste experiences and powdery conditions. Their broad width, typically ranging from 90-120 mm, combined with early-rising tips (tip rockers), aids floating and turning on snow. Though skiing in fresh snow demands a different technique from groomed slopes, having ample on-piste experience before venturing into freeride skiing is recommended. To ensure your safety whilst enjoying adventures, avalanche safety equipment is strongly advised.

How to Select Freeride Skis:
In picking freeride skis, determining the best waist width for your skiing style assists in narrowing down choices and making informed decisions. For freeride skiing in deeper snow with broader waist widths (100 mm and up), you can maintain buoyancy and conserve energy. However, they aren't suited for on-piste skiing due to inferior grip on compacted snow. For versatile skis suitable for softer snow yet maintaining manoeuvrability, choosing a waist width around 90-100 mm is ideal, especially for those who enjoy forest skiing adjacent to slopes.
In summary, wider skis float better in powder snow, but carve less effectively on solid surfaces.

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TOURING SKIS / Backcountry SKIS - Ideal for exploring climbs beyond resorts

Adventurers seeking to traverse off-piste regions beyond resorts will find touring skis perfect. Supporting suitable gear like touring bindings and skins, these skis facilitate uphill climbs before descents. Ski width varies from medium to wide (80-120 mm) and is designed lighter for easier ascent. Given their specialised nature and demanding expertise, they are mainly recommended for advanced skiers. Possessing avalanche safety gear is an essential requirement for such escapades.

How to Choose Touring Skis:
When opting for touring or backcountry skis, consider whether your inclination is towards uphill or downhill skiing.
Touring skis favouring downhill conditions used predominantly in powder might generally be longer (not exceeding 10 cm of your body length) and have slightly wider waists (95 mm and above) for enhanced snow buoyancy. Conversely, uphill-focused skiers generally prefer shorter skis, typically at chin height, and narrower widths (95 mm and below) to reduce weight.

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Selecting the Appropriate Ski Length

The length of your skis should generally reflect your height, proficiency level, and the sort of skiing you intend to pursue.

Most skis offer 4 or 5 size variations, allowing you to select the one closest to your recommended length from the size chart (a variance of 3 cm longer or shorter is acceptable).

Weight and skiing style can also influence your ski length choice. If your weight significantly deviates from the average, select either shorter for lighter individuals or longer for heavier individuals. Skiing style aligns with speed, meaning longer skis benefit aggressive/faster skiers, while more careful/skilful skiers may prioritise manoeuvrability with shorter skis.

This diagram shows recommended ski length for intermediates

	All Mountain/ Piste skis	Twintip/ Park skis	Freeride/ Backcountry
First-time skier	your height -20 cm	-10 cm	-5 cm
Novice	your height -15 cm	-10 cm	-5 cm
Intermediate	your height -10 cm	-5 cm	your height
Advanced	your height -5 cm	your height	your height
Expert	your height	your height	+5 cm

Skis: With or Without Bindings?

Bindings undeniably form a crucial component of your ski setup. They not only secure you to the skis but also ensure safety. Most All Mountain skis and all Piste skis come pre-fitted with bindings. This aspect eliminates the need to select suitable bindings since they are already matched to your level of experience with the selected skis. Skis inclusive of bindings offer an easily adjustable size, which is particularly advantageous if you’re hiring ski boots or rotating skis among family members.

Skis that are sold without bindings necessitate buying bindings separately, allowing you to tailor your selection and choose their positioning on the skis. This is particularly beneficial if you are an experienced Freeride or Park skier. A mounting service can be rather costly, but if you purchase skis with bindings from SkatePro, we offer to mount and adjust the bindings at a competitive price. Further details on bindings are available in the Buying alpine ski bindings guide.

Waist Width

Both the length and the width of skis significantly impact performance, with the waist width being crucial. The ski's waist is located at its narrowest point and is measured from edge to edge in millimetres.

The width measurement is always indicated in the ski specifications, appearing alongside the tip and tail dimensions: Tip - Waist - Tail. Therefore, the waist width is consistently positioned in the centre. For instance: (i.e. 141/108/124mm)

Skis with narrower waists are typically easier to manoeuvre, as transitioning from one edge to another requires less time. The skier's pressure and weight are more concentrated over a smaller area, enhancing grip on the snow. Conversely, skis with a wider waist offer a larger surface area, enhancing their ability to float on powder snow and providing good stability when navigating choppy or rough terrain.

Radius for Turning

In simple terms, the turning radius of a ski dictates how effortlessly it turns. This detail is generally included within the ski model's specifications.

No singular turning radius fits all preferences, as it varies based on skiing style and type. The turning radius is classified into three groups—small, medium, and large.

A small turning radius is found on piste skis with a radius of 14 metres and less. These are excellent for skiing on groomed slopes and for those who favour making short, quick turns.

Medium turning radius typically features on All Mountain skis with a radius between 15 - 18 metres, catering to those who enjoy a mix of on and off-piste skiing.

Large turning radius is present on Freeride skis, ranging from 19 metres upwards. These skis with a large radius offer excellent stability in deep snow or at high speeds, ideal for the fast, aggressive skier.

Ski Profiles - Rocker and Camber

CAMBER

Skis designed with camber feature an arched curve running along most of the ski, causing the middle section to lift off the snow. This design enhances pressure at the tip and tail, thus improving edge grip. Camber is prevalent in nearly all Piste skis, as well as numerous All Mountain and Freeride skis.

ROCKER/REVERSE CAMBER

Rocker skis are distinguished by an upward curve at the ski's tip, or both the tip and tail. Rocker increases flotation on deep snow and simplifies entering and exiting turns. It’s common in nearly all ski types, with some exceptions found in Piste Skis.

FULL ROCKER

This profile aims to excel in powder snow by making turning more effortless. It is quite forgiving and generally feels shorter than its actual length, as neither the tip nor the tail contacts the snow.

TIP ROCKER

Offers a balanced blend of manoeuvrability and effective edging. The camber runs along most of the ski length, providing excellent edge grip and control, while the tip rocker adds a playful element and enhances performance in powder snow.

TIP AND TAIL ROCKER

This combination of rocker with camber is highly favoured for its versatility. With tip and tail rockers, it excels in powder snow while the camber enhances its All Mountain capability. On-piste, the skis may feel slightly shorter because of the rockered tips and tails.

TWINTIP

The elevated tip and tail facilitate skiing backwards or landing jumps in reverse, making the skis especially playful. Bindings are commonly mounted near the centre of the skis, offering improved balance when performing tricks.