What happens if my skis are too long?

TLDR; Longer skis have more stability and float better in snow, but they also have a larger turning radius. Shorter skis sacrifice stability (especially at speed) but are quick to respond and easier to make short sharp turns. Short skis turn faster but long skis go faster.

How does Rocker affect ski length?

Rocker basically creates a pre-bent ski. Due to the early rise tip, the ski has a shorter contact length because the longer tip is raised off the ground. This gives you both the mobility and quickness of a shorter ski on hard snow and the soft snow stability of a longer ski.

Does it matter how long your skis are?

The length of your ski depends on your height, weight, skiing style & ability. There isn’t an exact formula for determining the right size but in general the proper ski length should be between your chin and the top of your head. For example, a skier that is 6′ tall will want to look for a skis between 170 – 190 cm.

What does rocker do for a ski?

A rocker or reverse-camber, is literally a camber turned upside down. So the ski touches all the way down the middle then parts early at the tip (and sometimes the tail). These are great for beginners and advanced riders, the rise of the tip and tail away from the snow means easier float in deeper powder.

Can you shorten skis?

If you really want to do this, try cutting through the metal edges with a hand hacksaw, and then cutting the core of the ski with whatever – jig saw, band saw, cross cut hand saw.

Is it harder to ski with longer skis?

The length and waist width of your skis determines how much surface area your ski is touching on the snow. A longer, fatter ski will float more in deeper snow, as well as gain speed faster as your weight is more dispersed along the ski. The tradeoff is that longer skis are harder to control.

Do rocker skis ski shorter?

Rockered skis therefore “ski shorter” than a traditionally cambered ski with the same measured length. If you’re buying a rockered ski, feel free to add a few centimeters to your size range, and we don’t recommend going shorter if you’re moving from a more traditional ski to an aggressively rockered model.

Should my skis be taller than me?

The general rule is to pick a ski that is going to land somewhere between your chin and the top of your head. Pro and expert skiers may choose skis that are slightly taller than their height.

What’s better camber or rocker?

Benefits of camber: Camber provides springiness and good edge control while carving turns on hard snow. Benefits of rocker: Rocker provides superb flotation in soft snow and easy turn initiation.

How do you know if your skis are too short?

Skis that are too short will sink a bit too deep in ungroomed powder snow. On groomed trails, short skis tend to get a bit wobbly and unstable at high speeds. They are easier to turn at slow speeds, but that same quality gives them a tendency to want to turn even when you are going straight at high speed.

Should your skis be as tall as you?

There is no magic formula for determining the right size ski for you. In general, the proper ski length is somewhere between your chin and the top of your head. For example, a skier that is 6′ tall will want to look for skis between 170cm and 190cm.

Are rockered skis too short for me?

But if you size your new, rockered skis the same way you sized your old, fully cambered skis, your new skis will very likely feel too short, twitchy, and unstable. Speaking of which… Another factor to consider when deciding on what length of a ski to go with is how stable and planted it feels on snow.

Should I choose a longer or longer length for my ski?

Conversely, if a ski isn’t especially stable at speed (maybe it’s quite light, has a lot of sidecut, and / or is super soft), but you’d like to get as much high-speed stability out of the design as possible, you might consider going for a longer length.

What is the difference between a cambered and rockered ski?

Profile of a ski with full, traditional camber. As a result, the total running length of a rockered ski is shorter than that of the ski with a traditionally cambered profile. Caveat: technically, the running length of any ski is variable.

What makes a ski have a short effective edge?

So a ski with a lot of tip and tail taper (i.e., the widest points of its tips and tails are closer to the middle of the ski, not at the very ends) will have a short effective edge.