A skate ski is a shorter, stiffer cross-country ski with a smooth, groove-free base that you push side to side in a skating stride on groomed trails, rather than kicking forward like a classic ski. That single sentence explains almost everything else on this page: why the skis are shorter, why flex matters more than any other spec, why the binding standard can sink your budget, and why picking the wrong one for your body weight is more annoying than picking a bad one for your conditions.
We pulled the current Amazon Nordic skate ski listings side by side, read the construction specs on each one, and matched them against what skiers actually argue about in the Nordic communities. The honest headline is that this category is thinner online than the search results make it look. The most-recommended race skis in the forums, including the Salomon S/Lab in the cold and blue builds that r/xcountryskiing skiers name again and again for the Birkie, are not sold here at all. What is on offer skews toward Fischer race-grade construction and a couple of broader entry points, and several of these listings have no owner feedback behind them yet.
So we built this roundup around the one thing that does not depend on review counts: the geometry and construction data the manufacturers publish. Each pick below names what it is best for, who should skip it, and how it fits the sizing logic further down the page. If you are choosing for a first season on groomed trails, start with the first two. If you already have boots and a real fitness habit, the Fischer race constructions are the more interesting read.
One note before you go further: a lot of the confusion in this category comes from people buying skis without checking what standard their boots use. If you have never skate skied before, our backcountry safety gear guide covers the other half of going ungroomed, but for groomed track work the binding standard is the decision that actually matters.
Table of Contents
Top 3 Picks: Best Skate Skis For Nordic Skiers (September 2026)
K2 Fatty 88 Skate Skis
- Composite construction
- Forgiving full camber rocker
- Intermediate skill level
Fischer LS Skate with Binding
- Air Tec core
- 172 cm with waist 41-44-44
- Control Skate binding included
Every Skate Ski We Looked at in 2026
| Product | Specifications | Action |
|---|---|---|
| K2 Fatty 88 Men’s Skate Skis |
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Check Latest Price |
| Fischer LS Skate Skating with Control Skate Binding |
|
Check Latest Price |
 Rossignol X-8 Skate Unisex |
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Check Latest Price |
 Fischer Aerolite 80 Skate Ski |
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Check Latest Price |
 Fischer Aerolite Skate 70 Adult |
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Check Latest Price |
 Rossignol Delta Skate with Race Bindings |
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Check Latest Price |
1. K2 Fatty 88 – the forgiving all-rounder
K2 Fatty Freestyle Skis (2026, 88cm)
Composite construction
88 cm
Intermediate level
2-year limited warranty
Pros
- Forgiving camber rocker suits variable snow
- Light composite build
- Durable Duracap molding
- Two-year limited warranty
Cons
- 88 cm is a short
- specific length
- Composite sits below race-grade stiffness
- Only two owner reviews
Best for: a first pair of skate skis, or any skier who wants something forgiving on variable snow rather than a narrow race instrument.
The K2 Fatty is the pick I keep coming back to for the person who has been on a rental ski and decided they want their own. The construction is full composite with K2’s Duracap molding process, where the top layer wraps the core and internal materials, and that is a deliberately forgiving recipe. It is not the stiffest thing you can put underfoot, and for most of us that is the point.
Where it earns its place is the shape. This is a full camber rocker with a gradual tip rise and a short, low tail rise, which manufacturers describe as a versatile all-conditions profile. In practice that means it will not punish you when the groomer has been out in the morning and the track has gone soft and slow at nine, and it will still hold an edge when the temperature drops and the ice shows up. That range matters far more over a first season than any race result.
Be honest with yourself about one thing though: 88 cm is a short ski, and it is a specific length rather than a range. Shorter skis are easier to turn and easier to balance on, which is why they show up in beginner and junior programs. If you are taller and stronger than the sizing curves for a short ski suggest, the quickness will turn into instability rather than fun. Check the length against your weight before anything else.
Why this ski works for a first season
The forgiving flex is the whole argument. A composite ski with a camber rocker shape is designed to flex under a moderate load and return the energy, which is what makes the diagonal stride feel possible before your technique is dialled in. Beginners consistently report that skate skiing is tough for the first few weeks and then clicks, and a ski that punishes small weight-transfer errors makes that learning curve longer than it needs to be.
There is also a practical point in the construction. Composite cores are light, and a ski you are not excited to carry is a ski that stays in the garage.
Where the Fatty falls short
Two limits are worth naming plainly. The first is stiffness: this is not a ski you will grow into for hard racing, and if you are already a confident skier chasing pace you will find the ceiling quickly. The second is data quality. The listing for this model carries two reviews, both five stars, and the category metadata is inconsistent, with the sport type shown as snowboarding and a freestyle snowboard best-seller rank. That is a cataloguing quirk rather than a product defect, but it tells you how little owner history exists here, so demo before you commit if you can.
2. Fischer LS Skate – binding included and ready to ride
FISCHER LS Skate S Cross-Country Ski (172 cm) Skating 2022 + Binding Control Skate
172 cm
Waist 41-44-44
Air Tec core
Control Skate binding included
Pros
- Binding included
- IFP plate shifts balance fore or aft
- Tool-free adjustment on the track
- Air Tec core with Power Edge
Cons
- One length only at 172 cm
- Single owner review
- Older model year
Best for: skiers who want a complete setup in one box, including the binding, without researching a second purchase.
Most skate ski listings here are bare skis. This one is not. The Fischer LS Skate Skating comes with the Control Skate step-in binding already mounted, sized across shoe sizes 35 to 52 with a Flexor 7.0 setup, which means the hard part of your first purchase is solved. You put boots and skis on and go skiing.
The construction underneath is more serious than the package framing suggests. The ski is built on an Air Tec core with Basalite construction, a Worldcup Pro climbing zone covering, Sintec coating and Power Edge sidewall technology, finished with a speed-grinding base. Waist geometry is 41-44-44, a classic race-shaped profile that is narrower and more directional than a beginner ski, which means it rewards a clean V position and a committed push rather than cautious shuffling.
The binding is the detail I would actually point a buyer at. The integrated mounting plate lets you shift the balance point fore or aft with a single click, which on a 172 cm ski is a real tuning tool rather than a gimmick, because it lets you dial the ski to how you actually stand. The tool-free adjustment on the track is the other one. Being able to change the setting between outings, without a workbench, is the difference between tuning your setup and ignoring it.
What the included binding solves for you
The binding standard question is where first-time buyers lose money, because an NNN boot will not mate with an SNS plate and vice versa. Buying a ski with a working binding attached sidesteps the whole compatibility layer, and for a beginner that is worth more than an incremental flex upgrade. If you already own compatible boots, this package simply means you save a separate purchase and a trip to a shop.
There is a second benefit. A mounted binding is a measured, factory-set binding, so the toe position and flexor tension are set to the ski rather than guessed at. A shop will do the same if you bring bare skis in, but that is a second appointment and another line item.
Why the 172 cm length is the catch
This listing offers a single size, 172 cm, and it is an older model year. That is fine for a skier who falls neatly in the weight range for a 172 cm race-shaped ski, and wrong for everyone else, because you cannot shorten a ski and you cannot flex-test a length you do not have. If your weight sits well above or well below the band this length serves, the fix is a different length, not a different binding.
One more thing to weigh: with a single owner review, there is no body of user feedback to learn from on this specific package. The specification sheet is detailed and coherent, which is better than nothing, but treat the ride quality as unverified until you have been on it yourself.
3. Rossignol X-8 Skate – the boot your skis depend on
Rossignol 2025 X-8 Skate Cross-Country Boots (48 EU)
NNN skate boot
48 EU
Aluminum shell
Intermediate to expert
Pros
- Efficient power transfer
- Stable platform for long sessions
- NNN standard suits most modern skis
- Unisex adult fit
Cons
- This is a boot
- not a ski
- Only 48 EU offered in this listing
- Two owner reviews
Best for: skiers who already own skate skis and need the boot that matches them, or who want a firm platform to pair with a stiffer ski.
I want to be straight about this listing before anything else: the product name reads as a ski, but the model name, the model year and the category data all resolve to a Nordic skate boot. This is the Rossignol X-8 Skate Cross-Country Boot in size 48 EU, built on the NNN standard. Anyone buying from this page needs to know that, because the difference between a boot and a ski is the difference between a usable setup and an unusable one.
That said, this is not a filler pick. Across every forum thread and shop conversation in our research, the same point comes up: the boot is the biggest single performance lever you have. A stiffer, better-fitting boot transfers power more directly to the ski and holds a stable platform over hours, while a soft or poorly fitting boot wastes effort and creates pressure points you will feel at the end of a long skate session.
Why boot choice outweighs ski choice
Power transfer is the mechanical reason. Skate skiing loads the ski edge-on and pushes; a boot that is snug through the instep and anchored at the heel keeps the foot from lifting and rolling, so more of your leg drive actually reaches the ski. A roomy or floppy boot absorbs the same effort somewhere in your ankle instead.
Stability over distance is the practical reason. A firm platform lets you keep a consistent position through a long session, and consistency is what carries you from February into a loppet attempt. Skiers moving from three-pin to NNN frequently cite comfort, and comfort is what lets you get out on the ugly days when the technique is not yet automatic.
What to check before ordering
Size is the issue on this listing. Only 48 EU is offered, and Nordic boot sizing is measured in centimetres, so measure both feet in socks on a hard floor and take the larger number. Getting this wrong is the most common reason a boot purchase is returned, and it is a five-minute measurement that saves a lot of hassle.
Second, confirm the standard. This is an NNN boot, and NNN will work with most current skate skis, but it will not work with an SNS boot setup you may already own, and turnamic plates on certain skis do not accept NNN-style mounts the way a plain NIS plate does. If your boots are already NNN, this is the least complicated path. If they are not, budget for a boot change, not just a ski change.
4. Fischer Aerolite 80 – a World Cup base for mixed snow
Fischer Aerolite 80 Skate Ski – 2027 One Color 171cm
171 cm option
Air Core Basalite Pro
DTG World Cup Plus base
Double XC camber
Pros
- Lightweight basalt core
- Base tuned for mixed snow
- Sandwich construction for energy return
- Three lengths available
Cons
- No owner reviews yet
- Listed sport type is Alpine rather than Nordic
- Bindings are a separate purchase
Best for: skiers who want a race-shaped ski with a base that does not fall apart in mixed or transitional snow, and who are comfortable buying without owner feedback.
The Aerolite 80 is a different proposition from the two picks above. The core is Air Core Basalite Pro, which uses basalt fibre rather than the usual wood, and it is described as torsion-free with stable sidewalls. A torsion-free core is worth understanding: it resists twisting across the ski’s width, so when you push off an edge the ski loads the way the manufacturer intended instead of wringing sideways and losing energy.
The base is the part that makes this ski interesting for a broad conditions mix. DTG World Cup Plus is tuned for glide in mixed snow, which is the honest description of most of a season in a temperate climate. A ski built only for cold hard stone will feel slow and dull once the temperature climbs above freezing, and this one is not that ski. Sandwich construction and a double XC cammer handle the power side, giving a strong push-off and a smooth transition between strides.
Lengths run 171, 176 and 181 cm in this family, so there is a real choice rather than a single size, and Power Edge construction adds durability where a skate ski actually wears, which is along the edges and underfoot in the V position.
What mixed-snow glide actually gets you
Cold dry snow is abrasive and hard. Warm wet snow is soft and sticky, and it behaves differently at every layer of snowpack. A base tuned for mixed conditions holds its glide across a wider temperature band, which in practice means fewer days where you wonder whether the issue is your technique or the wax.
That flexibility has a cost in sharpening, though. Cold-race bases usually carry stones, and the finish is optimized for a narrow temperature window. A World Cup Plus base is more forgiving across conditions and generally less fussy, which is a better trade for someone who skis four evenings a week rather than training for a specific race.
The honest weakness of this listing
There are no owner reviews on this listing, so you have no real-world field report on flex feel or durability. The sport type is also listed as Alpine Skiing rather than Nordic, which is another cataloguing inconsistency. Neither of those means the ski is bad; both mean you are buying on the manufacturer’s specification alone.
Also assume bindings are not included. Bare skis leave you sourcing a compatible binding, checking your boot standard, and either mounting at a shop or buying hardware yourself. That is a real cost in time and a real cost in compatibility risk, and it is the reason the Fischer LS package above may serve a beginner better even though this ski’s underlying construction is a class above.
5. Fischer Aerolite Skate 70 – stability built for hard tracks
FISCHER Unisex Aerolite-Skate-70 Adult Durable Stable Balanced Sport Lightweight Nordic Race Skating Snow Skis Without Bindings, 171
171 to 191 cm
Arrow World Cup Skate sidecut
Skating 115 stability
Bindings sold separately
Pros
- Wider-spaced contact points for hard-snow kick
- Arrow sidecut tuned for 1:1 skating
- Torsion-free basalt core
- Four lengths including 191 cm
Cons
- Skis only
- bindings not included
- No owner reviews yet
Best for: skiers on firm, icy groomed tracks who struggle to get a solid kick, and taller skiers who need a 191 cm option.
The headline detail on this model is the skating 115 stability platform, where the contact points are spaced further apart than on a standard ski. That is a stability and grip decision, and it exists for a specific problem: on a hard or icy track, a narrower contact area skates away under you and the kick disappears. Widen the platform and you get more bite and a stronger kick into hard snow, at the cost of some nimbleness on soft tracks.
Shape-wise this is a race ski with an identity. The World Cup Pro base sits under a World Cup Skate arrow-shaped sidecut, which is described as tuned for 1:1 skating technique, meaning the ski is built to follow a direct, one-for-one transfer of weight rather than a more forgiving arc. If you have the technique for it, the arrow shape keeps the ski tracking where you point it. If you do not, it will feel like the ski is arguing with you.
The core is the same Air Core Basalite Pro basalt construction, reinforced with a Power Edge chassis and even pressure distribution for wax wear, and the sizes run 171, 181, 186 and 191 cm. That 191 cm option matters: long lengths are where the selection thins out, and heavier skiers often find themselves with very few choices.
Why stability geometry suits harder snow
Think about what a skate ski does at the edge. You load the ski on one edge and push sideways. On soft or wet snow the base sinks slightly and the edge holds on its own. On hard, icy, groomed snow the whole contact patch rides on top, and a ski with narrow spacing can skate across the surface with the kick washing out at the finish of the stride.
Widening the spacing is the engineering answer. It is the same logic behind why a wider tip helps in variable conditions: more of the ski is involved in the load, so the edge bites and the push converts to forward speed instead of sideways slip.
Where the wider platform costs you
Stability is not free. A wider platform is marginally less agile in transition, which shows up most on soft, slow trails where you want the ski to roll rather than grip. If your skiing is mostly early morning or late evening on a machine that leaves fast snow, this geometry is exactly right. If it is mostly midday on a soft groomer, a narrower ski will feel livelier.
The second cost is straightforward: this is skis only. You are buying the ski, not a working setup, so you need bindings, and you need them to match your boot standard. The third is that there is no owner feedback on this listing yet, which means you are trusting the spec sheet. Demo it if you can.
6. Rossignol Delta Skate – five lengths and a weight chart
Rossignol Delta Skate Cross Country Skis W/ Race Skate Bindings (192)
163 to 192 cm
Multilayer wood core
Sidecut 40-44-43 mm
Bindings included
Pros
- Bindings included in the package
- Five lengths with a published weight chart
- Skate-specific design for fitness and developing racers
- Two-year warranty
Cons
- No owner reviews on this listing
- Below Rossignol race-tier construction
- Longer lengths are harder to demo
Best for: skiers who want a complete package, or heavier skiers who need the longer lengths that most listings do not offer.
The Delta is the one listing on this page that solves two problems at once. It comes with skate bindings already fitted, and it comes in five lengths from 163 to 192 cm with a published weight chart attached. That chart is the most useful piece of information any online listing in this category offers: 163 cm for 80 to 100 pounds, 173 cm for 100 to 130 pounds, 180 cm for 120 to 155 pounds, 186 cm for 140 to 190 pounds, and 193 cm for 190 pounds and up.
Read those ranges as overlapping rather than exact, because they overlap by design. The overlap is telling you that a skier at 150 pounds can reasonably go to either the 180 or the 186, and the choice is about ability and preference rather than a rule. A heavier, more experienced skier usually wants the longer ski for stability at speed; a lighter or less confident skier usually wants the shorter one for balance.
The construction is a multilayer wood core, which is the mainstream Nordic recipe, and the sidecut at 163 cm is 40-44-43 mm. That waist is wider than a pure race ski and narrower than a backcountry touring ski, which is exactly where a fitness-oriented skate ski should sit. It is rated for intermediate skiers and developing racers, and it carries a two-year warranty.
Why the length range is the real feature
Skiers at the heavier end of the scale consistently hit a wall online. The popular race models are long, expensive and hard to find in the sizes you need, and once you pass a certain weight the short, forgiving lengths stop making sense to you. A line that runs to 192 cm with a documented weight band removes the guesswork from that decision in a way a single 88 cm or 172 cm listing never can.
The same range serves the other end. If you are a smaller skier, the 163 cm option is a genuinely short skate ski, and short is forgiving. Nothing about a long ski will make you a better skier; it will make you work harder to stay on it.
Where the Delta sits in the range
It sits below Rossignol’s top-tier race models, and it is honest about that in the way it positions itself: a skate-specific ski for fitness skiers and developing racers, not a Birkie ski. If your goal is a hard race result, you will outgrow it. If your goal is a reliable, well-matched pair that you can actually ski every week, the included bindings and the five-length range make it unusually complete.
Two caveats. There are no owner reviews on this listing, so the ride description comes from the manufacturer. And the longer sizes are harder to test before you buy, because most demo fleets lean short. If you are shopping at the long end, pick a seller that will help you through a fit rather than just send a box.
How to Size a Skate Ski Without Guessing
Weight first, height second, flex third, length fourth. That order is not conventional, but it is how most experienced skiers and shop fitters actually think, and the manufacturer weight chart above is the clearest example. If you take one thing from this roundup, take the rule that a skate ski is chosen for the load it has to flex under, which is you.
The working ranges from the Rossignol chart give you a starting point rather than an answer:
80 to 100 pounds: look at 163 cm and other short, forgiving lengths. Focus on balance and easy turning.
100 to 130 pounds: 173 cm is the natural starting point, and this is the band where most of the race-shaped options begin.
120 to 155 pounds: 180 cm suits many skiers here, with 186 cm a reasonable step up if you are confident on your edges.
140 to 190 pounds: 186 cm is the centre of the range. Heavier skiers in this band get stability at speed and a ski that will not fight them.
190 pounds and up: you need the long end, 191 to 192 cm, and the choice narrows quickly. This is the band where selection is genuinely scarce and where a shop fit earns its keep.
On flex, the most useful rule in circulation is that a skate ski should flex under roughly 110 to 130 percent of your body weight. If you fall between two listed weights, split the difference and err toward the stiffer ski, because an overly soft ski wastes your effort while an overly stiff one at least lets you know immediately. The clearer test is physical: if the ski does not visibly flex when you stand on it and shift your weight forward, it is too stiff for you.
Height is a tiebreaker, not a driver. A 6-foot skier at 150 pounds generally does better on a 180 cm ski than a 5-foot-6 skier of the same weight, because a longer ski suits a longer stroke, but the difference is smaller than getting the flex right.
Skate vs Classic: What Actually Changes
A classic ski has grooves along the base and a kick zone underfoot that grips snow forward, so you push in the direction you face. A skate ski has a smooth, groove-free base, a stiffer flex and a shorter length, so you push sideways at roughly a 30 to 45 degree angle, like ice skating, and let the camber return the energy. That is the whole difference in one sentence: forward glide versus sideways power.
What it means for you is a technique change rather than just an equipment change. Skate skiing loads one leg, demands balance, and rewards a committed V position. Classic skiing is more forgiving and better in ungroomed snow, and if you ski in variable backcountry terrain you will want classic or a metal-edge option instead. Our gear guide for ungroomed terrain covers the safety side of that decision.
It is also worth saying that skate skis do not need grip wax. The kick comes from geometry and flex, not from wax, which removes a daily chore. Beginners report that the technique clicks in roughly a month; most of the frustration in week one is the sideways push, not fitness.
Cold Snow and Wet Snow: Two Different Skis
Cold, dry snow is hard and abrasive. The ideal ski for it is a race ski with stones in the base, stiff flex, and a shape that holds its edge. Wet, warm snow is soft and sticky, and it rewards a slightly more forgiving flex, a base tuned across a wider temperature range, and often a touch more camber to keep the ski tracking.
Cold conditions are where the forum advice converges hardest. Skiers with a decade of pairs behind them describe the Salomon S/Lab cold build as the most versatile ski they have owned, and the blue version comes up by name in Birkie training threads. None of those models is available through this roundup, which is worth knowing if that is the ski you had in mind. Among the skis here, the Aerolite 80 with its mixed-snow base is the closest fit, and the Aerolite 70 with its wider stability platform is the better choice on icy, hard tracks.
The practical rule: ski cold tracks on a stiff ski with stones, ski warm wet tracks on a more forgiving ski, and if you genuinely get both in one week, accept that one of the two will be a compromise. That is the strongest argument for owning two pairs later, but it is not a reason to buy two now.
Bindings: The Mistake That Costs the Most
The most expensive avoidable error in this category is a component mismatch. There are three systems in play: NNN, SNS, and the turnamic and IFP family used on certain Rossignol and Fischer skis. They are not interchangeable, and the mismatch is discovered at the trailhead rather than in the shop.
Two rules cover almost everything. First, match the binding to the boots you already own, not to the ski. Second, understand that turnamic and IFP mounts are not the same as NIS plates, so a binding designed for one will not simply bolt onto a ski built for the other. This trap recurs constantly and is the reason a technically capable ski can end up unusable in your hands.
What actually arrives in a box also varies. Two picks here include fitted skate bindings, two are skis only, one is a boot, and none include poles. Boots and poles are separate purchases in every case, so plan the full setup rather than the ski line item alone.
Waxing and Base Care
Skate skis need a waxable base, and the routine is simpler than classic skiing. Scrape, dry, and apply a glide wax matched to the snow temperature before you go out. A cold-temperature wax in a narrow window, or a liquid wax for a wide range, are the two approaches worth knowing.
The frequency depends on snowpack rather than a calendar. Wax when the ski starts feeling slow or the base looks dry and pale, and expect to do it more often in wet snow and almost never in genuinely cold, dry conditions. Store the skis base to base indoors, out of sunlight, and keep wax off the camber and kick area of a classic ski if you own one.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between classic and skate Nordic skis?
A classic ski has grooves and a kick zone that grips snow forward, so you glide in the direction you face. A skate ski has a smooth, groove-free base, shorter length and stiffer flex, so you push sideways at an angle like ice skating and let the camber return the energy. Skate skis need no grip wax, and they are faster but less forgiving on ungroomed snow.
How do I choose skate ski size?
Choose by body weight first, then flex, then length. A skate ski should flex under roughly 110 to 130 percent of your body weight. At the short end, 163 cm suits skiers around 80 to 100 pounds, 173 cm suits 100 to 130 pounds, 180 cm suits 120 to 155 pounds, 186 cm suits 140 to 190 pounds, and 191 to 192 cm suits skiers at 190 pounds and up. Height is a tiebreaker, not the main driver.
Should I size skate skis by weight or height?
By weight, every time. The ski has to flex under your load, and weight determines that load directly. Height only matters as a tiebreaker: a taller skier at the same weight usually prefers a slightly longer ski because it matches a longer stride. If your weight falls between two listed lengths, pick the stiffer of the two and test both if you can.
Are lighter or stiffer skate skis better?
Neither is better on its own. A lighter ski is easier to carry and climb with, and a stiffer ski transfers more power and holds speed on hard tracks. What matters is that the stiffness matches your weight, because a ski that is too soft wastes your effort and one that is too stiff will not flex under you at all. Within that match, lighter wins for touring and stiffer wins for racing.
How often should I wax my skis?
Base it on conditions, not on a schedule. Apply a glide wax matched to the snow temperature whenever the ski feels slow or the base looks dry and pale. Expect more frequent waxing in wet, warm snow and far less in genuinely cold, dry conditions. Skate skis only need glide wax since the kick comes from camber and flex rather than from wax.
Is Nordic skiing hard on the knees?
Skate skiing puts more load on the legs because you push sideways and hold a V position, but it is still a low-impact, non-weight-bearing sport, which is why it is popular for conditioning. The most common knee problems come from technique and from a boot that does not fit, not from the sport itself, so a proper fit and a few sessions of coaching pay off quickly.
Conclusion: The Best Skate Skis for Nordic Skiers in 2026
For most people, the K2 Fatty 88 is the right first pair, because forgiving composite construction and a versatile camber rocker shape let you learn the diagonal stride without fighting the ski. If you would rather have everything in one box, the Fischer LS Skate arrives with a working binding, and if you need the boot that makes all of it work, the Rossignol X-8 is the platform to match. For firmer tracks and longer strides, the Fischer Aerolite models supply race-grade construction, and the Rossignol Delta covers the length range heavier skiers are usually short of. Check your boot standard first, size by weight rather than height, and go from there.