How big should touring skis be?
These skis both cover any and all terrain in a wide variety of conditions, but they would require different lengths if the same skier were to buy a pair of each. Touring skis should be 5-15cm less than the skier’s height.
Do you want touring skis to be longer or shorter?
In general, we advise our customers to size alpine touring skis a bit shorter than a alpine resort ski. This helps reduce the overall setup weight for uphill travel and allows you to have more maneuverability while skiing in variable backcountry conditions.
How long should backcountry skis be?
Your height will be the mid-point of a 30-centimeter range of ski lengths. For example, a 5-foot 9-inch person is about 175 centimeters tall. Assuming nothing else, that individual should probably be seeking a ski somewhere in between 160 centimeters and 190 centimeters long.
How heavy is too heavy for touring skis?
For everyday ski touring or ski mountaineering, I like to stay above 1400 grams for my skis. For me personally, 1500–1600 grams is a good target for a ski-mountaineering ski while a few hundred grams heavier tends to work well for mid-winter / powder touring.
What skis for touring?
Backcountry Ski Comparison Table
| Ski | Price | Dimensions |
|---|---|---|
| Moment Wildcat Tour | $799 | 141-116-131mm |
| Armada Tracer 98 | $700 | 132-98-123mm |
| Black Crows Navis Freebird | $830 | 138-102-119mm |
| K2 Wayback 96 | $700 | 128-96-115mm |
What is a touring cross-country ski?
Cross-country touring skis are designed for skiing on groomed trails with a forward and back striding motion similar to how you walk or run. The skis are generally long, narrow and lightweight for fast and efficient skiing in groomed tracks.
How tall are touring skis?
Touring skis should be 5-15cm less than the skier’s height. Touring ski length is a balance between lightweight maneuverability on the way up and stability on the way down. Freeride skis should be at least the skier’s height and can easily be 5-15cm longer for skilled skiers.
What is too heavy for a touring ski?
(1) Skis that weigh less than 1400 grams per ski in a ~185 cm length are almost always going to feel very light and twitchy. For everyday ski touring or ski mountaineering, I like to stay above 1400 grams for my skis.
What to look for when buying touring skis?
Narrower skis (typically 95 mm or less at the waist): Better for longer tours and more efficient uphill travel. Lighter weight and typically quicker in trees, bumps and hardpack snow. Faster transitions from edge to edge. Perform well on firm hard snow or glaciers.
What is a good weight for touring skis?
Can you ski tour with any skis?
Skis with a waist width between 85 and 99mm is a good compromise. They offer decent performance and edge on hard snow and stability in deep or unpredictable snow. As an added bonus, wider skis give you stability when dealing with windslab or breakable crust.
Can you cross-country ski with touring skis?
Alpine Touring Skis Alpine touring (AT) skis are a blend between cross-country and downhill skis. There is no camber. They are able to form a nice full rockered edge that will perform a turn like on a downhill ski.
Can I use touring skis in tracks?
Some skiers look for skis that they can use for both in- and out-of-track touring and that have metal edges for better control on icy slopes. In this case, look for metal-edge touring skis about 65mm to 68mm wide at the widest point to be sure they will fit in the groomed tracks.
Can I use touring skis for downhill?
Absolutely! In the last few years a lot has happened and our touring skis work very well on the slopes. Although you should adjust your speed in icy conditions, our touring skis basically react similar to alpine skis. This means that you don’t have to adapt off-piste and you can simply keep your usual riding technique.