Kids' ski size chart, with the rule the length comes from
Ski length for a child is a band, not a number. Here is how that band is worked out, what to do inside it, and where a growing child changes the answer.
By Sawyer V. · Published
The short answer
For a child learning to ski, the ski should stand somewhere between their chin and their nose. That works out to roughly 85% to 92% of their height. A child 120 cm tall wants a ski of about 102-110 cm. Go to the shorter end for a first-timer or a light child, and the longer end for a confident one.
The chart
Every row below is computed from the rule in the answer above, so you can check any of it with a calculator. Height is the child standing in socks, not in boots.
| Child height | Ski length band | First-timer | Confident |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90 cm (2 ft 11 in) | 77 - 83 cm | Around 77 cm | Around 83 cm |
| 100 cm (3 ft 3 in) | 85 - 92 cm | Around 85 cm | Around 92 cm |
| 110 cm (3 ft 7 in) | 94 - 101 cm | Around 94 cm | Around 101 cm |
| 120 cm (3 ft 11 in) | 102 - 110 cm | Around 102 cm | Around 110 cm |
| 130 cm (4 ft 3 in) | 111 - 120 cm | Around 111 cm | Around 120 cm |
| 140 cm (4 ft 7 in) | 119 - 129 cm | Around 119 cm | Around 129 cm |
| 150 cm (4 ft 11 in) | 128 - 138 cm | Around 128 cm | Around 138 cm |
| 160 cm (5 ft 3 in) | 136 - 147 cm | Around 136 cm | Around 147 cm |
Weight matters more than height, and here is why
A ski turns because the skier bends it. A light child on a ski that is too stiff or too long simply cannot bend it, so the ski goes straight regardless of what they do with their feet, which is a miserable way to learn. That is why brands publish rider weight ranges alongside lengths, and why a light child should sit at the bottom of the height band rather than the middle.
- Light for their height: go to the short end of the band, or one step shorter.
- Heavy for their height: go to the long end of the band.
- Between two lengths and still growing: take the longer one, which is the only place on this site where we tell you to size up. Skis are the item where the range is genuinely wide enough to absorb it.
What brands actually sell, which narrows it fast
The band matters less than it looks once you see the real length steps. Children’s skis come in coarse jumps, so in practice the band usually contains one or two available lengths and the decision makes itself.
| Ski | Published lengths | Roughly fits |
|---|---|---|
| Rossignol Sender Kid with bindings | 70, 80, 92 cm | Children around 80-108 cm tall |
| Rossignol Experience 76 with bindings | 136 cm and up | Taller teenagers and adults, from about 160 cm tall |
There is a real gap in the middle of that table, and it is not an accident: the 92 cm to 136 cm range is where the junior market lives and where specialist retailers carry far more than a general marketplace does. Our first-setups section covers what to do about that, including the seasonal lease option that usually beats buying for this exact age range.
How to measure a child’s height properly
- Shoes off, heels against a wall, standing straight.
- Lay a book flat on their head, level, and mark the wall at the underside of the book.
- Measure from the floor to the mark in centimeters.
- Multiply by 0.85 and 0.92. Those two numbers are your band.
Where the chin-to-nose rule comes from
It is a shorthand for the same arithmetic. A person’s chin sits at roughly 85% of their height and the nose at roughly 92%, so “between the chin and the nose” and “85 to 92 percent” are the same rule stated two ways. We publish the percentages because you can apply them to a number written on a piece of paper, and you cannot hold a ski up against a child who is not in the room.
The part that is not optional
Whatever length you buy, the binding release setting has to be set by a shop, using the child’s height, weight, age and boot sole length. It is the setting that decides whether the ski comes off in a fall, and on a child it is set deliberately low. This is a short appointment and it is not the place to save money.
Boots matter more than skis for a learning child, and they are sized on a different system entirely. The children’s boot size chart is here, and the case for renting boots rather than buying them is worth reading before you spend anything.
Questions people actually ask
What size skis for a 5 year old?
Size from height, not age. A five-year-old is commonly around 105-115 cm tall, which gives a band of roughly 89-106 cm, and a first-timer should be at the short end of it. Measure and use the table above.
Should kids skis be longer to last more seasons?
A little, and this is the one item where sizing up is reasonable. Take the long end of the band rather than the next size up entirely. A ski that is genuinely too long will not bend under a light child, and they will not be able to turn it.
How do I size skis for a toddler?
The same rule holds and the numbers get very small: a 90 cm toddler wants roughly a 77-83 cm ski. At that size the lengths available are coarse, so in practice you are choosing between two options rather than computing precisely.
Is it better to rent or buy kids skis?
For most growing children, rent or take a seasonal lease. A good shop lease swaps sizes mid-season for free, which no purchase can match while a child is growing. The arithmetic is here.