To ensure a safer and more fun time on the water, it is vitally important to choose the right size when it comes to water skis. You will need to do some research in advance whether you’re an expert or novice water skier since your abilities will vary from year to year. When choosing water skis for children, it is more important to do this on a regular basis since their feet grow so fast.
Here are some tips to help you find the best skis to fit your feet:
How You Will Use Them
This is where assessing your abilities comes into play, so be very honest with yourself:
- Competitive skiers use short lines of 32-feet off or more and compete at 34 MPH at least.
- Advanced skiers use short lines of 22-feet off and have their particular techniques down pat.
- Intermediate skiers ski for fun and at lower speeds 28 to 30 MPH
- Beginner skiers are slow skiers and usually need to drop a ski for deep water starts
Speed Consideration
Ski speed reveals the depth a ski will sit on the water, therefore slalom skis are designed for a specific range. At lower boat speeds, skis need more surface area to keep them on top of the water. To test your own ski speed, use a smartphone speedometer app or a GPS. Boat speedometers have a tendency to be off 2 to 4 MPH so these devices are better. The fastest a boat should ever go is 35 MPH when pulling a skier.
Flexibility
It is really important to find a ski that has just the right amount of stiffness since every ski bends or flexes during turns. In order to get through initiation, the main turn, and the finish, your ski will require enough flex. More energy is created with a stiffer ski so if your ski is too soft, you will feel like it’s moving around too much. Recreational skiers do not require stiffer skis like professional skiers do.
Consider Your Weight and Height
These definitely come into play when choosing ski size. The heavier you are, the more surface area you will need for your skis:
- 150 – 190 pounds: 57 inch binding option is preferable
- 190 – 230 pounds: 69 inch binding is best
- More than 280 pounds: 71 inch binding is necessary
Always choose the longer ski if you are a beginner since it will be more stable.
Look at the Base Concave
Or bottom shape of the ski to be precise. You can choose between:
- V-bottom runs straight and recommended for beginners
- Tunnel Concave for the more advanced and hold edges longer
- Full Concave most used by professional skiers since they achieve solid edge holds longer
Choose Edge Bevel
The edge bevel is the degree at which a ski’s flat bottom hits the side rail. The ski would not be able to float out and start a turn without this component. To allow them to make quick turns, professional skiers use the smallest bevels whereas skis for beginners have the most bevels to allow them to make easier turns.
Choosing a pair of skis has many facets and size is just one of them when it comes to choosing the perfect pair to buy. To get a sense of what kind of skis best fit your skill level and feet do some research online and then go to the store to fit your feet. Latest trends in technology and any sizing concerns can be answered by most ski shop sales clerks.
Above all, when venturing out on the water, safety should always be your first priority!
Follow Us: Facebook – Foursquare – Twitter – YouTube – LinkedIn