As more and more people realize how thrilling it is to enjoy a day outdoors skiing, the sport continues to grow in popularity. Despite this popularity, however, it can be difficult to get into.
The main reason for this is that many people don’t know what they need to start skiing. While most people are vaguely aware of the obvious equipment, it can be especially difficult to know which skis to get.
If you’re wondering what the best skis for beginners are, you’ve come to the right place. Depending on your preferences, there may be a few well-recommended that will be suitable. Keep reading to find out which will be best for you!
The 5 Best Skis For Beginners
There are many different skis on the market, and each one comes with multiple pros and cons. Though this means that there’s plenty to choose from, it could make it difficult to pick the right one. There’s also the fact that they can come in quite a range of prices.
If you’re a beginner, then it can often be difficult to see much of a difference between affordable skis and more expensive ones. In the majority of cases, these tend to be the features that some have on offer, such as sidewall designs, stronger cores and higher-quality materials, among other things. These can all come in varying degrees of quality.
That being said, here are some high-quality skis that you should consider.
1. The Best Overall Skis: Salomon S/Force 7 Men’s Skis
One of the main areas that you might want to consider when buying skis is the control they’ll provide. This can be vital to learning how to ski effectively. The Salomon S/Force 7 Men’s Skis offers an abundance of control, which makes it the top contender for beginners’ skis.
A semi-sidewall design enhances this, as your grip will feel far superior than it would with other skis. However, that isn’t the only area where these skis shine.
Their comfort level is almost unrivaled, as they feature a built-in terrain absorption system that makes the ride quite comfortable.
This is enhanced through the wood core design, which reduces vibration and the effects of impact. Minimal vibrations may be felt at high speeds, which could be quite an appealing benefit.
However, the skis might not get as fast as you might want. Given that you’re still a beginner, though, this might not be an issue.
Pros
- The semi-sidewall design allows for better grip.
- These skis use a terrain absorption system to make rides more comfortable.
- The wood core design reduces vibrations, even at high speeds.
- The design also makes these skis easy to control.
Cons
- You may not be able to reach very high speeds.
2. Best Budget Skis: Rossignol Experience 74 Men’s Skis
As a beginner, you may not want to spend too much money on a pair of skis, especially if you don’t know if you’ll be using them for very long. However, the Rossignol Experience 74 Men’s Skis are an affordable option for beginners that come with a few notable benefits.
One appealing aspect is the poplar wood core. This makes these skis lightweight and simpler to maneuver, both of which are notable benefits for any beginner.
Despite the lightweight design, these skis still maintain a decent amount of durability, thanks to the fiber materials. Thankfully, the fiber doesn’t add much weight to the skis, which makes them easy to learn on. The cap construction also adds to their manageability.
However, you might not pick you too much speed with these, which is especially true compared to other boards of the same weight.
Pros
- These skis feature a poplar wood core, which is lightweight but strong.
- The fiber mix helps make these skis durable without adding too much weight.
- The cap construction adds to the overall control you’ll have with these skis.
Cons
- Mightn’t offer as much speed as others.
3. Best Runner Up: Salomon XDR 76 St Skis
You’ll likely want a certain amount of precision with your new skis, especially when you’re starting. Thankfully, the Salomon XDR 76 St Skis stands out in this regard.
The thin, long design should make it easy to control these skis. As a result, you should be able to hit every turn that you’re attempting as you learn. These skis also feature a large turning radius, which could help in the first few weeks of learning to ski.
It’s also worth considering the skis’ tip and rocker tail design. This typically means that you’ll enjoy quite a bit of speed without having to worry about stability or control. However, there are some noticeable drawbacks to this.
Perhaps the largest of these is the length itself. While this can be fantastic for taller people, it should be avoided by shorter people. Naturally, this can be either positive or negative depending on your height, but it’s worth taking into account before you buy it.
Pros
- The thin design makes these great for control and taking turns.
- They offer quite a wide turning radius.
- The tip and tail rocker design makes it quite easy to control.
Cons
- Its length wouldn’t be appropriate for shorter people.
4. Best Skis for Under $250: Salomon QST Max Jr Kids Skis w/C5 GW Bindings
We understand that the price might play the largest factor in your purchasing decision. Thankfully, there are quite a few affordable skis on the market, although some of these are lower in quality.
Salomon QST Max Jr Kids Ski is one such pair of skis. Given its name, it’s naturally more suited to children, so it should be perfect for most people learning to ski.
Aside from this, there are several other benefits that you should consider, especially if you’re buying these skis for a child.
For example, as a lightweight pair of skis, they will be easy for anybody to maneuver without feeling too cumbersome.
A monocoque construction design also adds to this, as it provides an edge grip for increased control.
The Salomon skis are also remarkably versatile. They can be used on the majority of terrain types, and they are suitable for most snow conditions. That means that you wouldn’t be limited in regards to where you can use it.
Pros
- They can work well on most terrain types and under most snow conditions.
- As a lightweight ski, it’s quite easy to maneuver.
- The monocoque edge grip makes it easy to control.
- These skis are much more affordable than most other options.
Cons
- Width could make it difficult to turn for beginners.
5. Best Alternative Skis: Rossignol Soul 7 HD Skis
Comfort is naturally an important feature for many people learning to ski. When it comes to feeling comfortable, few boards can rival the Rossignol Soul 7 HD Skis.
Driven chiefly by their powder rocker design, these skis offer a significant amount of snow floatation, which prevents you from experiencing discomfort on a bumpy route.
Coupled with this is a carbon alloy matrix design, which adds vibration absorption, an edge grip, and a decent amount of flex. As a result, you’re going to get a lot of control when you’re riding these skis down the slopes.
Additionally, the lightweight materials make it quite easy to maneuver, even as you’re first learning how.
Unfortunately, even the shortest of these skis are still relatively long. That might make these skis an unsuitable choice for people under a certain height. For people who are tall enough, though, this could make these an even more worthy choice.
Pros
- The powder rocker design offers a lot of snow floatation.
- The Carbon Alloy Matrix provides an edge grip, vibration absorption, and a lot of flex.
- These skis are lightweight and easy to steer, regardless of your experience or ability.
Cons
- They might be slightly too long for some riders.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Best Skis for Beginners
It’s one thing to know what the best skis for beginners are. It’s quite another to understand how to choose between them.
While reviews will go quite far, choosing the right one for you can be more difficult. That’s because there can be quite a few things to consider, although many of these factors may not be the most obvious.
While price will be an obvious factor, here are some of the other variables that are important to consider.
Length, Width, and Size
The length and width of the skis will be an important factor to consider when buying your skis. Naturally, pick a pair that fits your height, as they’ll be easier to use and control. The taller you are, the longer the skis you’ll need.
For beginners, it’s recommended that you choose a board that extends from the floor up to between your chin and the top of your head. Once you’re more experienced, then you’ll be able to experiment with longer boards.
The width of each ski also plays a vital role. That’s because it affects the performance and feel of the skis. It could also affect its maneuverability. Typically, skinnier skis turn easier and faster than wider ones. However, wider boards float better over powdery snow.
While this mightn’t be the most significant factor to consider when you’re starting to learn, it can make quite a difference later on.
Riding Style & Preferred Terrain
While any high-quality skis will work on any terrain, many are designed to work better on specific types of snow. That means that you may need to consider where you’ll typically be skiing.
In general, it’s recommended that you go with an all-mountain option, as these will give a decent ride almost anywhere. However, some skis are designed for freestyle, freeride, alpine touring, and pistes.
If you plan to mainly ski on any of these, then pick a pair of skis that excels in that activity or environment. You’ll find it much easier to ski, and you’ll have a much better experience overall.
Bindings
Alongside your skis, you’ll need to consider the types of bindings that are used. Bindings attach you and your shoes to the skis.
There are two main types of ski bindings that you’ll choose from. Both can excel in different categories.
- Track-Mounted Bindings: As the name would suggest, these are bindings that are mounted on a track on the skis. The main benefit of these is that they have more flex, so you should be able to turn easier with them.
- Drill-Mounted Bindings: These bindings are drilled and then glued onto the ski. Some say these provide more control, as your foot is closer to the actual ski. They’re also lightweight, so they won’t drag you down as much as track-mounted bindings.
Both types of ski bindings have their benefits and their drawbacks. Be sure to consider these factors before buying any skis.
Conclusion
According to our research, the best skis for beginners are the Salomon S/Force 7 Men’s Skis by far. While they’re a little more expensive than some of their competitors, you’re getting a lot more quality for the price.
Naturally, this might only be an option if you’re planning on going skiing quite often. You’re not going to want to spend too much if you’re only going to use them once or twice.
However, if you ski a lot, or are planning to, then they’re definitely worth the investment.
That doesn’t mean that you should go for the most affordable skis if you’re not going to use them often, though. Instead, if you’re more budget-oriented, then you might want to consider the Rossignol Experience 74 Men’s Skis.
While these are slightly more expensive than the cheapest skis available, you get a lot more for the price. That’s not to mean that they cost a lot. On the contrary, they’re priced quite reasonably and fit a lot of features in for your budget.
Given how easy to use they are, alongside their other benefits, they’re probably the best affordable skis for beginners out there.
Of the skis we recommended here, which is your favorite? Let us know in the comments!