UKC

I'm 6' 1" and 85kg so should be skiing 170+, so is 160 too short for a touring ski for me? My thinking was lighter and shorter when carrying on the pack as to not hinder the climbing too much. My skiing ability is beginner at the moment, but am off to Austria piste skiing in January so should improve a fair bit then (I pick things up very quickly), and then touring in March, which is what I want the skis for.

Any advice welcome

In reply to Mr-Cowdrey:

Numerous threads on this.

Personal choice but I would say yes, 160 is too short. Variable snow conditions etc with touring mean you probably want a bit more float and stability.

In reply to Edradour: thanks for that although I'll only be doing short easy tours to start off with, mostly skinning in to climbs. And possibly practicing in Scotland over the winter.

In reply to Mr-Cowdrey: I am 6' 3' and about 85 kg, My race skis ( ski touring race) are 164 cm 64 mm under foot and they are terrible for the down but they only weigh 720 g. However my other skies are 178, 188 and 190 cm.

I would try and get something over 175 probably 178 cm.

In reply to Mr-Cowdrey:

Way too short. Get 175+.

I am 5ft9, 72kg and have 165 skis.

In reply to Mr-Cowdrey: As above, massively too short, I am about to get a pair of freeride/touring skis, I am 5'10" 80KG and will be going 178, if it was pure touring then 165-170 would be about right I think.

In reply to Mr-Cowdrey:

I'd agree, too short for touring - I'm 170 cm/60kg and ski 165s.

OTOH, there's a case for short approach skis....
http://www.ukclimbing.com/gear/review.php?id=3493

Two rather different uses, and unlikely to wise to compromise on one pair - unlikely you'll want two pairs, but likely best to get a pair that'll do at least one job well. If you don't intend to actually carry skis up the routes, probably go long?

In reply to Mr-Cowdrey: I think you are thinking too much about something you realisitically won't be doing any time soon, i.e. proper (scottish III and above) climbing with skis on your back, as you wont be good enough at skiing to get down anything that would neccessitate.

It would be much better to get some skis that are longer and better for the skiing, than worrying about how they would affect your climbing, and concentrating on getting better at skiing before you think about skiing into climbs.

Also I don't think a weeks piste skiing in austria would give you the skills or ability you need to go off piste with a heavy pack skiing into climbs or touring, especially on 160cm skis.

Don't underestimate the difference between resort skiing (even 'off-piste' in resort) and properly non touched terrain, which can have ice, nice snow, awful avalanche debris, a thin track, some breakable crust and some re-frozen stuff, all in the same run.

In reply to Mr-Cowdrey: I think I'll just rent touring skis cheers everyone.