Best Water Skis 2026: Combo, Slalom and Trainer Picks

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Seven in the morning, the lake still flat as glass, a teenager bobbing behind the boat with ski tips poking out of the water. “Hit it!” The rope comes tight, she leans back, and after two wobbly tries she’s up, grinning, carving a slow arc past the dock while her dad cheers from the bow. The best water skis make that moment easier: skis sized for the skier’s weight, bindings that hold the foot snugly, and a design that matches the skier’s level. This guide covers combo skis, slalom skis and trainer skis, how to size them, how bindings differ, and seven real skis worth buying in 2026, including the best combo water skis for beginners.

Prices change often. The prices below are what we saw at the maker or a major retailer in October 2026; check the current price before you buy.

Our top picks

Water skis compared

Ski	Type	Skier (maker)	Key feature	About (Oct 2026)
O’Brien Celebrity 68″	Combo	155-180 lb (O’Brien chart)	Bindings fit US men’s 4.5-13	$280
HO Excel Combo	Combo	140 lb+ (67″)	Up to 26 mph	$180
O’Brien Vortex 65.5″	Combo, wide body	135-160 lb (O’Brien chart)	Extra lift at slower speeds	$211
O’Brien Celebrity 64″	Combo	100-200 lb (listing)	Bindings fit men’s US 2-7	$270
O’Brien All-Star	Trainer	Up to 85 lb	Stabilizer bar and rope	$230
Connelly Big Easy	Slalom	Beginner to intermediate	24-28 mph	$400
HO Omni (blank)	Slalom	Open water and course	24-32 mph (HO)	$263

Combo vs slalom vs trainer skis

Combo skis are a matched pair, and nearly every adult and teen learns on them. Most have adjustable bindings so the whole family can share one pair, and one ski has a rear toe piece so you can drop the other ski and try slalom later. Slalom skis are a single ski with a front binding and a rear binding or toe plate, built to turn hard and cross the wake; they’re the next step once you can ski on one. Trainer skis are short kids’ skis with a bar or connector that keeps the tips together, so a small child can focus on standing up instead of fighting skis that drift apart.

The best water skis

1. O’Brien Celebrity 68″ Combo: best overall for the family

The Celebrity is the classic family pair. O’Brien’s X-7 adjustable bindings fit US men’s shoe sizes 4.5 to 13, so most adults in the boat can use the same skis, and a padded rear toe plate lets a skier drop a ski and learn slalom. The maker lists a performance side cut for turning and a dual tunnel for control and stability. O’Brien’s size chart puts the 68″ at 155 to 180 lb.

• Good: one pair fits a wide range of feet; ready to learn slalom on.
• Watch out: lighter skiers will do better on a shorter ski.
• Best for: families with average-size adults sharing one pair.

Check the O'Brien Celebrity 68 price on Amazon

2. HO Sports Excel Combo: best budget combo

The Excel is HO’s beginner combo: a traditional ski shape with a tunnel bottom for stability, adjustable horseshoe bindings and a rear toe strap for single skiing. The tips take HO’s Trainer Bar (sold separately), which holds the skis together for first rides. HO makes it in 59″, 63″ and 67″, rates it up to 26 mph, and this 67″ pair is listed for skiers 140 lb and up.

• Good: the lowest price here for a full-size adult combo; trainer-bar ready.
• Watch out: horseshoe bindings hold the foot less firmly than a full boot.
• Best for: first-time adult skiers and cabin or rental boats.

Check the HO Excel Combo price on Amazon

3. O’Brien Vortex 65.5″ Combo: best for easy deep-water starts

Getting up is the hardest part of learning, and the Vortex is built for it. O’Brien says the wide body adds surface area for lift, making deep-water starts easier and letting skiers ride at slower boat speeds with less horsepower. It has a dual tunnel bottom, nylon fins and the same X-7 bindings for US men’s 4.5 to 13. O’Brien’s chart lists the 65.5″ for 135 to 160 lb.

• Good: more lift at low speed; a good match for smaller boats.
• Watch out: the listing pitches it for larger skiers, but the size chart is narrower; check it against your weight.
• Best for: beginners who struggle to get up, and boats without much power.

Check the O'Brien Vortex price on Amazon

4. O’Brien Celebrity 64″ Combo: best for teens and smaller adults

The shorter Celebrity is made for smaller skiers. Its Jr. X-7 bindings fit men’s US 2 to 7 with a pinch-slide adjustment, and the maker lists a dual tunnel, a flatter rocker line to cut drag and nylon fins that are easy on the boat’s interior. The Amazon listing sizes it for riders 100 to 200 lb and says it’s too heavy for children under 80 lb; O’Brien’s size chart gives a narrower 115 to 140 lb.

• Good: a real combo for skiers who’ve outgrown kids’ skis.
• Watch out: the bindings stop at men’s size 7, and the two weight ranges disagree.
• Best for: teens and lighter adults with smaller feet.

Check the O'Brien Celebrity 64 price on Amazon

5. O’Brien All-Star Trainers: best trainer skis for kids

The All-Star is a complete kids’ learning set: 46-inch skis with junior pinch-slide bindings, a stabilizer bar, and a trainer rope and handle. O’Brien sizes it for beginner skiers up to 85 lb and lists a dual tunnel with V-entry tips for choppy water and molded-in fins for tracking.

• Good: everything a small child needs in one box.
• Watch out: kids outgrow it quickly; plan on a junior combo next.
• Best for: young children on their first rides.

Check the O'Brien All-Star price on Amazon

6. Connelly Big Easy Slalom: best first slalom ski

Once a skier can drop a ski, a real slalom ski is the big upgrade. The Big Easy comes ready to ride with a Swerve front boot and Swerve rear toe plate. Connelly lists a closed-cell polyurethane core, a recreational flex for a forgiving ride at beginner and intermediate levels, an aluminum drop-through fin, and a speed range of 24 to 28 mph.

• Good: boot and toe plate included; tuned for moderate open-water speeds.
• Watch out: the priciest pick here; check Connelly’s size chart for your weight.
• Best for: combo skiers ready for their own slalom ski.

Check the Connelly Big Easy price on Amazon

7. HO Omni: best open-water slalom upgrade

HO calls the Omni its best-selling water ski, made for skiers who want one ski to do it all, from open water to an occasional course pass. The listing describes a wide platform for easy deep-water starts, a hybrid waist width for smooth turns at a range of speeds, and a fiberglass polyurethane core. HO makes it in 65″, 67″, 69″ and 69″ Wide, recommended for 24 to 32 mph. This listing is a blank, so you add your own bindings.

• Good: a forgiving slalom that skiers can keep as they improve.
• Watch out: bindings are extra, which adds to the price.
• Best for: intermediate skiers who want one slalom for everything.

Check the HO Omni price on Amazon

How to choose water skis

• Size by weight first. Makers size skis by the skier’s weight, and for slalom also by boat speed. As an example, HO lists its Excel combo at up to 120 lb for the 59″, 110 to 160 lb for the 63″ and 140 lb and up for the 67″. Heavier skiers and slower speeds generally call for a longer or wider ski. Always check that brand’s own chart.
• Match the boat. A smaller boat or a slow pull favors a wide, high-lift ski like the Vortex. Slalom skis list a speed range; ski within it.
• Bindings: horseshoe vs boot. Adjustable horseshoe and slide bindings are easy to share across a family. Fuller boots hold the foot more firmly and give more control, which is why most slalom skiers move to them. Either way, the binding should hold your foot snugly, with no sharp, cracked or broken parts.
• Rear toe plate or strap. On a combo pair, it’s what lets you learn to slalom. On a slalom ski, a rear toe plate is easier to get in and out of than a second boot.
• Kids start on trainers. Trainer skis or a trainer bar keep the tips together. Once kids outgrow them, move to a junior combo.
• Budget for the life jacket. Every skier needs a Coast Guard-approved life jacket that’s labeled for towed sports and fits snugly. Florida and Pennsylvania require a non-inflatable one for anyone being towed.

Skiing sore after a long weekend? A fall at speed can hurt knees, hamstrings and shoulders; pain that lasts needs a sports medicine doctor, physical therapist or athletic trainer. See our water skiing injuries page.

For life jackets, ropes, gloves and the skier-down flag, see our full water skiing gear guide. Starting a child? Read the youth water skiing page. Back to the water skiing hub, more posts in water skiing, and for sore forearms after a slalom set, our massage gun and recovery shoe guides.

Water ski questions

What size water skis do I need?

It depends on your weight and, for slalom, your boat speed, so use the maker’s chart. On O’Brien’s combo chart, for example, the Celebrity 58″ is for skiers under 100 lb and the 68″ for 155 to 180 lb.

Should a beginner buy combo or slalom skis?

Combo skis. Two skis are far more stable for learning, and a combo with a rear toe piece lets you try slalom later without buying another pair.

Can adults use trainer skis?

Kids’ trainer skis are sized for small children (the O’Brien All-Star tops out at 85 lb). Adults can get a similar effect from a trainer bar on combo skis that accept one, like the HO Excel.

How fast should the boat go for water skiing?

Follow the ski’s rating: the HO Excel combo is rated up to 26 mph, the Connelly Big Easy slalom 24 to 28 mph and the HO Omni 24 to 32 mph. Beginners and kids usually start slower; agree on speed with hand signals before you go.

Can a whole family share one pair of water skis?

Often, yes. Adjustable bindings like O’Brien’s X-7 (US men’s 4.5 to 13) fit many feet. Very light or very heavy skiers will still do better on a ski sized for them.