Cross country skiing may be one of the most versatile winter sports, accessible to everyone from 90-year-olds with wood skis and three-pin bindings to Olympic gold medalists, first timers on fish scales through fresh snow in city parks to elite skiers flying up and down winding trails in the Colorado Rockies. And its popularity in the U.S. is only increasing.
“There’s a lot of pent-up demand for cross country skis in all levels of skiing from touring to performance,” says Jann Guenther, owner of Gear West Ski and Bike, a flagship ski and bike retailer in Minnesota. “There is huge demand because it’s a very simple thing to do if you just tour. It’s fantastic exercise and doesn’t cost as much as other forms of snow skiing.”
Like most outdoor activities, it can be as basic or as complicated as you want to make it. But before you grab that pair of cheap skis and boots at a local gear swap and head out, I’m going to break down not just what you need to ensure you have the best time learning how to cross country ski, but also what questions you should consider while narrowing down the ideal equipment.
How to Cross Country Ski Two Ways
Cross country skiing, also called Nordic skiing, includes two techniques called classic and skate. For most people new to the sport, classic skiing is what you think of when someone mentions Nordic skiing. It’s what some people call running on skis, though it’s in fact much different than running on skis. It is the original technique. The one that evolved out of frigid places like Norway and northern China for people who lived in deeply snowy regions to shuttle from one place to another.
It’s efficient, can be quite fast, and while it can also be difficult to perfect, it’s quite easy to get started. The bottoms of the skis require some kind of grip that allows the skier to kick back, thus propelling their body forward. The kick zone, as it’s called, can come in the form of fish scales, which do look a little like fish scales patterned into your ski base, a rough pad called a skin, or by something sticky you put on and take off called kick wax.
The other technique called skating emerged in the 1930s as skiers used their skis to skate like an ice skater over flat areas particularly when their wax ran out. Racers used it occasionally after that, then American skier Bill Koch used skating to win the 1982 World Cup of Cross Country Skiing and the sport changed forever.
Skating is a much faster technique than classic, though it requires a groomed trail. Both are excellent cardiovascular workouts and fun ways to spend time outside on the snow depending on what you’re hoping to get out of the experience.
What Are Your Goals?
Before picking out boots, skis, and poles, Guenther recommends first asking yourself what you want out of the experience. Do you want to meander through the woods or on a local snowy golf course with friends or family? Are you an active runner or cyclist who wants to continue your fitness through the snowy months of the year? The answers to your questions will help you decide what gear you want.
Enjoying Nature
If what you really want to do is get out on skis on or off groomed trails and wander through the woods with the possibility of going faster than you would on snowshoes, then you’re likely interested in classic or traditional. Classic skiing, since the movement is more similar to running or walking, is also better suited to skiing and talking with friends or family.
Fitness
While both skating and classic skiing are a great workout, people who are runners or cyclists are most often interested in skating to maintain their fitness levels throughout the winter. Skating increases your heart rate quickly and can hold it there with slightly less frustration than trying to master the kicking technique used in classic skiing. But again, both are worth trying if you are someone who wants to stay fit with a different sport than winter running or fat biking.
Racing
Both classic and skate skiing are a great fit if you want to become competitive. Cross country ski races litter snow-heavy states throughout the winter from Wisconsin’s famous 50-kilometer Birkebeiner race to events across Colorado.
Most races offer classic and skate options, though check before you register if you only want to do one and not the other. The races may well also be hosted on separate days.
How to Choose Cross Country Skis
Classic
Classic skiing can also, in part, merge into backcountry skiing. To classic ski off of a groomed trail you can start with a wider ski with a metal edge. The wider ski helps you stay up on top of the snow better and the metal edge will give you more control if you hit ice patches or hard, packed snow.
There are three types of classic skis to consider: fish scales, skins and kick wax. Fish scales are most often found on introductory skis. They won’t be fast, but they will also help you kick on any snow conditions. They’re low maintenance and often the most affordable. Skins will grip most places and are faster than fish scales. They work well if you don’t want to hassle with kick waxes but want a ski that responds better to you.
Kick wax is by far the most labor intensive of the three options but also gives you the widest breadth of adjustments depending on snow quality. Kick waxes, which most commonly look like gigantic colored crayons that you rub onto the middle of the ski, also now come in liquid. It can be a hassle to get on and off and requires good technique to get the most out of, but is also by far the fastest. If you do decide to buy skis that require kick wax, a ski shop can help you determine your kick zone – the area where you place wax. From there, you can use trial and error while skiing to see where you get the best grip and slide.
Some great skis to start are the Fischer Spider Crown 62. They have fish scales, metal edges, and are wide enough to go off trail. If you want to try skins, go with the Salomon RC8+ Eskin. The adjustable bindings help you find the best kick zone for you.
Skate
There’s far less to consider when purchasing skate skis. Slightly wider skate skis might give you a little more stability and a better experience for beginners. Narrower, stiffer skies are faster but require better technique to avoid frustration.
“Most importantly, get a ski that fits your desired way of skiing,” Guenther says. “There is a ski for everybody, but one ski can’t do it all. There’s no combi ski and no combi pole.”
The Salomon RS8 Skate ski is a great place to start for an easy beginner ski but also a fun for anyone looking for an intermediate ski. Our tester noted that while this one is a little heavier than his much more expensive race skis, he enjoyed skiing on them just as much. Another fun ski for beginners and intermediate skiers is the Atomic Redster S5 + Shift SK skis and bindings. It’s a little more stable than Atomic’s race ski but still plenty fast to take racing.
How to Choose the Right Size Ski
Borrowing your buddy’s cross country skis might work just fine, but if you tried it once and it felt like an utter failure, it may well have been the skis’ fault and not yours. Skis are tailored perfectly to the weight of the skier, and to a lesser degree, their height. That means if you weigh 150 pounds and you borrowed someone’s skis who weighs 220, you may well have compressed them fully into the snow and wondered why you couldn’t go anywhere quickly.
By far the best way to find the best fit, says Guenther, is to head to your local ski store. You can also look at any ski manufacturer’s size guide to match skis to weight.
Classic skis, which are longer than skate skis, should be about 15 to 20 cm taller than you. Your weight will also be a factor, and each manufacturer and ski will be different, so pay attention to the company’s recommendations. Skate skis are about 5 to 10 cm taller than you. If you’re new to skiing, look for skis on the slightly shorter end, which will be easier for you to control. If you plan to race, you could consider skis that are slightly longer.
But What About Bindings?
Until relatively recently, if you bought a pair of cross-country skis online, you would need to buy bindings separately and go to a ski shop for help attaching the binding. Most newer skis, however, come with a plate attached to the ski that bindings slide onto.
Choose a binding based on what skis you have – skate or classic – and how active you plan to be on your skis. Ski manufacturers will likely also recommend a binding for the skis or sell the binding with the skis in a package.
Many bindings now also come with the ability to slide forward or back depending on where you compress your boot as you ski.
For years, various manufacturers made bindings that only worked with corresponding boots. The industry has now moved toward a more universal binding system which means most new boots and bindings will match. If you picked up used boots and skis somewhere, be aware your bindings and skis may not match. If that’s the case, you may need to buy new boots or bindings. It’s still smart to double check before buying new skis that the binding system (most common options are NNN, Prolink, SNS and Turnamic), match your new boots.
Most major ski manufacturers like Salomon, Atomic, Fischer, Mashus and Rossignol make their own bindings.
Choosing the Right Cross Country Boot
Just like skis vary depending on your technique, so do boots. Classic boots are softer and more flexible in the sole. Racing or high performance boots are stiffer with more engineering in the sole.
Skate boots come with higher cuffs and are engineered to hold your ankle a little stiffer to give you more stability and balance at higher speeds for a longer period of time.
Most companies, including Atomic and Salomon, also make combi boots, which will have a similar cuff to skate boots to keep your ankle supported but slightly softer sole to help your boot flex while classic skiing.
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How Important Are Poles?
Poles are critical to getting the most out of your skiing experience, but are much less technical than skis or even boots. Classic poles are, however, about 10 centimeters shorter than skate poles, which means you can’t use one pole for both techniques (at least not while enjoying either skiing experience).
The price differences between poles are mostly a function of engineering and weight. You don’t need expensive poles to have a good time skiing or even to ski quickly.
Do Cross Country Skis Need to be Waxed?
Yes, but probably not as often as you think. Classic and skate skis both need to be waxed occasionally to help you glide. What wax you use depends largely on the temperature of the snow and how much you want to spend on wax. Most glide waxes come in hard blocks, though companies are now making other forms such as liquid glide waxes that dab on and brush off. The hard waxes are melted onto the ski using an iron and then ironed into the ski base. Once the wax has cooled, it needs to be scraped and brushed off.
Anyone who races often dials in their wax to incredible precision, and skiers can become fanatical about the best waxes or combinations of wax. Skiers interested in meandering slowly through the woods or down trails a handful of times each winter will probably be fine having their skis waxed once a year or so. If you plan to race, however, or if you bought fast skis and want to get the most out of them, you can consider investing in hard waxes, an iron, scraper, brushes and some kind of form to hold your ski in place.
If that sounds like too much investment or work, most ski shops will also glide wax your skis for a nominal fee or use the simpler liquid wax to dab, brush and go.
Where Should I Ski?
If you want to classic ski, you really can go anywhere with snow. If you want to go faster while classic skiing, then look for a cross country ski area with groomed trails and a set track for your skis to move through (while some downhill ski resorts have Nordic ski trails, don’t show up to one expecting great cross-country skiing).But if you want to skate, you’re restricted to groomed trails.
Snow is increasingly becoming the limiting factor for cross country skiing as winters become shorter and snowfall thinner in many places. The famous American Birkebeiner 50K ski race last year was shortened to a loop composed almost entirely of manmade snow. If you don’t live somewhere with heavy snowfall, look around for areas that may be making their own snow.
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Final Thoughts on Cross Country Skiing
Like almost any activity from fly fishing to golf or swimming to deer hunting, cross country skiing can be what you want it to be.
“If you dive into it and are looking for specific results, you’re going to need to obtain lessons like anyone who swims or golfs. It has a lot of nuance and technique,” Guenther says. “But you can choose. You can take it really wherever you want. And most of us do it all. When we want to take our dog out and explore the woods, we take our touring skis and have a relaxed time. And then the same person will also try to get the fastest skis and work on the very specific technique.”
“It can be mentally challenging or mentally relaxing.”
And wherever you go, don’t forget to wear layers to accommodate for changing conditions, and bring along snacks and water if you plan to be out for very long.
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