Choosing Your All-Mountain Skis? Consider the Waist Width!

We are discussing the ski waist width, of course! The trends in skiing, especially for all-mountain, have evolved significantly over recent years. One major shift is in the millimeters around the waist.

When Did You Last Purchase Skis?

Over the past five years, ski manufacturing has seen substantial improvements like new materials, innovative construction methods, and enhanced technologies. All-mountain skis have truly become more all mountain.

So if you bought your last pair some time ago, you might be in for a pleasant surprise and a bit of confusion.

Waist Width Indicates How Off-Piste You Can Go

Of course, many factors come into play when choosing your skis, but waist width is a good aspect to consider. For everything else, check out our ‘5 Steps to Choosing the Right Ski for You’.

Nowadays, you can see that both skis with a waist of, for example, 76mm and 99mm are categorized as all-mountain. Take this season’s Rossignol 84 Experience and the new Völkl Mantra M5 (check the bottom for the video reviews). The difference is that the wider the waist, the more off-piste character the skis have and vice versa.

One way to interpret this is by considering what the waist width offers you. The narrower waist will be easier to maneuver, allowing you to nail both short and long turns on the track. They will also keep you afloat in tight powder conditions but are generally meant for a ratio of approximately 80% piste and 20% off-piste.

Skis with a wider underfoot also perform well on the track but require a bit more effort to transition from edge to edge. At the same time, you can take them into deeper and fresher powder. So the ratio shifts to 60% piste and 40% off-piste.

Your Experience Level Matters... A Lot!

It’s all-mountain, alright, but when it comes to carving turns, your experience level and the width of the ski underfoot are crucial.

As mentioned above, the wider the underfoot, the more effort it takes to transition from edge to edge, but it's easier to ride in powder. Thus, a wider waist demands more skill on the piste compared to a thinner one.

A thinner waist makes the skis easier to maneuver, easing you into turns and being more forgiving on your legs on the piste. This type of all-mountain ski is ideal for those who prefer a relaxed ride primarily on the tracks, without much ‘off-road’ and ‘hard-core’ action.

So, be clear about what you want from your skis and check out our all-mountain ski section to find the ones that call your name. Also, remember to follow us and subscribe to our YouTube winter channel for more ski reviews.