Are my Skis too long? I'm an intermediate ?

Question

i am

Male

5' 6"

my skis are a size 164

they are Head ( very stiff) please tell me any tips on how to loosen them up.

Answer 1

They are longer than I would suggest for any of my students. For your ability, height and weight, I would suggest a  158cm in a medium to soft flex all mountain type. Most of the modern designs do not soften with use in common terrain. If you were heavier and very aggressive in the bumps, then after 3-4 years of near daily use they would be softer.

Will you ski 3-5 days a week this season for at least 8 weeks?  I suggest a trip to the ski sales this weekend and find a shorter and softer pair.  K2, Fischer, Elan, Volkl are all good brands.  

Answer 2

Being that you are an intermediate skier and that the skis that you have are supposedly stiff, I would say yes they are to big. Ultimately it will come down to how much you weigh and what your chances of growing much more are. There isn't really anyway for you to soften a ski so most likely you are going to be stuck with a ski that is too long and stiff for your ability level.  

Answer 3

I don't think your skis are too long, I just think you have the wrong ski.  Ski sizing is a very heated topic.  Some say shorter is better, others say longer is where it's at, I say it all depends.  It depends on what you want the ski to do and where you plan on skiing it (both physical location and snow conditions).  Folks in the east tend to ski shorter skis due to harder snow, folks out west sometimes go longer.  But rest assured, everyone who tells you what they think, they're opinion is the correct one (at least in their mind).  Check out www.geargenius.com, they have all kinds of info, but the also provide personalized help.  You can email them specific questions and they'll get you the information you're looking for and they'll even help you find some good deals.  I'd email them and they can walk you through the whole process.  

But, in my humble opinion, I would recommend anywhere from a 164-172ish, depending on the ski, the terrain you're going to ski, and your ability.

Answer 4

The edit is important.  You are 175lbs.  At that weight and a height of 5'7", 164mm is an okay length in the average skis.

It's more likely that the skis are more advanced than your ability.  If your a really are an intermediate, a 164mm intermediate level ski would be fine.  If you were 20-25 lbs lighter, then I'd say 158mm would be more like it.

Answer 5

What type of skiing do you do btw?

Answer 6

I am the same height as you. And i would say they are to long. I ski on 150cm and 145cm. But i use my skies for slalom. It depends on what type of skiing you want. The longer the skier the faster it can go in a straight line. The longer it is the harder it is to turn. I would use these skies if i were doing giant slalom. It is what ever works for you.

Answer 7

slightly 155-160 would be better