Ski length, and why it relates to height. . .

As per my post above, I think you are in a unique place for ski selection. Tall but light, you need a shorter ski for more generous flex, you don't want to go too short and sacrifice your sense of front/back stability and you are too heavy for junior skis - they just won't perform for you (maybe at first, but as you learn to carve well they will pig out on you - too bad because they are great skis and real cheap). Here's a ski that might do - a decent wood core model that should have about a 16m radius sidecut in a 160 - halfwayish between a slalom and gs ski. For you it will feel more like a slalom ski at that length.
http://cgi.ebay.com/skis-package-FISCHER-RX9-160-w-bindings-carving-NEW-06_W0QQitemZ120081571399QQihZ002QQcategoryZ62182QQcmdZViewItem

Race skis.com (http://www.raceskis.com/) still has some 1 year new-old-stock $325 - great price, but only 156s left, a bit short but that would be happy turning ski for you.
If I were you I wouldn't mess about. I'd just go for this year's model. They have them on sale for $550 and still some 165s - also a good price.
I've skied Salomon, Rossi, Dynastar, and Fischers and I think the Fischers are the best by far. Don't prat about with the SC, RCs etc. Go for the SLs - you won't regret it.

Cheers.

Thanks all for your help! I plan to make a purchase after the season ends. I need to do a lot of rereading of the posts, as well as a lot more research into all the different product offerings out there. Again, thank you all!

Dean

U bet - try as many skis as you can.

Cheers

HI, I just wanted to make a comment here ? you said that you hadn?t skied that much and that you had trouble selecting skis! You then went on to say that you were planning on buying new boots and skis this season (or was it next season?). May I suggest something that I did that may be useful! When I first started skiing about 10 years ago I didn?t really know much about skis and boots etc and wanted to get my own! A mate of mine suggested that I NOT buy skis and instead invest in some good boots and hire skis! The reason was that, as a beginner and then as I progressed to intermediate, I became more familiar with different skis and wasn?t stuck on the same old sticks week after week, year after year!

I spend a lot of time in a good boot store, bought myself some excellent comfy boots and had inserts made etc ? they have been the best thing that I have ever bought ? they are comfy, warm, fitted to my foot brilliantly etc etc. I have spent that last 8 years or so using hire skis ? because you can then switch and change each time, finding what you like, what you don?t, what suits certain conditions etc. I have found this to be terrific and each season I can now hire the latest skis and give them a whirl!

So, my suggestion is that you spend some time and money on really good boots and then hire skis for a few years until you get to know what you feel comfortable on! If it gets to the stage where you are certain of the type/length of skis your after then buy them then!

The only time when this may not work is if you plan to ski for an entire season OR ski for a number of weeks during the year when buying your own skis would work out much cheaper than hiring time and time again!

Just after having "answered" some questions skiers had about ski length , I happen to read in Ski Canada on page 10 a great article about this very topic but written in 1999.

The author, Ian MacMillan points out the "reasons" skier select skis based on various factors. There seems to be no logic (in 1999) in ski length selection and it seems even less in 2007!

If you have a chance read this article.