How to choose your alpine skis

1. The ski level

Before purchasing, it is essential to know your ski level. This stage is essential to progress according to your skiing technique.

2. Your skier profile

What type of skier are you? This is the biggest, broadest question to answer before you start shopping. Do you ski on groomed slopes or in all types of snow conditions? Do you wish to practise your tricks in the snowpark or wherever fresh powder is found in Quebec and beyond?

Here are our four main categories of alpine skis:

3. Ski length

This may come as a surprise, but when it comes to ski length, no strict rules actually exist. Length is often determined by your weight, height and skill level, plus the type of skis you’re buying.

In general, the shorter the skis, the more manoeuvrable they are, and the longer the ski, the more stable they are. For beginners (or lightweight skiers), we recommend skis that are a little shorter, while more advanced skiers (or heavier skiers) should opt for longer.

This table gives an overview of the ski size of skis to choose for an intermediate skier.

You’ll still want to follow up with our experts for advice in store, as sizes can also vary in terms of your level (beginner to expert) and type of ski:

4. The structure of the ski: radius, sidecut

You also need to consider the radius of the skis and how it will affect your skiing style:

• For smaller, dynamic turns, choose a model with a shorter radius (under 16 m).
• If you like carving larger turns, choose a model with a longer radius.

A ski is made up of different parts:

• The tip refers to the front part of the ski. It plays an important role in entering the snow and is slightly curved towards the sky. Some skis have double spatulas at the front and back, which are particularly useful for freestyle skiing in snow parks.
• The tail is the rear part of the ski, which determines the curves of your turns.
• The waist is the section under the skier's boot, in the middle of the ski. It is the narrowest part of the ski. The width of the runner has a major influence on the ski's manoeuvrability. Depending on the discipline you practise, the width of the runner changes. A wide skate will give you stability on the slopes.

What are ski edges?

These are the metal edges on the side of the ski. They guarantee good grip and hold during your turns. Good edge maintenance is essential before the start of the cold season. We recommend that you visit our shop to take advantage of our sharpening service.

5. Flexibility

The flexibility (or flex) corresponds to how stiff the skis are when turning. There are two types of flex:

• Flex in torsion.
• Flex in bending.

Skis with a stiffer flex in torsion will stick more to the ground under tougher conditions (like ice) and at higher speeds, yet they take more effort in the turns. On the other hand, a more flexible ski in torsion will allow you to take turns at lower speeds, plus they’ll be more forgiving when you lose balance or make edging mistakes.

A ski that’s stiffer when bending has a better return in energy at the end of the turn, making skiing gentler, thereby facilitating the entry into the next turn.

Women's alpine skis. Did you know?

Women's morphology is taken into account in the construction of women's alpine skis. Women generally have a lower centre of gravity and sit further back than men. Their construction is therefore often more specific and lighter than a man's ski to encourage responsive energy transfer. However, the choice of your ski will depend solely on your size, your level and your skiing style, which are the main criteria to consider.

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