All-round men's skiis Elan

Guide to the Right Skis

Thinking about buying new skis but not completely sure which ones are right for you? Read the tips below and we’re confident you’ll quickly find the right choice.

All-round skis: skis primarily designed for skiing on groomed slopes. With them, you’ll easily link long and short carving turns all day long.

More and more all-round skis use rocker technology, which means an extended ski curve. This technology allows easier turn initiation and makes the ski more agile and manageable at lower speeds. It performs excellently when slope conditions are less than ideal, as the rocker helps you glide more smoothly over bumps and makes skiing in fresh snow more fun. At higher speeds, the entire edge engages with the snow, providing greater stability and allowing you to reach higher speeds. Some all-round skis are slightly wider than others, giving them more stability, and they also already provide some float in deeper snow. Wider skis, 80 mm underfoot or more, are usually preferred by advanced skiers, while narrower skis are easier to put on edge. In this category, you’ll find skis suitable for beginners, experienced, and expert skiers alike. Men’s all-round skis are often chosen also by advanced female skiers who prefer stiffer skis. Length is also important and usually measured relative to skier height. Beginners should choose shorter skis, about 10–15 cm below their body height, as they are easier to handle. More advanced skiers and speed lovers should opt for skis about 5–10 cm shorter than their height. For skis with rocker, add 5 cm to the mentioned values, since rocker visually shortens the ski.

In recent years, from more “freeski” oriented countries such as the USA and Canada, and in Europe from France, the trend of slightly wider all-round skis has been spreading. Manufacturers have adapted these skis to the Central European market (widths of 78–86 mm), still combining most of the advantages of classic alpine skis – good edge grip, torsional stability, liveliness... Thanks to the extra width, these skis are especially welcome when slope conditions are not ideal: in fresh or soft snow, in spring conditions, they are more forgiving and give the skier more reaction time. Despite all these advantages, they still provide excellent grip even on morning “ice” or freshly groomed runs.

Want to know more? Check out our GUIDE.