What size should my touring skis and poles be?

The choice of the size of your skis and poles will be decisive in your practice. Two criteria are essential for this choice: 

• Your own size.
• Your practice (Speed Touring, Freerando or a mixture of both).

CHOOSING THE SIZE OF YOUR SKIS

As mentioned above, your choice of ski will depend on the type of skiing you do.

• Speed Touring

Also known as Rando Fitness, the key word for Speed Touring is lightness, so you should opt for a fairly light pair of skis (less than 2kg). In terms of width, it is best to choose a skate width of between 70 and 80mm, which will allow greater malleability and lightness in your descent. In terms of length, we recommend a pair of skis 10 to 15 cm below your height.

• Freerando

In this type of skiing, the skier will always prefer the descent to the ascent, so he will opt for a wider ski to give him stability in fresh powder. In freerando, the skier will use a ski similar to his height or 5 cm smaller. Then, a skate width of 95 to 105mm will provide maximum comfort during the descent.

• Versatility

A versatile pair of touring skis will be a perfect compromise between Speed Touring and Freerando, allowing you to be as comfortable going up as down. You will have to find a compromise between the two to have a stable ski for the descent but light enough for the ascent. In this case, opt for a ski 5 to 10cm below your height and a skate width of 80 to 90mm.

• Beginners

For newcomers to touring skis, you should opt for versatile skis, about 10cm below your height.

In brief:

SPEEDTOURING	FREERANDO	POLYVALENCE	DEBUTANT
Skate between 70 et 80mm. 10 à 15cm below your height.	Skate between 95 et 105mm. 5cm below or your own height.	Skate between 80 et 90mm. 5 à 10cm below your height.	10 cm below your height.

CHOOSING THE SIZE OF YOUR SKI POLES

It is very important in ski touring to have sturdy poles that allow us to lean on them when climbing. You should therefore choose poles that are solid (made of carbon or aluminium) but with a comfortable handle.

There are two solutions for ski touring: classic ski poles or folding or telescopic poles.

If you prefer classic poles, it is important to choose poles with large washers so that you do not sink into the snow. As for the size, simply refer to the chart below.

Size of the skier (cm)	Size of the ski touring pole
140	95
150	105
160	110
170	120
180	125
190	135
200	140

If you choose folding or telescopic poles, the choice will simply be between carbon and aluminium. Both materials have their qualities, carbon will be strong but may crack in case of heavy impact whereas aluminium will be softer and will bend more easily in case of impact (this will not prevent its use).