Alpine Ski Sizing:

            Before you can learn skiing you will first need to learn about its
            primary piece of equipment: the Ski. You will need to know what a
            ski consists of and what the different elements are before you can
            choose the ski which is best for you and how you should use your skis.
            In this section you will learn that skis now-a-days are highly
            technical feats of engineering. If you already have skis make sure
            you can identify the following elements:<p>
          
                  The Base is the bottom side of the ski, the part of the ski that touches the
                  snow. Traditionally skis were made of wood. Although wood is
                  sometime still used, most skis are now made from aluminum
                  or fiberglass.
                  <h4><br>
                  Camber</h4>
                  The amount of space beneath the center of a ski when it lays
                  on is the camber, the flat surface and its weight rests on the tip and
                  tail. This is the gentle arch the ski makes when you rest it
                  on a flat surface.<br>
               
                  <h4>Contact Points</h4>
                  The points at which the skis contacts the snow with out the
                  pressure of the rider being displaced on the board. The
                  contact points can be found by placing the board on a smooth,
                  flat surface then slide a piece of paper under the center of
                  the ski, slide it toward the tip or tail until it stops.<br>
                  <h4>Edge</h4>
                  The metal edges on the sides of the ski. Sharp edges make sure
                  you maintain grip in turns and that the skis do not slip.
                  Holding an edge is important in turns.<br>
                  <h4>Effective Edge</h4>
                  The length of metal edges on the ski which touches the snow.
                  It is the effective part which is used to make a turn. The
                  effective edge is in contact with the snow when the ski is in
                  a carved turn. A longer effective edge makes for a more
                  stable, controlled ride; a shorter effective edge makes for a
                  looser, easier turning ski.<p>
             
            The tip is the front end of the skis. The tip is always pointed upwards to make
            sure that the front of your ski does not grip the snow and dig
            itself in.<br>
            <h4>Shovel</h4>
            This is the widest part of the ski at the front of the ski is the
            shovel.<br>
            <h4>Overall Length</h4>
            Overall Length is measured from the tip of the ski to the tail, usually referred to in
            Centimeters (cm).<br>
            <h4>Sidecut Radius</h4>
            Sidecut radius is the measurement of how deeply or shallowly the ski's cut is
            from the nose of the ski to the waist (or middle of the ski). This
            is what helps the ski turn &amp; maneuver easier. The smaller the sidecut radius the
            tighter you will be able to turn. A ski with a larger sidecut will
            make big arching turns. It is the radius of a circle that makes the
            hourglass shape of the skis and thus how it is defined and measured.
            It works in conjunction with the running length of the skis.<br>
          
            The rear end of the ski opposite of the nose/tip is the tail.<br>
            <h4>Top/Deck</h4>
            Opposite of the base, top of the board is where the bindings are
            mounted and the skier stands. Most boards have mounting holes in the
            deck where the bindings can be screwed into. The holes enable you to
            connect your bindings to your board in different angles and stances.<br>
            <h4>Waist Width</h4>
            The waist width is the narrowest point of the board. This is usually the middle of the
            sidecut.<br>
         
                        <h4>What is your Skill Level</h4>
            Your skill level is the second most important factor in selecting
            the proper skis. You will want
            to buy skis that are designed for a skill level slightly higher than
            the one you currently posses. If you buy for your current level then
            it will hinder your learning curve. If you buy too high then you
            will be trying to figure out your skis most of the time instead of
            actually learning.<br>
            <h4>What kind of surfaces am I going to Ski on?</h4>
            The surface is another important factor. Although all skis will
            basically work on all surfaces, many skis are designed to either
            perform perfectly under a specific surface or to offer generally good
            performance on a multitude of surfaces. Are you planning to stay on
            well-groomed pistes in resort areas or are you going off piste? If you are
            planning to go back country skiing then you will want to go for
            specific backcountry skis.
            <h4>Do I need Gender Specific Skis?</h4>
            Women have a different body build where their centre of mass is
            lower than a man's. This causes women to have the tendency to lean
            back more. Women also weigh less than men which means that their
            skis need to be more flexible to gain the same flex in turns as men
            do. If you are a woman, then it is wise to buy skis specifically
            designed for a woman. They are lighter in weight, more flexible and
            the bindings are set more to the front to accommodate the lower
            centre of mass.
            <h4>What Shape should my Skis be?</h4>
            Modern skis have taken much of the knowledge and expertise of
            snowboarding camber and sidecut radius to come with more effective
            ski shapes. It really depends on your skiing purpose to find the
            right shape for you. In general, a ski with more sidecut (and thus a
            rounder shape) will make it easier to make (carving) turns. Shaped
            skis should also be shorter then regular skis to further assist you in
            turning.
            <h4>What length should my Skis have?</h4>
            There are a couple of basic rules when it comes to choosing the
            right ski length. In general, a ski should have a length such that when
            you place it's tail on the ground the tip should come between your
            shoulders and your eyes. With the emergence of shaped skis and other
            factors, this rule has become somewhat a bit outdated. Things that determine
            the length of your skis:
            <ul type="square">
              <li>Your Length: if you are taller then your skis should be longer
              <li>Your Weight: is most often connected with your length. If you
                weight more then you should have longer skis
              <li>Skill Level: in general, the better you are the longer your
                skis should be. The faster you ski, the more vibration your skis
                will face. Longer skis deal with vibration better.&nbsp;&nbsp;
              <li>The Shape of your Skis: shaped skis work better when they are
                shorter. So, actually, at this moment, skiers are shifting to
                increasingly shorter skis</li>