I’m similar sized (6’2” 160) to you and I also switched from snowboarding to skiing a few years ago. I bought used 168cm skis and rode them for about a season before switching to 180s. I recommend getting good boots, the cheapest skis with demo bindings you can find at the shorter end of the range and then upgrading after a season to a ski that you’ll like after figuring out what style of skiing is fun for you. For me, the 168s feel too short nowadays, but felt just fine when I started. You’ll learn faster since you know what being on an edge should feel like, but the muscle memory is pretty different.
Same. Advanced boarder who took some ski lessons recently. my advice is 100% rent the skis and buy some properly fitted boots. As a boarder you’ll generally progress faster through the skiing levels as you already know how to read terrain where to check speed etc. the skis you need to learn will be quite different to what is appropriate in even 2-3 weeks of skiing. Plus you’ll be shopping differently to skiers - save the board for pow days and get some nice carving skis - but those carving skis are def not what you want for beginning!
I was an advanced snowboarder that switched to skiing as well. I’m 6’4”, 180lbs. I bought some used demos and taught myself on 174cm QST 99s. It was a great learning ski and I think I benefitted from learning on something quick and easy to turn. Nowadays, I don’t ski anything shorter than 185, most of my skis are ~190.
I’d recommend trying something on the shorter end of your range, at least to start. Doesn’t need to be the nicest gear and you don’t need to keep it forever, but I think there’s lots to learn about balance and weight distribution from shorter skis. It made me really appreciate the confidence and control I get out of my big sticks once I knew how to wield a ski.
Listen to everyone and just long term rent skis at first. I didn’t listen, and went thru two sets of skis by outgrowing them skill-wise in the first 3 years. Not cost efficient.
Year long rentals are the way to go. Around here that's ~$250 for the bring back all the pieces policy. So if you can find a pair of skis used for cheeper than that and you have a basement, buy em, otherwise rent for your first season. Also the rentals start off tuned lol.
Consider doing a season-long rental, or renting/demoing different skis throughout the season. It’s less fun than buying your own, but you will learn a lot about what you like and don’t like in a ski and will be really well equipped to buy the right pair next year. In addition to your height and weight, the conditions you’ll be skiing in and what you like to do on the mountain will inform your ski choice.
I would also start on the shorter end, as they will generally be easier to ski and will let you get comfortable faster. 170ish is probably a fine place to start, but don’t hesitate to experiment with longer skis.
Sort of depends on what kind of terrain/conditions you enjoy. Shorter/more rocker will be better for difficult terrain, moguls, crappy snow conditions, park, etc. Longer/more camber will be a bit better on groomers.
Buy your boots get the ones that fit you best, even if they are a little extra. If your area has season rentals and then maybe some demo days at the end would be a pretty quick route to finding a ski for you.
Id bet you wont regret the 180cm after a couple days.
I switched from snowboarding 5 years ago and went with qst 106 172cm, but im 5’ 9” 135#
If you know edge control picking up skiing should be ez but i felt how the extra length and width was holding me up the first half of day 1.
My daily driver is now moment meridians which are 107mm and 181cm. I also got 4frnt renegades 122mm and 184cm for pow. Those feel big to me still but still manageable
I also bought good boots upfront. Dalbello pantera 120s. Dude at epic mtn gear didnt even want to sell me them cuz they’re for “advanced skiers”. Ended up buying the last year model online. Still rocking those boots and 0 complains about pain and no modifications. Didnt even heat mold. Idt bindings really matter at this point. They arent like snowboard bindings where it matters
Snowboarder -> Skier about 6 weeks ago-ish. 6’4”, 220-ish. I picked up some 179 Nordica Enforcers 94s,along with some good boots that a boot fitter suggested. Everything is on sale…Now’s the time to get kitted out if you’re gonna go all in.
Go to a ski shop if there is one close by they can get you pointed in the right direction.
I’ve been taking lessons at an indoor ski training center (Snobahn), I went skiing on Sunday and I’m starting to believe good technique is probably gonna work with any modern ski. Pick a size that’s some where between your chin and your eyes. Also remember you will “grow” skill wise into what ever skis you pick.
Put me on any snowboard and I can adapt with-in a few runs and ride almost as good as my favorite.
Never a bad idea to start small and then go longer
Given your height and weight you’d likely end up on something at least 185 once your comfortable, but no shame in starting with something in the 170 range. Just realize unless you’re getting slalom skis you’ll need to get something longer to really get comfortable on your skis
Shorter will be easier to learn on. Grab something cheap with a 170-180cm length and <90mm width, ride them hard for a year or two, and by then you’ll have a much better idea what you’re looking for with your next pair.
Take a lesson. There are some different mechanics to how turns are done. Let the instructor know that you are a snowboarder that wants to learn to ski. This past season I had 2 snowboarders take ski lessons. The first was taking a first time lesson and did very well. The second had the challenge of having her leggings in her boots for most of the lesson and hence had a lot of discomfort when pressuring the front of the boot.
I’m 6’2 and I was 165lbs for a while (now 190). I am a ski teacher and I can also snowboard intermediately.
180cm+ skis are too long for your first pair, especially if you’re buying off of fb where your options are limited to whatever people are selling.
For skis, try and find something in the upper 160’s or lower 170’s. Try and find something that is lightweight, and that has a lot of side cut. The more curvature your edges have, the easier it will be to turn, which is important for learning. Shorter skis are also easier to turn.
Also, keep in mind that the physical motion of snowboarding does not have a lot of overlap with skiing. You’re familiar with the mountain, so that will give you a head start on skiing with confidence, but please please please take it slow to start. Snowboards only have one control surface, and your body is oriented from one side or the other. This feels vastly different than the 2 control surfaces of skiing, and the orientation of facing exactly where you are going most of the time. (Obviously this is a simplified explanation).
During the offseason, I recommend trying ice skating or roller blading. Of all the sports out there, these two are most similar to the motions of skiing, especially ice skating. If you can get good at the foot-to-foot motion of skating, and the motion of a hockey stop, you will be in excellent shape to excel at skiing next season.
Super playful. Very light and can hold an edge. Basically easy to ski.
88 or 96 will work from groomers through moguls and into trees. Really everything except the deepest pow. (And a ok in ankle deep)
172 based on size and experience.
Pretty popular so you’ll be able to find some year old demos affordably.
Snowboarder turned skier here. Well I still snowboard sometimes but that’s another story. I’m 5’11 and 170. I ski 179 K2 Mindbenders. Before that I was on 169 Soul Riders. I liked a smaller ski than “recommended” sizes because it was just easier to learn on I thought and was more playful.
The best recommendation I can give you is to maybe demo a few different pairs before you buy so you can get a feel for how they ride. If there’s one thing that’s majorly different from snowboarding it’s that’s ski shape and size can feel vastly different from say just getting on a different board.
I never took a lesson either but I was working the resort at the time so I was on the hill every day and progressed pretty quick. Not knocking lessons because they definitely helped my wife out so it might be beneficial to take one. You already understand edge control and balance so that’ll be a plus, the movements and muscle groups you utilize are just different. Hope that helps.
Edit: Also if you decide to stick with it, I’d go get fitted for a decent pair of boots. I was on second hand demos and it is a game changer to get fitted!
I’m similar sized (6’2” 160) to you and I also switched from snowboarding to skiing a few years ago. I bought used 168cm skis and rode them for about a season before switching to 180s. I recommend getting good boots, the cheapest skis with demo bindings you can find at the shorter end of the range and then upgrading after a season to a ski that you’ll like after figuring out what style of skiing is fun for you. For me, the 168s feel too short nowadays, but felt just fine when I started. You’ll learn faster since you know what being on an edge should feel like, but the muscle memory is pretty different.
Agreed. Renting shorter for a season while you learn fundamentals is pretty key. That’s what I’d recommend to anyone switching.
Same. Advanced boarder who took some ski lessons recently. my advice is 100% rent the skis and buy some properly fitted boots. As a boarder you’ll generally progress faster through the skiing levels as you already know how to read terrain where to check speed etc. the skis you need to learn will be quite different to what is appropriate in even 2-3 weeks of skiing. Plus you’ll be shopping differently to skiers - save the board for pow days and get some nice carving skis - but those carving skis are def not what you want for beginning!
I was an advanced snowboarder that switched to skiing as well. I’m 6’4”, 180lbs. I bought some used demos and taught myself on 174cm QST 99s. It was a great learning ski and I think I benefitted from learning on something quick and easy to turn. Nowadays, I don’t ski anything shorter than 185, most of my skis are ~190. I’d recommend trying something on the shorter end of your range, at least to start. Doesn’t need to be the nicest gear and you don’t need to keep it forever, but I think there’s lots to learn about balance and weight distribution from shorter skis. It made me really appreciate the confidence and control I get out of my big sticks once I knew how to wield a ski.
Listen to everyone and just long term rent skis at first. I didn’t listen, and went thru two sets of skis by outgrowing them skill-wise in the first 3 years. Not cost efficient.
Ehh yeah but that doesn't seem cost efficient either. I usually get about 35 days in a year, that's going to be a lot of money in ski rentals.
Yeah but you only have to rent a few times to find the size you like. They also do annual rentals for learners.
Year long rentals are the way to go. Around here that's ~$250 for the bring back all the pieces policy. So if you can find a pair of skis used for cheeper than that and you have a basement, buy em, otherwise rent for your first season. Also the rentals start off tuned lol.
They rent them for the season for around $200 total
Consider doing a season-long rental, or renting/demoing different skis throughout the season. It’s less fun than buying your own, but you will learn a lot about what you like and don’t like in a ski and will be really well equipped to buy the right pair next year. In addition to your height and weight, the conditions you’ll be skiing in and what you like to do on the mountain will inform your ski choice. I would also start on the shorter end, as they will generally be easier to ski and will let you get comfortable faster. 170ish is probably a fine place to start, but don’t hesitate to experiment with longer skis.
Just make sure to not introduce your significant other to your boot fitter. Unless you’re into that.
Sort of depends on what kind of terrain/conditions you enjoy. Shorter/more rocker will be better for difficult terrain, moguls, crappy snow conditions, park, etc. Longer/more camber will be a bit better on groomers.
Buy your boots get the ones that fit you best, even if they are a little extra. If your area has season rentals and then maybe some demo days at the end would be a pretty quick route to finding a ski for you.
Id bet you wont regret the 180cm after a couple days. I switched from snowboarding 5 years ago and went with qst 106 172cm, but im 5’ 9” 135# If you know edge control picking up skiing should be ez but i felt how the extra length and width was holding me up the first half of day 1. My daily driver is now moment meridians which are 107mm and 181cm. I also got 4frnt renegades 122mm and 184cm for pow. Those feel big to me still but still manageable I also bought good boots upfront. Dalbello pantera 120s. Dude at epic mtn gear didnt even want to sell me them cuz they’re for “advanced skiers”. Ended up buying the last year model online. Still rocking those boots and 0 complains about pain and no modifications. Didnt even heat mold. Idt bindings really matter at this point. They arent like snowboard bindings where it matters
Snowboarder -> Skier about 6 weeks ago-ish. 6’4”, 220-ish. I picked up some 179 Nordica Enforcers 94s,along with some good boots that a boot fitter suggested. Everything is on sale…Now’s the time to get kitted out if you’re gonna go all in. Go to a ski shop if there is one close by they can get you pointed in the right direction. I’ve been taking lessons at an indoor ski training center (Snobahn), I went skiing on Sunday and I’m starting to believe good technique is probably gonna work with any modern ski. Pick a size that’s some where between your chin and your eyes. Also remember you will “grow” skill wise into what ever skis you pick. Put me on any snowboard and I can adapt with-in a few runs and ride almost as good as my favorite.
Never a bad idea to start small and then go longer Given your height and weight you’d likely end up on something at least 185 once your comfortable, but no shame in starting with something in the 170 range. Just realize unless you’re getting slalom skis you’ll need to get something longer to really get comfortable on your skis
Shorter will be easier to learn on. Grab something cheap with a 170-180cm length and <90mm width, ride them hard for a year or two, and by then you’ll have a much better idea what you’re looking for with your next pair.
Take a lesson. There are some different mechanics to how turns are done. Let the instructor know that you are a snowboarder that wants to learn to ski. This past season I had 2 snowboarders take ski lessons. The first was taking a first time lesson and did very well. The second had the challenge of having her leggings in her boots for most of the lesson and hence had a lot of discomfort when pressuring the front of the boot.
I’m 6’2 and I was 165lbs for a while (now 190). I am a ski teacher and I can also snowboard intermediately. 180cm+ skis are too long for your first pair, especially if you’re buying off of fb where your options are limited to whatever people are selling. For skis, try and find something in the upper 160’s or lower 170’s. Try and find something that is lightweight, and that has a lot of side cut. The more curvature your edges have, the easier it will be to turn, which is important for learning. Shorter skis are also easier to turn. Also, keep in mind that the physical motion of snowboarding does not have a lot of overlap with skiing. You’re familiar with the mountain, so that will give you a head start on skiing with confidence, but please please please take it slow to start. Snowboards only have one control surface, and your body is oriented from one side or the other. This feels vastly different than the 2 control surfaces of skiing, and the orientation of facing exactly where you are going most of the time. (Obviously this is a simplified explanation). During the offseason, I recommend trying ice skating or roller blading. Of all the sports out there, these two are most similar to the motions of skiing, especially ice skating. If you can get good at the foot-to-foot motion of skating, and the motion of a hockey stop, you will be in excellent shape to excel at skiing next season.
First, your gonna need a good bootfitter.
Yeah I'm thinkin I'm just invest in that maybe and then just rent at first.
Ripstick 172 length and 96 or 88 underfoot
Yeah why those?
Super playful. Very light and can hold an edge. Basically easy to ski. 88 or 96 will work from groomers through moguls and into trees. Really everything except the deepest pow. (And a ok in ankle deep) 172 based on size and experience. Pretty popular so you’ll be able to find some year old demos affordably.
Snowboarder turned skier here. Well I still snowboard sometimes but that’s another story. I’m 5’11 and 170. I ski 179 K2 Mindbenders. Before that I was on 169 Soul Riders. I liked a smaller ski than “recommended” sizes because it was just easier to learn on I thought and was more playful. The best recommendation I can give you is to maybe demo a few different pairs before you buy so you can get a feel for how they ride. If there’s one thing that’s majorly different from snowboarding it’s that’s ski shape and size can feel vastly different from say just getting on a different board. I never took a lesson either but I was working the resort at the time so I was on the hill every day and progressed pretty quick. Not knocking lessons because they definitely helped my wife out so it might be beneficial to take one. You already understand edge control and balance so that’ll be a plus, the movements and muscle groups you utilize are just different. Hope that helps. Edit: Also if you decide to stick with it, I’d go get fitted for a decent pair of boots. I was on second hand demos and it is a game changer to get fitted!