Expert Tips for Finding Your Next Pair of Skis: Lessons from a Top Ski Tester

Author: Tom Gellie

I recently had a great chat with Phil from SkiTalk.com—this guy’s one of the top ski testers out there, and he really knows his stuff. I wanted to pass on some of the gold he shared about finding the perfect skis for you especially if you get to test them at a demo day or from a ski shop. It boils down to four key things that you want to keep in mind when you try out a new set of skis.

1. Snow Conditions

First off, the snow you’re skiing on really matters. Phil was big on this—he said the snow changes how skis feel under your feet. A ski might be amazing on soft snow in Colorado but feel off on the hard pack in Austria. So, if you’re testing skis, make sure you’re trying them in conditions similar to what you normally ski on. That way, you’ll get a more realistic feel for how they’ll perform when you’re out there. It sounds obvious but the main thing to take into account is what the snow was like when you tried the skis. A great idea if trying multiple skis is to repeat the same run, so you at least compare all skis to that slope.

2. Ski Tune

The ski tune can make or break your experience, and I’ve personally experienced this several times. A bad tune can completely alter the true feel of a ski. In fact, it happened to me recently with a pair of top-of-the-line skis. I couldn’t stand them until the base bevel was corrected. Phil, a friend of mine, echoed my thoughts, saying that a poor tune can ruin the skiing experience, even with high-quality skis. Something as simple as the wrong base bevel can make skis feel unstable or hard to control. But once they’re properly tuned? It’s a completely different story. So, if you try a pair and they don’t feel right, it might be the tune—not the skis themselves. Always ask the rep about the tune when you’re demoing. It’s worth it.

Here’s a great example: Ski Dad (the YouTube personality and fantastic skier) used to be a Blizzard rep. He told me that local rippers would always seek him out on demo days because they knew he hand-tuned every pair beforehand. His skis always performed perfectly because of that attention to detail. So remember, you’re testing the tune first, then the ski.

For more on the importance of base bevel tuning, check out this article by expert ski tuner Chris Hillier (after you finish reading this, of course!).

SKI TUNING ARTICLE

Importance of base bevel tune article

3. Bindings

Bindings are often overlooked, but Phil made a great point here. Demo bindings frequently have different ramp angles and stack heights compared to the non-demo versions you might end up buying. Even the placement of the binding on the ski can affect how a ski feels. This is especially important with skis that don’t come with a system binding—those that are sold flat, where you choose the binding separately and have it screwed on, like the Fischer Ranger, Volkl Mantra, or Blizzard Bonafide.

The difference in height between your toe and heel can change how you pressure the skis, and the height from the snow can have an even bigger impact, according to Phil. It can make skis feel twitchier and more responsive, or more stable and maneuverable. It’s a subtle difference, but it can affect your experience. Phil often hears from people who loved a pair of skis at demo day but felt something was off when they bought their own. So, take note of the bindings on the demo skis and try to match them with what you buy later—it helps keep things consistent.

You won’t really know what kind of binding setup you prefer until you try a few different setups. So, in addition to noting the model and brand, it’s worth digging deeper into specifics like the toe-to-heel height difference and stack height to figure out what feels best for you. SkiTalk has a section on their website where Phil makes a spreadsheet comparing these data points on bindings that is worth checking out.

https://www.skitalk.com/forums/gear-reviews-and-comparisons.11/

4. The Ski

And of course, the ski itself matters! Once you’ve considered snow conditions, tune, and bindings, you can really start assessing the ski. Skis are a personal choice, and from my own experience, I usually know within one run whether I like a ski or not. So this part is really up to you. If you want to make sense of ski reviews and all the jargon, I’d suggest learning a bit about ski construction—it can help you understand what reviewers are talking about.

The “One ski quiver” all mountain ski

Phil also had this cool way of breaking down all mountain skis into two types: “wide narrow skis” (think race-style carving skis with a bit of extra width) and “narrow wide skis” (which are more like powder skis but narrowed down for better all-mountain use).

“Wide narrow” skis; are great for people that really like the thrill of carving. The wider all around shape works well laying it over in softer snow conditions you get on the west coast of North America. The skis cut through crud better and don’t “boot out” at higher edge angles compared to narrow waisted skis. A good example of this category are the Fischer Curv series of skis or the Volkl Peregrine series.
“Narrow wide” skis; are a great choice for those who spend equal time off piste as on piste. These trimmed down free ride skis like the Fischer ranger 90 or the Volkl Mantra 88 ski great in the moguls and heavier snow whilst still being able to give you some rebound out of a carved turn.

Fine-Tuning Your Skiing Experience: Beyond Just the Skis

In the end, ski testing is about understanding all the variables that affect your experience on the slopes—snow conditions, tune, bindings, and of course, the ski itself. By paying attention to these details and experimenting with different setups, you’ll get closer to finding the perfect ski for your style and preferences. Remember, what works for someone else might not work for you, so take your time and trust your own feel for the ski. And if something feels off, it might not be the ski—it could be the tune or bindings, so don’t be afraid to dig into the specifics.

Skiing is a personal journey, and the right gear makes all the difference. If you want to take your skiing to the next level and refine your technique alongside gear selection, check out Big Picture Skiing. Our platform offers in-depth tutorials to help you improve your skiing and make the most of your time on the slopes.

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