How To Use The SimplyBuy Ski Selection Guide

    Simplybuy was built to be the absolute best tool for anyone - newbie or professional alike - to select their new gear. We’ve always followed the KISS (keep it simple, stupid!) model and have prioritized keeping our custom PSGs (product selection guides) to 3 minutes or less and letting our AI do the rest of the heavy lifting. But for those who really want to dive into the deep end and learn everything there is to know about their future pair of skis before making a purchase, this post is for you. We’ll go through each step of the guide in detail to help ease your mind that you are buying the absolute perfect skis for you. Let’s get started.

Gender

Hopefully this one is obvious. Women’s skis are made for smaller, lighter skiers. Thus they are narrower and more flexible than skis made for men. We generally recommend that men ski on skis made for men and women ski on skis made for women, but there are exceptions. The most common being that tall, muscular women are often better suited riding men’s skis. If you are a woman and fit into this category based on your height and weight, our AI will simply bring you back to the first question and let you select to shop for men’s skis instead.

Ability Level

There are skis designed for every ability level. Typically beginner skis are less expensive but are more forgiving for new skiers. On the other end of the spectrum, skis for advanced and expert skiers will usually cost more because of the advanced features which cater to the skilled skiers.

Beginner

From those that have never skied to those that are able to slowly carve left and right in control on green terrain.

Intermediate

Not new to skiing but also not the most skilled skier on the mountain. You are able to string together turns with minimal traverse comfortably on all blue terrain and easy black runs.

Advanced

Can handle pretty much all runs. You are able to make turns with rhythm and flow on black runs.

Expert

You know who you are and you can handle anything the mountain throws at you.

Ski Type

Back in the day, skis were basically all the same. Thin slices of wood with metal edges. This was ok for getting down a reasonably steep slope, and that was about it. Thankfully, nowadays we have skis specially designed for all sorts of different purposes. We group them into 6 different categories. All mountain, big mountain, carving, park & pipe, powder, and alpine touring.

All Mountain

Designed to work well in all terrains and snow conditions. They are very versatile skis and will be able to handle anything the mountain throws at them. Best bet for most skiers.

Park & Pipe

Designed specifically for terrain parks and those who perform tricks. Freestyle skis are generally twin-tipped, which is ideal for landing backwards or after performing a 180 or 540 (or 900!). If you spend any significant time in “the park” we recommend freestyle skis as they will generally perform better on the rest of the mountain than other ski types will perform in the park.

Big Mountain

Designed to be taken off the groomers and onto diverse terrain. Typically they are stiffer, longer skis. If you are frequently going out of bounds or getting into backcountry that doesn’t quite warrant powder skis, big mountain might be the best fit. Big mountain skis will do well in powder while still performing far better on groomers than pure powder skis would.

Carving

Designed for aggressively laying a ski over an edge and arching a perfect turn. Typical carving skis will have a narrower waist and short turn radiuses.

Powder Skis

Designed to thrive in powder. Ideal pick for backcountry, helicopter or powder-cat skiing. If you are lucky enough to get significant powder days, there is no feeling like clicking into proper powder skis in 2 feet of the fresh stuff. But if you are skiing a mixture of backcountry and resort, we’d recommend one of the other ski types as the powder skis won’t perform great on groomers or in the park. If you can afford it, having specialized powder skis just for those special days of deep powder will make them all that much better.

Alpine Touring

Designed for backcountry riders, alpine touring skis have bindings with detached heels which allow for uphill travel. Ski touring is great, but these are the absolute least versatile skis and we’d never recommend them as a primary pair of skis for the resort. Almost everyone who buys touring skis already has a set or two of the other types.

Ski Styles

Playful

Simply put, playful skis are designed to make skiing down the mountain as fun as possible. They make it easy to initiate carving while being nimble, lightweight and flexible. However they will lack some stability at high speeds and reach their "redline" much easier than Balanced or Charging skis.

Charging

Designed for high-speed and aggressive carving while blasting through anything the mountain throws at it. These skis will be stiffer, wider and heavier than the other styles.

Balanced

Versatile skis that are maneuverability and more flexible than Charging skis without sacrificing too much performance while bombing down steeps. Unless you have very specific needs, we generally recommend balanced skis for most skiers.

Ski Sizes

Getting the right size skis can mean the difference between floating blissfully down the mountain and feeling like a freight train without brakes. Our algorithm uses your height, weight, and answers from the previous questions to determine your size ranges. Similar to with ski type and style, there are tradeoffs to be made when selecting your ski size. In a perfect world we would ride long hard charging skis as we cruise down the groomer and then have them morph into shorter, more playful skis as we enter a patch of powdery trees, only to morph again into twin tips as we launch a 360 off a kicker to finish our run. Unfortunately here in reality our skis stay the same size and shape all day so we need to find the best size to accommodate most situations we’ll find ourselves in.

Length Sizes

Within your suggested ski size range there are several reasons to choose a shorter or longer ski. A shorter ski will be easier to turn but not as stable as a longer ski. Typically longer skis are ideal for aggressive skiers. While shorter skis can be easier to control for less skilled and more passive skiers.

Waist Width

The measurement of a ski’s width at the middle (waist) of the ski. This is typically the narrowest part of the ski. Waist width has a large influence on how easy the ski is to turn, and how it will handle powder and ungroomed snow. Narrower waist widths are quicker edge to edge during turns, while wider waist widths provide better flotation in powder and choppy snow.

SKi Tips (Tail)

Flat

Designed only to go forward. Built for speed, aggressive carving and grip. Not for skiers with interest in skiing backwards (also known as skiing switch).

Partial Twin

Most common tail tip for All Mountain skis. Partial Twin tips will allow you to ski switch on groomed slopes as well as land switch landings for smaller jumps.

Full Twin

Designed for playful and creative skiing. Gives you more ability to jib, butter, and press all over the mountain. Full twin tips will be found on almost all skis designed for the terrain park but can also be found on All Mountain and Big Mountain skis.

Turn Radius

Short

Carving Skis and All-Mountain/Powder Skis with Tapered Tips and Tails

Medium

All-Mountain Skis, Park & Pipe Skis

Long

Powder & Big-Mountain Skis

Camber Profile

The Camber Profile is the shape of the ski when looking down the side. Camber is a convex shape while Rocker is a concave shape. Skis can also be hybrids of Rocker, Camber, and Flat. The best pick for you can depend on your ski type, ability level and desired feel.

Rocker

Playful feel, initiates turns easily, and floats well in powder. However there is less pop and doesn't hold an edge as well compared to Camber skis. Often found on Big Mountain skis.

Camber

Improves edge-hold, adds to spring out of a turn and helps with stability at speed, and adds pop for jumps. However it is not ideal in powder. Can be found on some Park & Pipe Skis.

Rocker/Camber/Rocker

Initiates turns well and floats in powder, while the center camber adds stability, pop, speed and increased edge-hold. This is a great all round profile and the most common profile. Great pick for any terrain type or ability level.

Rocker/Camber

A directional blend of rocker and camber. Typically adds stability and float in the front while giving added power and control in the back.

Camber/Rocker/Camber

Looser feel and better float in powder than a traditional camber skis. Also easier to initiate turns.

Rocker/Flat/Rocker

More effective edge than pure Rocker which improves stability at speed. However this profile still retains the catch-free, floaty ride that the Rocker profile provides.