Sport & running
What length skis do you need for your height?
A length band in centimetres from height, level and where you ski — plus the pole length for downhill, classic and skating.
Quick answer
Ski length comes off your height, then moves. At 175 cm and 72 kg, intermediate, all-mountain, the band is 160–165 cm — height minus 10 to 15, which is roughly chin to nose. A beginner takes 5 cm off that, an advanced skier adds 5. Piste-only takes another 5 off; deep snow adds 5. Inside the band it is preference, not a right answer: shorter turns more easily and forgives, longer holds the line at speed and floats. Your poles are a separate number — 120 cm for downhill, from height × 0.68.
Ski length
160–165 cm
- Downhill poles
- 120 cm
- Classic cross-country poles
- 145 cm
- Skating cross-country poles
- 155 cm
Inside the band it is preference, not a right answer. Shorter turns more easily and forgives a late edge; longer holds the line at speed and floats in soft snow. Five centimetres either way is a feel, not a mistake — which is why a rental shop hands you whatever is in stock inside your band and you ski fine. Poles come in 5 cm steps and some heights land between two. The real check takes a second in the shop: turn the pole upside down, grip it under the basket, and your elbow should sit at about 90°. If you are between two lengths, the shorter one suits piste and the longer one suits powder and cross-country.
Height sets the starting point, level and terrain move it, and weight only moves it when you are well outside the usual build for your height. The band is the answer: inside it, it is taste. ⛔ No models and no brands here — ski ranges change every season, and a page that lists them is wrong by next winter. Your boot size and the ski’s turn radius matter more than five centimetres of length, and neither is something a calculator can read off your height.
How it works
| Height | Beginner | Intermediate | Advanced | Poles |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 155 cm | 135–140 cm | 140–145 cm | 145–150 cm | 105 cm |
| 165 cm | 145–150 cm | 150–155 cm | 155–160 cm | 110 cm |
| 170 cm | 150–155 cm | 155–160 cm | 160–165 cm | 115 cm |
| 175 cm | 155–160 cm | 160–165 cm | 165–170 cm | 120 cm |
| 180 cm | 160–165 cm | 165–170 cm | 170–175 cm | 120 cm |
| 185 cm | 165–170 cm | 170–175 cm | 175–180 cm | 125 cm |
| 190 cm | 170–175 cm | 175–180 cm | 180–185 cm | 130 cm |
The table assumes an average build for the height and a bit of everything underfoot. Weight only moves the band when you are well outside that build — roughly 15% either way — and then by about 3 cm, because a heavier skier bends a ski more and wants a little more of it. Where you can be relaxed is the five centimetres inside your band: a rental shop hands you whatever is in stock in that range and you ski fine. Where you cannot is the class: a 150 cm ski under a 185 cm advanced skier washes out at speed, and a 185 cm ski under a beginner does not turn at all.
Poles come in 5 cm steps and some heights land between two. The check takes a second in the shop: turn the pole upside down, grip it under the basket, and your elbow should sit at about 90°. At 180 cm the formula gives 122 cm, which is exactly between 120 and 125 — that is why the shops print both. If you are between two, the shorter one suits the piste and the longer one suits deep snow. Cross-country is a different number entirely and much longer: height × 0.83 for classic, × 0.89 for skating, so a 175 cm skier takes about 145 cm classic and 155 cm skating.
This page has no models and no brands on purpose. Ski ranges change every season, so a page that lists them is wrong by the following winter — and the two things that matter more than five centimetres of length are not on the label anyway: the boot, which is the only piece that must actually fit you, and the ski's turn radius, which is what decides whether it feels quick or planted. Length is the first filter, not the decision.
Frequently asked questions
What length skis for a beginner?+
Height minus 15 to 20 cm, so roughly chin height, and 5 cm less again if you will stay on groomed piste. At 170 cm that is about 150–155 cm. Short is deliberate: a shorter ski starts the turn with less effort and forgives an edge that comes late, which is most of what the first weeks are. You will outgrow it, and that is fine — almost nobody buys their first pair, and by the time you would, you ski differently.
Shorter or longer skis — what actually changes?+
Shorter means the turn starts sooner and costs less, and the ski forgives a mistake. Longer means more edge on the snow, so it holds the line when you are going fast and floats instead of sinking in soft snow. Neither is better; they are the same trade seen from two ends. Five centimetres inside your band is a feel. Twenty centimetres outside it is the wrong ski.
What length ski poles do I need?+
About height × 0.68 for downhill — 120 cm at 175 cm, 130 cm at 190 cm — rounded to the nearest 5 cm, because that is how they are sold. The check in the shop is quicker than the formula: hold the pole upside down under the basket and your elbow should be at about 90°. Cross-country poles are much longer and are a different calculation: height × 0.83 for classic, × 0.89 for skating.
Is it worth buying skis or renting?+
Count the days you will actually ski in a season. Under about a week a year, renting usually wins outright, and it also lets you ski a different ski each trip while you still have no opinion. The moment buying starts to pay, buy the boot first: it is the one piece that has to fit you, it lasts several seasons, and you can rent skis around a boot you own but not the other way round. Poles are the cheap part and the one thing worth owning from day one.
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