Formula
Beginner skis sit between chin and nose. Intermediate skis sit between nose and forehead. Advanced skis run from head height to 5 inches over. The landmarks are offsets from height: chin −8 in, nose −5.5 in, forehead −2.5 in.
reference weight = 100 + 5 × (height − 60) for height over 60 in
weight shift = ±2 in if weight is more than 20 lb off
terrain = 0 groomed, +1 all-mountain, +3 powder
Retailer fit charts describe the landmarks in words. The inch offsets and the weight rule are this page’s reading of those charts. A brand’s size chart wins when you are choosing a model.
Worked examples
70 in, 155 lb, beginner, groomed. Chin is 62 in, nose is 64.5 in. Reference weight is 150 lb, so 155 is not far enough to shift. Range: 62 to 64.5 in.
70 in, 180 lb, intermediate, all-mountain. Nose to forehead is 64.5 to 67.5. Weight is 30 lb over 150, so +2 in, and all-mountain adds 1 in. Range: 67.5 to 70.5 in.
66 in, 140 lb, advanced, powder. Head height to +5 is 66 to 71. Reference weight is 130 lb, so no weight shift. Powder adds 3 in: 69 to 74 in.
Reference
70 inch skier, 155 lb, groomed snow. Landmark offsets only; no weight shift at this weight.
| Ability | Landmark | Range |
|---|---|---|
| Beginner | Chin to nose | 62–64.5 in |
| Intermediate | Nose to forehead | 64.5–67.5 in |
| Advanced | Head height to +5 in | 70–75 in |
Questions
What length ski is a 5 ft 10 in beginner?
Chin to nose on a 70 inch skier is 62 to 64.5 inches. At 155 lb the weight is inside 20 lb of the reference, so the range does not shift. This is a fit-chart heuristic. It is not a DIN or ISO 11088 release setting.
Where do the landmarks come from?
Retailer charts describe beginner skis between the chin and the nose, intermediate skis between the nose and the forehead, and advanced skis from head height upward. This page uses fixed offsets from height: chin 8 in below, nose 5.5 in below, forehead 2.5 in below, advanced from height to 5 in over. Those offsets are a model of the chart, not a measured survey.
Does weight or terrain change it?
More than 20 lb off the reference weight shifts the range by 2 inches. Reference weight is 100 lb at 5 ft, then 5 lb per inch of height. Groomed terrain adds nothing, all-mountain adds 1 inch, powder adds 3. A shop’s own chart can disagree.
Sources
- Retailer fit charts: beginner between chin and nose, intermediate between nose and forehead, advanced at head height and above. Offsets used here are chin −8 in, nose −5.5 in, forehead −2.5 in, advanced 0 to +5 in.
- Weight shift ±2 in beyond 20 lb from (height − 60) × 5 + 100. Terrain: groomed 0, all-mountain +1 in, powder +3 in. Not a DIN or ISO 11088 calculator.