Gifting has never been easier
Perfect if you're short on time or are unable to deliver your gift yourself. Enter your message and select when to send it.
Slalom Ski Size Guide
Buying your first slalom ski or replacing a treasured old favourite? Ski design keeps changing and there's a lot of technical information out there. This guide helps you find a ski that suits you, whether you're ready to run the course or just want a freeride at your local lake. Start with your size: use the chart below, or let our calculator recommend a length from your weight, height and skiing style.
What size water ski do I need? Slalom ski size chart
Ski length is the most important thing to get right. It should suit your weight and the way you ski. This chart uses the same weight ranges as our Slalom Ski Size Calculator; the calculator also takes your height into account, so use it for your final recommendation. Every ski is slightly different, so check the manufacturer's chart on the product page as well.
| Rider weight (kg) | Social cruiser (34–40 km/h) | Social carver (40–52 km/h) or performance (46–58 km/h) | Tournament (55–58 km/h) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20–24 kg | 54–56" | 54–56" | 54–56" |
| 25–29 kg | 56–59" | 56–58" | 56–58" |
| 30–34 kg | 57–61" | 57–60" | 57–60" |
| 35–39 kg | 59–62" | 60–62" | 60–62" |
| 40–44 kg | 61–63" | 62–63" | 62–63" |
| 45–49 kg | 62–64" | 63–64" | 63–64" |
| 50–54 kg | 63–65" | 63–64" | 63–64" |
| 55–59 kg | 64–66" | 63–65" | 64–65" |
| 60–64 kg | 65–67" | 65–66" | 65–66" |
| 65–69 kg | 65–68" | 65–67" | 65–66" |
| 70–74 kg | 66–68" | 65–67" | 66–67" |
| 75–79 kg | 67–69" | 66–67" | 66–68" |
| 80–84 kg | 67–69" | 66–68" | 67–68" |
| 85–89 kg | 67–69" | 67–69" | 67–69" |
| 90–94 kg | 68–69" | 68–71" | 67–71" |
| 95–99 kg | 69–71" | 69–71" | 68–71" |
| 100–104 kg | 69–72" | 69–72" | 69–72" |
| 105–109 kg | 70–72" | 70–72" | 69–72" |
| 110–114 kg | 70–72" | 71–72" | 70–72" |
| 115–119 kg | 70–72" | 72" | 71–72" |
| 120 kg and over | 70–72" | 72" | 72" |
Water ski length chart by height
The calculator checks your height as well as your weight. Use this table alongside the weight chart above: where the two overlap, that is your size. If they don't overlap, go with the longer of the two ranges.
| Rider height (cm) | Social cruiser or social carver | Performance | Tournament |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100–104 cm | 54–56" | 54–56" | 54–56" |
| 105–109 cm | 54–57" | 54–57" | 54–57" |
| 110–114 cm | 54–58" | 54–58" | 54–58" |
| 115–119 cm | 54–58" | 54–58" | 54–58" |
| 120–124 cm | 56–59" | 56–59" | 56–59" |
| 125–129 cm | 57–60" | 57–60" | 57–60" |
| 130–134 cm | 58–60" | 58–60" | 58–60" |
| 135–139 cm | 59–61" | 59–61" | 59–61" |
| 140–144 cm | 60–61" | 60–61" | 60–61" |
| 145–149 cm | 61–62" | 61–62" | 61–62" |
| 150–154 cm | 61–63" | 61–63" | 62–63" |
| 155–159 cm | 62–64" | 62–64" | 63–64" |
| 160–164 cm | 63–65" | 63–65" | 64–65" |
| 165–169 cm | 64–66" | 65–66" | 65–66" |
| 170–174 cm | 65–67" | 66–67" | 66" |
| 175–179 cm | 66–68" | 66–67" | 66–67" |
| 180–184 cm | 67–69" | 67–68" | 67–68" |
| 185–189 cm | 68–71" | 68–71" | 68–71" |
| 190 cm and over | 69–72" | 69–72" | 69–72" |
Kids and youth water skis
The charts start at 20 kg and 100 cm, so they cover junior slalom skiers too. Most young skiers start on two skis: use the combo ski size guide and shop combo water skis, then move to a slalom ski once they can get up and ride confidently.
Which style are you?
- Social cruiser: easy starts, smooth rides and maximum stability. Beginners and relaxed weekend skiing behind the family boat.
- Social carver: comfortable starts with the bite to carve your local waterway. Stable, predictable and plenty of fun.
- Performance: advanced free-skiing and slalom course work, with a responsive shape for developing serious technique.
- Tournament: competition slalom on a course, for skiers running the buoys.
Not sure yet? The calculator has a "Not sure yet" option that picks a versatile size with room to progress, and its height check narrows the range when your weight sits near the edge of a band.
Going one size longer gives you more stability, easier starts and less effort to ride, but the ski sits higher in the water and is less responsive. If you're learning, you're usually better off with a ski designed for beginners than with a longer advanced ski. Browse beginner slalom skis, pro slalom skis or our full range of slalom water skis.
Construction
Waterskis used to be made of wood with a tunnel carved into the bottom. Today's slalom skis use lightweight composite materials chosen to suit each ski's style and level. Most have a moulded polyurethane foam core wrapped in fibreglass, carbon fibre or both. Fibreglass flexes more, so it's more forgiving. Carbon fibre gives a lighter, more responsive ski that is less forgiving for beginners. Some brands, like Radar, have moved to carbon wraps across their range because it makes the skis so much lighter.
Advanced and competition skis use CNC-machined PVC cores to make them lighter and stiffer for aggressive skiing at higher boat speeds. PVC-core skis are very responsive but much less forgiving, so they suit high speeds and smooth water. If you're a beginner or social skier, a foam-core ski gives a forgiving ride and handles choppy conditions. If you ski fast and aggressively or run the course, a PVC-core ski will handle the speed and perform better in smooth water.
Waterski shaping
Slalom ski shapes change almost every season, but the principles stay the same. Understanding these features will help you choose a ski that suits your ability and style.
Width
Width sets how much surface area is under your feet. Wider skis give easy starts, suit lower boat speeds and are less tiring to ride. They also take longer through a turn, giving a smooth, predictable feel. Most beginner skis are wide at the tip and stay wide through to the tail.
Hybrid shapes keep width in the tip and narrow towards the tail. You get the same easy starts and low drag with more of a traditional slalom ski's performance, which suits social skiers who like a responsive ride at higher speeds, or skiers starting out in the course.
Tournament skis are the narrowest shapes. Narrow skis change edge quickly and turn tighter, generating more angle across the wake. Even so, modern tournament skis are wider than older competition skis, with stiffer, lighter carbon and PVC making up for the extra width. A little extra width in the tip helps the ski turn faster with less input from you.
Concave
Concave is the tunnel in the base of the ski running from tip to tail. Its depth and width affect how responsive the ski feels when you set an edge. A deep concave from edge to edge gives the most responsive, aggressive turns, which is why advanced and tournament skis use it. A shallower concave with flat or rounded areas either side makes a ski stable and predictable. Beginner and intermediate skis usually run a shallower, modified concave through the middle with full concave in the tail, for smooth deceleration into the turn and fast acceleration out of it.
Bevel
The bevel is where the sidewall meets the base, and it governs edge hold. Sharper bevels help the ski track and grip through the turn. Rounder bevels let the ski roll onto edge quickly and give you control for small corrections. Most modern slalom skis combine round and sharp bevels to balance performance from tip to tail.
Rocker
Rocker is the curve in the ski from tip to tail. Flatter rocker lines hold speed and add stability, making the ski easier to ride, but give a longer turn radius and make it harder to generate angle out of the turn. More rocker shortens the turn radius for aggressive skiing but slows the ski down. Most modern slalom skis are flat through the middle for balance and speed, then taper up at the tip and tail for a shorter turn.
Fins
The fin creates the drag that gives you grip to turn and hold an edge. There are three common types on modern slalom skis.
- Freeride: the simplest fin, used on beginner and social skis. Shaped like a surf fin for maximum grip and stability, it makes the ski perform even if your technique is a little off.
- Comp: the traditional and most common slalom fin. Distance from tail (DFT) can be adjusted, but depth (D) and length (L) are fixed.
- Tournament: made for course skiing and fully adjustable, so competition skiers can fine-tune for their style and for different water and weather conditions.
Most fins also carry a wing angled to add drag and slow the ski into the turn. Modern skis have far less drag than older shapes, so wings are common on beginner and intermediate skis to reduce slack rope. Too much wing angle makes a ski less forgiving, so advanced skis tend to run about 9 degrees and beginner to intermediate skis around 7 degrees.
Manufacturers test their fin settings carefully, and very small adjustments can change how a ski performs. We recommend leaving your fin at the factory settings and working on technique if the ski doesn't feel right. If you want to fine-tune, our staff are happy to talk you through it. Spare fins and parts are in ski accessories.
Ready to choose?
Get your length from the Slalom Ski Size Calculator, then browse slalom water skis. Learning on two skis? Use the combo ski size guide and shop combo water skis. Trick skiers can use the Trick Ski Calculator and shop trick skis. Want to try before you buy? Ask about our demo program, or contact our team. We can talk skis all day. More sizing help is in our size guides and calculators.