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  1. #1
    Join Date
    May 2011
    Location
    SLC
    Posts
    97

    Teenager ski sizing help

    So my son, almost 13, has grown 6 inches in the past year and is showing no signs of stopping as evidenced by our grocery and Vans shoe bills.

    He needs new skis as the 155s he has from last year look like ski blades.

    He’s 5’6” in boots, weighs about 105 pounds. Solid skier having started at age 3, home resorts Snowbird and Alta. No ski racing/team but skis the whole mountain aggressively and starting to jump off everything. We have good insurance.

    I’m looking at getting him the Bent Chetler 100s, which come in 164 or 172cm, as an everyday ski.

    Question for parents who’ve faced this dilemma: go for the sure thing 164s or push to the 172s? I want him to have fun and not get worked in the trees but don’t really wanna pay for skis that’ll end up too short next season.

    Thanks for any input!

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Location
    voting in seattle
    Posts
    5,121
    Not a parent but when I was in my growth spurt I always sized up, always got my skis above head height, outgrew them a year later. Three seasons: 149cm, 169cm, 186cm.

    If he is a strong and aggressive skier it won’t be a big issue, and if he stops growing taller and starts to fill out it will be fine. My vote is for the 172.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Oct 2018
    Posts
    231
    How tall are you and how tall is your wife?

    If he's going to 6 ft then the 172 will definitely be useful at some point. My wife (5' 4'') was on the 164 for a few runs because of an on mountain demo this weekend. She is a bit heavier than your son, but she never felt like she wanted something shorter. They do ski short. Don't think your son will get worked on the 172 because of length but could see him having some co-ordination issues.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Location
    The Bull City
    Posts
    14,003
    172 all day long unless he's really spending a LOT of time in the park. Even so, he could totally handle the 172s but might prefer a 168 which you didn't mention as an option..
    Go that way really REALLY fast. If something gets in your way, TURN!

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Hell Track
    Posts
    13,841
    A solid skier who's 5'6" should have no problem on a 172. Sure, he's light, but that'll change soon enough. I would almost think the question should be between the 172 and 180.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    northern BC
    Posts
    30,879
    go long and let him carry the beer
    Lee Lau - xxx-er is the laziest Asian canuck I know

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Oct 2004
    Location
    50 miles E of Paradise
    Posts
    15,566
    ^^^And your quiver...

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    Seattle
    Posts
    8,401
    longer
    Quote Originally Posted by Foggy_Goggles View Post
    If I lived in WA, Oft would be my realtor. Seriously.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    BC to CO
    Posts
    4,864
    5'5" = 165cm.
    5'8" = 172cm.
    I would go with a slightly overhead height ski.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jun 2012
    Location
    Boise, ID
    Posts
    967
    he will have no problem handling the 172, serms like 160s would be short from the start!

  11. #11
    Join Date
    May 2011
    Location
    SLC
    Posts
    97
    Thank you all for confirming my suspicion.

    Time for junior to put on his big boy pants.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    truckee
    Posts
    354
    We went through this with the same group of boys in our sons grade (K-12 in Truckee). Food- thank God for Costco and longbed trucks.
    The rule of thumb the shop guys (90's vintage) for the local kids was: flat tail= hairline, twin tip= top of head plus 1-1.5".
    Seemed to work out pretty well (they all survived and most still skiing) and made it easy to shop at ski swaps.
    Give him a few years and dad's quiver ends up in the back of juniors Suby
    "if you plant ice, you're gonna harvest wind..."

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Feb 2014
    Posts
    13
    My son is 5'8" or 5'9"and weighs around 140. His new skis are Volkl 100Eight at 173.

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