Posted by Kirsten on 2024 Nov 5th

Get Started with Cross Country Skiing: The Gear You Need

Cross-country (or Nordic) skiing is an awesome way to spend some time outdoors in the winter - and can also be an excellent aerobic workout. Whether it appeals to you as a fun pastime, or a winter exercise routine, you need gear to get started.

There are a few categories for the sport: classic cross-country, skate skiing and backcountry touring. Depending on which you wish to pursue will affect the gear you need. Classic tends be an easier avenue for complete beginners but if you have experience skating, then you are likely to pick up skate skiing naturally. Additionally, we live in an awesome area for backcountry/touring skiing (Hello Kennebecasis River!). Check out this video from Salomon that explains the difference between Classic and Skate skiing so you can determine which you would prefer.

Regardless of your final choice, the basic gear you will require is almost as easy as 1, 2, 3.

Skis (with bindings)
Boots
Poles

Before investing in your own pair, we highly recommend renting or borrowing gear. This will give you a chance to see what gear you like - and help determine how keen you are to adopt the new sport. Specific to the Greater Saint John area, you can rent Nordic ski gear at Elmhurst Outdoors and test them out on their trail system.

1. Skis

Cross-country skis are long, narrow and quite light by comparison to Downhill skis. On Classic Cross-Country Skis, there is a ‘kick zone’ under the foot that allows you to gain forward momentum as you walk or run on the tracks. The two areas outside of the kick zone are called ‘glide zones’ which do exactly as they sound. As a beginner, you should look for skis with a ‘Fishscale’ or ‘Skin’ kick zone. These are both ‘waxless’ and easy to use.

*Side note: waxless means “Wax less”, as in “Wax less frequently”, as opposed to never waxing but that is a lesson for another day.

A simple method of choosing the length of classic skis can be determined by adding 15-20cm to your height but your weight is equally as important to consider. For this reason, it’s easiest to refer to the manufacturer’s size chart. If you are between sizes and brand new to cross country skiing, it is recommended to opt for the shorter of the two.

A skate ski has one glide zone from the tip of the ski to the tail. Skate skis are shorter than classic skis and once again, it’s best to refer to the manufacturer’s size chart when choosing your skis.

Backcountry or touring skis are going to wider than your classic skis. They have a hard edge (sometimes metal) that allows you to carve your own trails. If you opt for Backcountry skis, which are going to be wider than your classic skis, the possibility of where you can go opens up greatly as we highlighted in The [Not So] Great Search for Cross Country Skiers. It is important to note that groomed cross country ski tracks only allow for certain ski widths. If you wish to do both backcountry skiing and skiing on groomed trails, we recommend a maximum width of 68mm, without a metal edge.

Perhaps the biggest difference between the cross-country ski types is the binding. It’s also the most confusing component to nordic ski gear. Binding types you will see are: SNS Pilot system, SNS Profil, SNS XA, NNN/NIS, NNN BC and Prolink. Additionally, the binding technology has evolved over the years. This is why mixing old gear with new stuff is tricky in cross-country skiing, and best done by consulting an expert or local retailer.

2. Boots

If you are accustomed to Alpine ski boots, you will be pleasantly surprised by the comfort of Cross Country Ski Boots. They fit more like a hiking boot. Classic ski boots have a decent flex to them so it’s easier to roll up onto your forefoot as you glide on the tracks. Skating boots will be more stiff with additional ankle support. Of the 3 categories, a Touring boot will be burlier and the most supportive. As previously mentioned, finding a boot that feels good and is also compatible with your bindings is key.

3. Poles

The easiest choice will be the Cross Country Ski Poles. To get started, find one that feels good in the hand and is the height of your choice, and that’s about it! For Classic skiing, you’ll want your poles to be about shoulder height and for Skate skiing, you’ll need longer poles (above shoulder height). Entry level ski poles are made from aluminum and durable. As you move up in price and quality, the pole materials get lighter. You can always get technical with the components, etc - but for a beginner, we promise you don’t need to overthink it.

You’re ready to get started!

Visit us in store to chat more about Cross Country Ski gear and take a look at our current inventory here. If you are local to the Saint John area, this blog includes a few of our favourite places to cross country ski. Once you have some experience, you can begin learning about waxing and maintaining your gear. We have this blog when that time comes to help you gain a basic understanding of Ski Waxing. Happy skiing!