Cross Country Skiing - Where to Start
Discover the joy of skinny skis!
TL;DR:
Choose a type of skiing- skate (like rollerblading) or classic (like walking).
Choose skis based on your weight, we have weight ranges listed on each ski description.
Choose boots that match the bindings on your skis because not all boots and bindings are cross compatible.
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Interested in trying cross country skiing? Or is it Nordic? Skate skiing? Classic? XC? Sometimes all of the different terminology makes it hard to know what you’re looking for or where to start. This short guide will get you going on the basics.
Cross country/XC vs. Nordic: These terms are used interchangeably to describe a type of skiing where your toe is attached to your ski with a binding, your heel is free, and you travel using your own power over flat, rolling, or hilly terrain, either on a groomed track or in some cases off. This is different than Alpine or Downhill skiing like you would do at a ski area, often using a chairlift.
Once you’ve decided that you want to cross-country ski, you will have to choose which variation to start with -
Skate vs. classic: Classic skiing is the most natural place to start because the motion used is more similar to walking. As you develop technique you’ll be able to kick and glide your way to smooth, efficient travel. At the beginning, you’ll be a bit slower as your figure out how to slide one foot out in front of you at a time. Classic skis have some type of grip in the mid-section of the ski to help with traction, we’ll talk more about this later. Because your ski has grip, it is possible to venture off of a groomed track with classic skis. Skate skiing is an intense cardio workout. The motion used to skate ski is similar to rollerblading. Skate skis are smooth on the bottom and don’t grip the snow. To have the best experience skate skiing, you’ll want to try on a freshly groomed course.
Now that you know what type of cross-country skiing you want to try, the next step is choosing gear! Although it is possible to do some skating on a classic ski, the skis aren’t meant to be interchangeable, so the best way to start is to pick one and buy the gear for that style.
Boots
There are three general types of boots to choose from
Classic: These will be more flexible and lower on the ankle
Skate: These will be stiffer, higher on the ankle, and have a more robust ankle/heel strap
Combi: This boot is designed to crossover between skate and classic- it will be somewhere in the middle of stiffness and flexibility compared to boots made specifically for one type of skiing. It can be used for both skate and classic skiing
Now that you’ve chosen your boot, you’ll have to make sure it has the right interfacing with your binding
From left to right: An SNS Profil boot, an NNN/Prolink boot, and an SNS Pilot boot
Bindings
There are many different types of bindings, which is the apparatus that attaches your boot to your ski. Although the industry is more or less moving to a single standard, lots of options exist.
NNN/NIS/Prolink/Turnamic (IFP): These are all different brands versions of more or less the same binding. NIS and Turnamic bindings slide onto a plate that is pre-mounted onto the ski. NNN and Prolink bindings are drilled into the ski. Any boot in this category will fit with any binding in this category.
SNS Profil: This is a technology of Salomon and ONLY an SNS Profil boot will work with this binding
SNS Pilot: This is another technology of Salomon that utilizes 2 bars for attachment. ONLY an SNS Pilot boot will fit with this binding.
BCX/NNNBC: This is a wider fitting for a burlier off-track boot.
From left to right: an SNS Profil binding, a NIS binding (slid onto the ski on a pre-mounted plate) with an NNN fitting, an SNS Pilot binding, and lastly an IFP plate which will take a NNN Turnamic binding.
Skis
You’ve already chosen whether you want a skate or a classic ski. Now you have to figure out your ski length and a couple of other options. You can get very deep into the topic of ski material and composition, flex/stiffness and more, but we will just keep it basic here.
Length: You will choose the length of your ski based on your weight. Weight is important for cross country skis because you have to be heavy enough to flex your ski to the ground for proper contact points. It’s not a one size fits all formula from ski to ski so you will have to look at each specific ski’s size chart/weight ranges. We have done our best to list the appropriate weight range for each ski in the item description. In general, a shorter ski will be easier to manage, so if you’re in between sizes and you’re a beginner, size down.
For classic skis:
Grip type: We mentioned earlier that classic skis have some type of grip in the middle of the ski to help you gain traction. Some older skis are designed to be used with kick wax, which is applied usually based on temperature, to help your ski grip. Most modern skis are now either made with scales or skins for grip. Scales work well, but will eventually wear out. Skins are replaceable.
Off track or on: If you are going to stay in groomed tracks, you can go with a standard skinny, non-metal edged ski. If you plan on venturing off the track and into more varied conditions, there are off-track versions of classic skis that are usually wider and sometimes have metal edges. If you want to go both on and off the track, make sure your ski is narrow enough to fit inside the track (70mm max).
On the left, a ski with a skin (wrapped in packaging), and on the right a ski with scales. Although these skis are considered waxless, you should still wax the tips and tails for the best glide. A skate ski will be completely smooth on the bottom.
An off-track ski with metal edges, scales, and a much wider profile.
Whew! That was a lot of information. If you still have questions, we highly recommend this resource from GearX, which has really fantastic visuals! You can also feel free to send us a message!
