The Top Beginner Skis Reviewed & Compared For 2023

by John Wren

When learning to ski, it’s hard enough that you have the keep your balance, bend your knees at a funny angle and focus on not eating snow. So do yourself a favor and if you are an entry level skier, grab some skis that are suitable for beginners.

Even if you have never skied before, it’s never too late to start trying.

Here are some great reasons to start:

  1. Exercise: Skiing is a great full-body workout that improves strength, endurance, and balance.
  2. Scenery: Ski resorts offer stunning mountain views and a chance to escape from the daily grind.
  3. Social opportunities: Skiing is a fun activity to do with friends and family, providing an opportunity for bonding and creating memories.
  4. Challenge: Skiing offers a physical and mental challenge that can be both rewarding and exhilarating.
  5. Adventure: Skiing is an adventurous and exciting way to explore the mountains, providing a unique perspective and an escape from routine.
  6. Mental benefits: Being in nature and participating in a physical activity can reduce stress and improve mood.
  7. Development of new skills: Learning to ski is a new and challenging experience that can improve self-confidence and cognitive abilities.

But here’s the caveat: there are no “beginner skis” as such. Skis are judges and graded on their quality of materials and workmanship. So what you need to do as a beginner look at all of the features of the skis, have a budget in mind and read our reviews below of the top 5 recommended skis.

Before we dive into our best skis for beginners, let’s take a look at some of the key elements you need to consider before buying.

Price

Have a budget in mind. As a beginner, it’s easy to get carried away and buy the top of the range skis. The trouble is you may not understand ‘why’ they are the best and judge by the price tag only.

As with other industries, the price can reflect the quality, but you also get ‘brand inflation’, where the brand is highly recognized and so prices are inflated.

Be sure to have an idea of how much you want to spend and how often you will be using the skis.

With or Without Bindings

Typically you have two options, those that come with the bindings attached and those without where you will need to purchase your bindings separately. Be sure to keep an eye out for this as it can increase the initial outlay.

Turning Radius

The turning radius is a result of the sidecut of the ski, the more pronounced the inner curvature of the ski, the tighter the turning radius will be.

The turning radius is the natural circle that a pair of skis would make when on the edge of the ski.

Ok, let’s dive into our reviews of the best skis for beginners.

1. Rossignol Experience 75 Skis With Bindings

Rossignol is a recognized and popular brand on the Ski market with a wide range of options to choose from, it is often hard to differentiate each set of Skis.

However, the Experience 75’s stand out thanks to their Air Tip and light design, coming in at around 3.65kg and with a turning circle of 15m, these are the perfect snow skis for the beginner and intermediate alike.

Features and Specifications

  • Dimensions: 3 x 6 x 68 inches
  • Turning Radius: 15m
  • Binding System: Open

Our Thoughts

 

What we like about these skis are the quality design and the fact that they come with bindings supplied. Which means no additional costs. You do have to attach the bindings yourself, however, this is very simple to do and it is good to know how to do it should you need to make running repairs.

These skis are a great mid-range price and provide a smooth downhill experience.

Click here to check the latest price on Amazon

2. Nordica NRGY 90 Skis

The Nordica BRGY 90 are designed to excel on both the slopes and in the deeper snow should you be brave enough to venture off-piste!

They are designed to be lightweight yet strong and sturdy with and added float and camber under the foot area to increase stability.

Features and Specifications

  • Dimensions: 126 x 90 x 110
  • Turning Radius: 15.5m
  • Binding System: Open

Our Thoughts

 

These Skis will suit any level of skier from beginner to advance, thanks to their durability and superior flexibility when used with various types of snow.

They are light and nimble which allows for more control over the ski and a smoother ride. We love the design and colors and the attention to details is fantastic.

Click here to check the latest price on Amazon

3. Atomic Vantage 90 CTI Skis

The Vantage 90 CTI Skis are the much upgraded and superior model to the previous, and they are very well received amongst the skiing community.

With a white and multi-tone blue design, these skis not only look the part, but they perform well too.

Features and Specifications

  • Dimensions: 132 x 89 x 115.5 mm
  • Turning Radius: 14m
  • Binding System: Open

Our Thoughts

 

If we had to pick a pair of skis based solely on looks, we would choose the Atomic Vantage 90’s. The color combination looks clean and crisp and looks great in the snow.

Moving beyond just looks and onto performance, these skis are constructed from a new material, which is called Carbon Tank Mesh. This allows for a flexible ski that can adapt to any snow condition, whilst providing superior strength where it’s needed most.

Click here to check the latest price on Amazon

4. Nordica NRGY 100 Skis

Another addition from Nordica, we loved the 90 model so much we decided to include the NRGY 100 skis too!

What we love about these skis is that they are designed to be unisex, so no more debating over if they’re suitable for a man or a woman – these skis tick both boxes.

Features and Specifications

  • Dimensions: 3 x 6 x 71 inches
  • Turning Radius: 15m
  • Binding System: Open

Our Thoughts

 

This ski is designed to excel on both hardpack and powder snow, thanks to its 100% wood icore material. Despite these skis being on the larger side, they are easy to manage and as such makes them suitable for a newbie skier.

Click here to check the latest price on Amazon

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