Purchasing Skis for Children

Selecting an appropriate set of skis for your children will enable their development and, above all, ensure they enjoy themselves. You should aim to pick skis fit for on-piste as it is the place where your child can conveniently learn and refine their skills, unless they’re already concentrated in a specific discipline. When selecting skis, it is crucial to find those aligned with their experience level, as beginner skis tend to be gentler and more pliant than advanced ones.

Though renting is always viable, owning a pair is advantageous for familiarisation and confidence on the slopes. Additionally, it lets you skip the busy rental lines at the start of your vacation!

PISTE SKIS - Optimal for Staying On-Piste

Piste skis serve optimally for your child to spend quality time on the slopes honing fundamental skills or refining techniques in an environment conducive to learning. Their slim build ensures ample grip and maneuverability on snow.

ALL MOUNTAIN SKIS - Versatile Choices for Kids

All Mountain skis are forgiving, making them beginner-friendly, and offer a design that allows adventurous youngsters a capacity for venturing slightly off-piste, providing smoother turns even in deep snow.

Shop for Kids Skis

We also have special types of skis available for children who are already skilled and wish to explore disciplines like Park, Racing, or Freeride. If this piques your interest, consider perusing our Ski Buying Guide for Experienced Skiers for more detailed insights into these variants.

Determining the Correct Ski Length

Ensuring the use of skis appropriate to your child's size and capability facilitates quicker learning and enhances enjoyment. Height is the primary consideration, and as many children have proportional height and weight, skis reaching from their chest to eyebrows are usually suitable.

A first-time skier should have skis near their chest level. Conversely, a seasoned child would do well with skis nearing eyebrow height.

The image depicts ski length for a beginner (35 cm less than your height)

	Children's Skis
First-time	40 cm shorter than your height
Beginner	35 cm shorter than your height
Intermediate	30 cm shorter than your height
Advanced	15 cm shorter than your height
Expert	5 cm shorter than your height

Skis With or Without Bindings

Children's skis are available with or without bindings, yet selecting those with bindings is frequently recommended due to their adjustability and performance assurance. Suitable for all abilities, but particularly beneficial for newcomers to intermediate skiers.

Skis sans bindings are typically found in niche categories such as Park, Freeride, and Touring, necessitating separate binding purchases. For children progressing past intermediate, selecting skis and bindings separately presents an opportunity for customisation. Explore further about bindings in our Alpine Ski Bindings Buying Guide.

Other Ski Gear

Ski Boots

Getting boots right majorly impacts a child’s skiing experience, with rental pairs often proving uncomfortable. Key is choosing correct size and boot style.

Boot sizing is in centimetres, representing foot length from heel to toe. Measure using a ruler or tape. Kids’ boots typically offer softer flexibility and feature from 1 to 4 buckles.

Race boots are available for advanced kids excited about racing, although they come at higher prices and present elevated boot flex ratings (60 to 90).

Ski Poles

If your child is new to skiing, there’s no rush to purchase ski poles. Only when they’re comfortable with the fundamentals should they commence using poles.

Tip: Introducing Ski Poles to Children. Upon introducing poles, ensure correct usage to prevent any practised errors like loosely holding or trailing them, to avoid future difficulties.

Refer to our Ski Pole Length Size Chart to determine the correct size.

Safety with Helmets

This is an essential item that your child should undoubtedly possess. Regardless of whether they are just starting out or are seasoned, the chance of getting hurt remains constant. Beyond head protection, it can provide your child with added warmth and assurance, which are pleasant extra benefits. Many nations have laws that require children to wear helmets while skiing. For more information, check out How to wear your helmet or Lifespan of helmets.

Goggles, gloves, and suitable attire are some of the other necessities for enjoying your time on the slopes. You can find all these on our website: The ultimate ski and snowboard goggles guide.

Browse our range of skiwear and snow clothing