Choosing the right touring skis and hiking poles

Choosing the right size touring skis is crucial.

You will indeed have to choose the size of your skis based on a variety of criteria related to your skiing practices.

Namely:

-        Choosing the right size in relation to your own size

-        Choosing the right size ski depending on your skiing practices

-        Warning: a ski too long will be restricting and cumbersome during turns.

CHOOSING THE RIGHT SIZE SKI DEPENDING ON YOUR SKIING PRACTICES

As explained above, the choice of your ski is determined by your skiing practices: whether you favour Speed Touring performance, going downhill in powder snow with ease during freeriding, or a compromise between the two.

SPEED TOURING

For Speed Touring or fitness hiking lightness will be the most crucial requirement, so you will need a pair of skis weighing less than 2kg. Consequently, it will be necessary to choose a ski with a waist width between 70 and 80 mm in order to obtain the most malleable and light pair possible.

Then you can choose a pair of skis 10 to 15 cm shorter than you.

VERSATILE SKI

If you want to be as comfortable on the way up as on the way down, you will need a versatile touring ski pair.

In order to have a stable ski on the way down yet light on the way up (the perfect compromise!), choose a ski between 5 to 10 cm shorter than you with a waist width ranging between 80 and 90 mm.

FREERIDING

In freeriding, the skier favours going downhill from going uphill, requiring a wide and stable ski that allows him to do beautiful turns in freshly fallen powder.

For this skiing practice, a ski your size or 5 cm shorter than you will be ideal

There are no restrictions for the waist width: for maximum comfort while going downhill, choose a pair of ski with a waist width ranging between 95 and 105 mm.

 
Beginner skiers: on average 10 cm below the skier's height.

As you know, it is necessary to have good and strong ski touring poles when hiking, in order to be able to lean on them when climbing.

Thus, it is recommended to choose sticks with a comfortable grip yet built with solid materials.

When hiking there are two options: classic ski poles or folding / telescopic poles (made up of several strands).

If you are opting for classic ski poles, please refer to the size grid below and make sure you choose poles with wide washers, preventing the poles from sinking into the snow when climbing.

For telescopic or folding poles, you have the choice between carbon and aluminium. Each has its own qualities: carbon is strong but can crack in the event of a large impact; aluminium is softer and will tend to twist in the event of an impact, without hampering its usability.