A good pair of skis is one of the most important essentials for skiing adventures. Lots of holiday resorts at mountain slopes rent out these accessories. If you are a frequent skier, though, then it is always best to invest in a good quality set that is right for your body and goals.
Skis can vary quite a bit in terms of price, features, and style. They come in all sorts of graphic prints, they can be made from different types of materials, and they can have all sorts of designs.
Some skis are best suited for beginners, while others are designed with advanced skiers in mind. Skis are also often made to excel in certain territories, and some are more equipped for specific activities, such as slalom.
When you get your own pair, you can invest in a set that suits your size, level of expertise, and preferred skiing techniques to perfection.
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The Best Slalom Skis to Buy Now
If you love slalom alpine skiing disciplines, then you have come to the right place. In this guide, we are going to take a look at a few skis that are terrific for skiing between poles or gates.
The skis we are recommending are designed to be quicker and to perform better on shorter turns. Here is a look at some of the best slalom skis to buy now.
1. Best Overall: Rossignol 2020 Hero Elite Plus Ti Skis
If you are looking for a good pair of all-mountain skis for aggressive or advanced skiers, then be sure to consider these.
This pair of skis by Rossignol looks fantastic with their red and black design and large Hero print on the length of the ski.
These skis are made from durable dual metal layers with metal laminate and wood core. They have a waist width of 78mm and very stiff flex. The stiff flex offers a firmer feel, which gives you more control when going around corners at high speeds.
These skis are sold in two different sizes and are suitable for a 90- to 260-pound weight range. They have a tip rocker/camber profile with a flat tail that is ideal for making quick and steady turns while sliding down the slopes. The skis also offer high rebound and good edge hold.
Pros
- They look stylish
- Perfect for advanced or aggressive skiers
- Made from durable materials
- Stiff flex is good for advanced skiing
- Vast weight range
- Rocker/camber profile is perfect for making quick turns or for increasing speed
- Bindings are included and installed
Cons
- Only available in two ski lengths.
- Not suitable for complete beginners
- All-mountain skis are not the best for slalom but can be used for this purpose
2. Best Budget Option: Atomic 2020 Redster G9 Skis
These skis are ideal for advanced or expert skiers who need something great for carving activities. These skis are a bit plain in design with their red color and simple Atomic logo print on the front of the ski.
These skis are sold in 171 sizes, and they are sold unmounted without the bindings installed.
The skis have a very stiff flex that is perfect for advanced skiers. They have rounded front tips with a flat tail that is perfectly suitable for making quick turns and for increasing your speed.
Pros
- The skis look good
- They are made from durable materials
- Perfect for advanced skiers
- Good stiff flex
- The skis are perfect for slalom tournaments
Cons
- The bindings are not installed, but they are included
- The skis are not the best for complete beginners
- They are only available in one size
- Not suitable for all terrains
3. Best Runner Up: Dynastar Legend 84 Skis
This pair of skis is also a good pick for good skiers who love to enjoy off-trail adventures or slalom tournaments. We love the bright blue color of these skis and the curved Legend print on the front and back of the ski.
The skis have a poplar core with a full sidewall construction. They are designed with power drive technology and have a rocker tip and rocker tail.
These skis are gripwalk compatible and are perfect for traditional alpine boot soles or gripwalk boot soles. The skis are also safer than many alternatives since they are designed to release upward at a 180-degree angle should you fall.
The skis are very light at just 1130g per ski, and they are very easy to enter or exit. You can get them in 177 or 184 centimeters in length.
Pros
- Made from durable materials
- Great overall look
- Compatible with gripwalk and traditional alpine boot soles
- Rocker tip and tail is perfect for quick turns and slalom competitions
- They are very easy to put on and remove
- These skis are designed to release upward should you fall
- You can use them on off-trail adventures
Cons
- Not suitable for complete beginners
- A wider range of lengths would have been nice
- Bindings are included and installed
4. Best Under $450: Head WC Rebels Skis
Tournament or competition slalom skiers who need pro-level speeds, fast and tight turns, and aggressive reactivity can consider these skis by Head WC.
These skis are white, which can make them a little bit tough to spot in the snow if you happen to lose one in a bad fall. However, they still look pretty fantastic with the small skull design at the back and the Head logo at the front.
The ski has a wood core, Worldcup sandwich construction, and graphene to reduce the weight. This makes these skis great for racing. They have a tip of 118 millimeter, a waist of 66 millimeter, and a 156 millimeter-wide tail.
They are 156 centimeters long, which makes them practical for shorter skiers. The tail end is flat, and the flex is very stiff with a 9 out of 10 rating. The rocker profile is rebel camber, which is ideal for increasing speed and for making quick turns.
Pros
- Made from durable materials
- Great skis for high-speed adventures and racing
- Stiff flex is perfect for advanced skiers
- Rebel camber profile makes it ideal for fast turns
- Bindings are included and already installed
Cons
- The skis are white, which can make them tough to spot if you lose one
- Not the best ski for complete beginners
- Can be too short for tall people or men
- Not designed for all-terrain use
5. Best Alternative: Blizzards Men’s Rustler Skis
These skis are designed for advanced or intermediate-to-expert skiers. The skis are great for all-mountain terrains, but they are also perfect for slalom competitions.
These skis are gorgeous with their dark and blue ombre design and their small logo detail at the front. The Blizzard print is nice and vivid in turquoise with a big 10 printed on the back of the skis.
These quality skis are made from a multilayer wood core that includes a blend of beech, balsa, poplar, and paulownia wood. Carbon elements are also included in the design to enhance the stability of the skis.
The tip-tail rocker design with a wider underfoot is ideal for increasing carving on groomed trails.
The skis are longer and wider at the waist, which makes them suitable for free-riders who might want to enjoy obstacles other than just slalom adventures.
You can get these skis in 172, 180, and 188 centimeter lengths, which means they have more suitable length options for tall women or men.
Pros
- Made from durable materials
- All-terrain design is more flexible
- Perfect for tall men
- Good for slalom adventures
- Very stylish graphics
- The skis are great for advanced and expert level skiers
- They offer good speed
Cons
- No bindings included
- All-terrain skis might not be best for some slalom adventures
- Might be tall for short men
Frequently Asked Questions
If you are buying a good pair of slalom skis for the very first time, then you might have some questions regarding the right pair to get.
Here is a quick look at some of the top answers to the most frequently asked questions that new skiers have. These answers will help guide you as you shop for the perfect skis.
What Is Slalom Skiing?
The word ‘slalom’ refers to fast, repeated sequences of curves. This is one of the oldest and most popular ski types for competitions even though skiers compete at a much slower speed of 40 kilometers per hour.
In these competitions, a course is usually designed with lots of gates and poles. Gates are usually set up with distances of 9 meters vertically and 2 meters horizontally. These gates are usually created with the use of two red and two blue poles.
In competitions, skiers need to pass between the gates. Men and women need to overcome different directional changes for gates, and they ski at different altitude levels.
Competitors are then judged by their speed and their ability to gracefully make all the needed turns so they can get through the gates.
What Is the Minimum Ski Length for International Slalom Competitions?
Most skis usually have a length of 203 to 207 centimeters, but slalom skis are designed to be shorter so that skiers can make quicker twists and turns, moving between poles and gates a lot faster and easier.
The international minimum length was initially 155 centimeters for men and 150 centimeters for women. However, these lengths were changed around 2003. The current international length for slalom skis is a minimum of 165 centimeters for men and 155 centimeters for women.
Can I Adjust My Own Bindings?
It is best to ask a professional to install or adjust your bindings for you. Professionals are trained and can calculate a proper release setting that you need in case you fall.
Without the correct release setting, you can end up breaking a leg because your skis might not release on time.
What Is DIN Setting?
DIN setting is the release setting of the binding. Each person’s DIN setting can vary. When you buy a new pair of skis, you will need to get the DIN setting on your bindings set up.
Various factors like skiing ability, age, weight, height, and length of the ski boot can impact the DIN setting on your bindings.
What Does Flex Mean for Skis?
Flex has to do with the stiffness or elasticity of your skis. It is generally better for complete beginners to get skis with a softer flex while advanced skiers prefer a firmer or stiffer flex.
This is because skis with a soft flex are easier to handle around corners at a slower speed but can be too soft when you are racing at high speeds. Skis with a stiff flex will give you more control while racing at high speeds.
As a beginner, you need to start slowly and gradually increase your speed as your skills progress. Skiers are usually recommended to start with a soft flex and to gradually work their way up to a stiff flex.
What Type of Ski Should I Get?
This depends on the type of skiing adventures you are most likely to enjoy. Some skiers prefer all-mountain skis because they have more choice when it comes to different adventures and terrains.
If you prefer slalom skiing, off-terrain skiing, or tracks with lots of short turns, then you should invest in slalom skis that are designed with a shorter radius.
What Does Ski-Radius Mean?
Skis with a bigger radius are better for longer turns, and those with a smaller radius are better for making quicker and shorter turns. The degree of the line created by the edge is the ski radius.
All-terrain skis usually have a medium radius because they are designed with a radius between these two. The radius is usually calculated by placing the ski on the ground and pushing it down until the entire edge has contact with the ground.
Final Thoughts
We do hope that this guide helped you find a pair of great quality skis so you can excel at slalom skiing or at least have a lot of fun while skiing down alpine slopes. If you’re looking for one of the best slalom skis on the market, one of these will surely fit the bill.
If you are also in the market for other types of skis or ski accessories like ski goggles, ski helmets, ski headphones, and ski boots, hop over to some of our other guides where we compare other quality products for you to consider.