Waterskiing is a tale as old as time itself...well something like that. Anyways, It seems that every boat has a pair of waterskis in it. Whether they are an old pair of wood skis, or a newer pair of combos. Waterskis are a staple in any boat. But, what are the differences? There seems to be a lot of them so what is the best way to navigate them? Here is our buying guide to help you find the best waterskis for you and your boat.
Pop Quiz!
The first thing in choosing the proper waterski is doing a little self assessment. Simply put, we want to know how avid of a skier you are. If you just like skiing around, taking in the views, and it happens to be on 2 skis all the time, combo skis are for you. These skis are great for new or less avid skiers because they are easy to get up on and are stable when skiing. Combo water skis are also less expensive than a slalom water ski. Now if you are someone who has learned how to slalom and want to take that next step, a slalom specific ski is the next step you want to take.
Combo Skis
As mentioned before, Combo Waterskis are great for new skiers and those who may not be as aggressive. They come in all sizes and are sized based on weight. So you can have a really small pair for the kids, a medium for the teenagers, and a large pair for adults. Combo skis will also have a rear loop on one ski in case you want learn to slalom ski. Some of these skis even come packaged with a connecting bar to help the "never ever" skiers. Again, a great waterski option for someone who may go handful of times a year.
- If you ski behind a pontoon or a multi sport boat, combo skis are a great option.
- Combo Skiing is usually done up to 25mph.
Slalom Waterskis
Slalom Waterskis are all waterskis that are sold as a single ski. Some Slalom Waterskis are called "Wide Body" skis, some "Crossover" and some "Course". These terms are used to describe how aggressive, or more importantly, how fast you are skiing. Speed is a tell tale sign of how aggressive of a ski you should look for. The Wide Body skis cover those skiers who may be skiing slower and Course skis cover those who are skiing the fastest.
- Wide Body
- These waterskis are the "Sunday Cruiser" of slalom water skis. If you are coming off an old pair of combos and want to upgrade to a nice boot and something that has a little more side cut, this is a great step in the right direction. Wide Body skis are also great for those skiers who may have skied a Crossover before and are getting a little more relaxed in their more recent days. Meant to be skied at slower speeds. Roughly 24-30mph
- Crossover
- Crossover water skis cover the skiers who ski aggressively but may not ski in a course regularly. These types of skis are usually meant to be skied anywhere from 26-34. They are great for that progressing level skier, or high end open water skier.
- Course
- Course level waterskis are great for those who ski in a course regularly, or ski open water very aggressively. Speed for course level water skis is heavily dictated by weight and can range from 26-36mph. For example, If you have younger skier, they may only need to ski at 26mph because they do not weigh as much.
- The main reason you would need a course level ski is because of the sidecut. These skis are very aggressive and make skiing in courses much easier as they turn sharper than Crossover and Wide Body skis.
- It is encouraged to have skied a crossover level ski before purchasing a course level ski to have better results.
Sizing
So now that you can comfortable know what style or level of water ski you are looking to get, we can move onto sizing. It is always encouraged to use a manufacturer's size chart when available, as this will give you the most accurate sizing. However if you are unable to find a size chart for the ski you are looking at, here is a general size chart.
Approx. Combo Ski Size
|
| Ski Size (in) |
Skier Weight (lbs) |
| Junior |
Up to 60 |
| 59 |
Up to 120 |
| 63 |
110 - 160 |
| 67 |
Over 140 |
| *These are rough numbers to get you in the ballpark of sizing. Always reference the manufacturer's size chart for specific sizing. |
Approx. Slalom Ski Size
|
| Ski Size (in) |
Skier Weight (lbs) |
| 63 |
Up to 110 |
| 65 |
Up to 150 |
| 67 |
150 - 200 |
| 69 |
200 - 250 |
| 71 |
250 and Up |
| *These are rough numbers to get you in the ballpark of sizing. Always reference the manufacturer's size chart for specific sizing. |
If you are still confused on something you've read, or if you are trying to decide between two skis, do not hesitate to give us a call. We are your waterski experts! Additionally, if we have a ski that you are interested in, we do offer a demo program. So stop in and let the ski speak for itself. But now is the time to get that new ski and get on the water! Run don't walk. |
