Choosing the right skis
The 3 criteria to find the ideal pair of skis
Want to hurtle down the slopes at ease in your skis? Follow our step-by-step guide and find the perfect pair of skis based on:
Allmountain
Looking for a handy pair of skis? All-Mountain means skiing with no compromises! Versatile both on piste and off-piste, all-mountain skis are moderately wide at the skate (85mm / 95mm) with a lightweight rocker and flat heel.
PISTE
For lovers of speed, perfect turns and carving, piste skis are for you! Highly efficient on groomed piste, this type of ski is characterized by a small width at the skate (less than 80mm).
Freeride
If you like to get off the slopes, you should turn to Freeride skis! Cut for off-piste, Freeride skis are wide with an inverted rocker designed to float on the powder and be handy on hard snow.
Freestyle
A fan of jumps and bumps of all kinds? So opt for freestyle skis. High performance in Snow Parks and skiable on and off piste, these thin, light and handy skis feature a double rocker to ski forward and backward.
Touring
An explorer who never baulks at effort, these skis will allow you to reach out of sight spots! Thin, light and rather flexible, the skis are very efficient uphill and skiable on all terrain.
FREERANDO
Powder lovers and untouched spots? With Freerando skis, you can climb while performing downhill. These skis are wider than touring skis and have a stiffer structure to perform better downhill.
BACKCOUNTRY
As comfortable in freeride as in freestyle? With backcountry skis, you can ride and explore vertiginous hills while achieving your best tricks, thanks to a very wide profile, an inverted camber and a double rocker.
Beginner / intermediate
Have you never skied or very little? So you're looking for an easy and handy ski to get a lot of fun on green, blue and sometimes red slopes? Choose a soft ski that is 5 to 10 cm shorter than you are. A skate width between 70 and 85mm will be the most suitable for you.
Intermediate / experienced
Do you ski about a week a year? You are doing skidding turns and parallel turns, your favorite playgrounds are the blue, red and sometimes black tracks? Instead, choose skis that are rigid and the same size as you.
Advanced / expert
Are you a regular skier who doesn't miss an opportunity to put on skis? Are you turning more with cutting and carving and you are comfortable on any type of terrain? Choose a ski based on your practice, so you can go on high-performance skis, allowing you to make the most of your abilities and increase your enjoyment.
Size Guide
Skier'ssize (cm)
Skier'ssize (feet & in)
Suggested ski size (cm)
132 cm
4’4‘’
115-130 cm
137 cm
4’6‘’
125-140 cm
142 cm
4’8‘’
130-145 cm
147 cm
4’10‘’
135-150 cm
152 cm
5’
135-155 cm
158 cm
5'2‘’
145-165 cm
163 cm
5’4’’
150-170 cm
168 cm
5’6’’
155-175 cm
173 cm
5’8’’
160-180 cm
178 cm
5’10’’
165-185 cm
183 cm
6’
170-190 cm
188 cm
6'2‘’
175-195 cm
+193 cm
6’4‘’
180-200 cm
As each discipline is different, ranges of indicative sizes are different depending on your practice.
piste
-5 to -15cm of your height
all-mountain
from your height to -10cm of your height
freeride
-5 to +10cm of your height
freestyle
from your height to -10cm of your height
freerando
Your height +/- 5cm
backcountry
-5 to +10cm of your height
ski touring
-5 to -10cm of your height
OUR EXPERT'S ADVICE
- The shorter the ski, the easier it is to handle. A beginner will therefore be more comfortable with a ski smaller than their height.
- For heavier skiers, we recommend choosing a ski larger than their size and medium stiffness in order to gain stability.
- Light skiers, on the other hand, will have difficulty mastering a rigid ski, so it is recommended to turn to a soft medium ski.
SOME EXCEPTIONS TO THE RULE:
Instead, you will choose the higher of the suggested sizes (top of the head) if:
- You are an expert, you ski fast with an aggressive style
- Your weight is above average for your height
- You're more powdery than groomed track
Instead, you will choose the low slice of suggested sizes (mouth height) if:
- You are a beginner or intermediate level
- Your weight is below average for your height
- You prefer short and fast turning
- Looking to carve with a classic camber
- You ski with double spatulas in snowpar
EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT YOUR SKIS.
Want to get to know your skis better? Here are the 4 essential elements to familiarize yourself with:
SIDE CUTS: What is it?
On each ski, there is a line of ribs that includes 3 measures to define the width of a ski: spatula, base width, heel. For example: 127/79/109 mm. The larger the gap between the spatula-heel widths, the more the ski is called « parabolic ».
127
The front spatula is 127mm wide
79
The width at the base is 79mm
109
The heel is 109mm wide
Base Width (mm)
Which skis ?
Characteristics
60-70mm
Racing
Ski runs, used for races or carving. In search of precise speed and trajectories.
70-85mm
Piste / All-Mountain
Suitable for beginners to experienced skiers on groomed pistes. Agile and playful skiing.
85-110mm
All-mountain / Freestyle
Versatile skiing, able to withstand all kinds of terrain and snow.
110-120mm+
Freeride / Touring / Backcountry
Wide ski, to float on deep, powdery snow. Better balance and control of trajectories.
ROCKERS
Simply put, rocker means « inverted camber ». A rocker ski is recognized for its shape: the spatula gradually rises, allowing better handling and flotation in the powder.
Traditional camber
Adapted profile for piste skis. The arch of the ski gives it only 2 points of direct contact with the snow at the ends of the ski. This profile improves the accuracy of the curves as well as the manoeuvrability of the skis at a high-speed.
Rocker Camber
Frequent profile on all-mountain skis. The combination of a rocker at the front and a camber aims to offer the advantages of both profiles in a single ski. The front spatula allows for better flotation in the powder snow while the ski arch allows for good groomed track hold.
Double rocker
This symmetrical shape is found on freestyle and all-mountain skis. The ski camber allows you to take the edges of the skiing on piste. Rockers on the front spatula and heel ensure stability in powdery snow, while being dynamic on the entrances and exits of corners.
Flat camber
With a flat camber, we find the general characteristics of a double rocker. The only difference is that the skis will be less dynamic on the entrances and exits of corners. They are going to be a little more for powder than on piste, unlike skis with a double rocker.
This non-exhaustive list of the different cambers/rockers is not a ranking in relation to their performance or their ease of skiing with. It will also depend on your preferences and style on the skis. Each brand has its own peculiarities and its DNA, which is why from one brand to another the technical characteristics of skis can vary.
Curve radius (m)
Type of turn
Characteristics
< 16 m
Short
Quick and short turns are suitable for slalom and ski touring.
17-22 mm
Medium
These curved radius are the most common, they are suitable for skiing on all snows and terrain.
> 22 m
Long
Large turns and control, used in racing and freeriding
THAT'S IT, YOU'RE READY!
All you need now is the piste! Discover our selection of skis through our private sales and our permanent collection in the Shop.