xcSkiis How Long To Fit?

[anakiwa]

the sales guy said that about "head height" is the general gauage for fit. Or slightly longer.

I'm guessing this guy doesn't have a clue what he's doing.

It's fine to use your body to judge pole length (armpit for classic, between chin and nose for skate) but the skis come in so many different styles that length is going to be completely different for different ski models (so just because you need one length in one particular ski, doesn't mean you want the same length in another ski).

Have you decided between classic and skate? This is the first decision to make (the styles of skiing are completely different - classic skis won't work for skating and vice versa).

Once you've chosen what type of ski you want- look at the different models of skis available. They should have a size chart available (based on weight) that is a good way to judge things. If you're a beginner you want to go for the shorter ski that fits your weight range. (If the store doesn't have the size chart, you can also try looking it up online- just make sure you have some idea of the model year as well, sometimes they modify a particular model over time).

For classic skiing, a decent shop will also look at the wax pocket and your ability to flex the skis. To do this you stand on the skis. If your weight is evenly split between the two skis there should be a space between the ski and whatever you're standing on. They should be able to move a piece of paper back and forth from the back of your heal several inches forward (this is the wax pocket). If you then put all of your weight on one foot and press down- the wax pocket should disappear (they hold the piece of paper under your foot and they shouldn't be able to move it if the ski is properly compressed). There is more than one way to measure this but that's the basic idea.

Does the shop you're looking at carry a lot of cross-country skis? If that's not their main business I'd at least ask for the person who knows the most about them (or consider going somewhere that does a reasonable amount of cross-country ski business).

[madscot13]

I second that!

Height only makes sense for the older kind of skis that were made of similar materials and really didn't differ too much. Now a days each kind of ski has its own specific weight recommendation that corresponds to a length of the ski. this way, when you are standing on the ski, the camber will bend down enough so that the middle part, where you put pressure down to kick, can grab the snow.

each ski is different, not just each maker of ski. try going back and talking to a different person at the store, or talking to the person more. If they insist on sticking to height and you aren't the perfectly normal person (and who is?) be a bit more cautious. I think skis are a fantastic investment and I don't see much of a reason for reinvesting each spring. so but the right pair for the first time!

[Miranda]

Thanks so much for the additional thoughts ! WAY more help than at the store. It's the only place local that sells skiis . Pretty Mayberry, I know. Would need to do some traveling to find a better shop, but a good point. It's always painful when you spend $ on something to later learn that it was not the correct thing. The store has about 3 choices on hand of xcskis. The rest were down hill, and snow boards. I don't think they were exactly top of the line, but not the worst either, maybe? The guy did mention something about the skiis being made out of different materials for a price difference. So, I would guess that's where the ski compression fit factor comes into play. Something about one being made of foam? One of wood? Or wood core? Don't know what the next up was. Maybe after I'm done with this thread, I can teach the guy lol .