The New Hope Nordics
a Cross Country Ski Club

an assortment of xc ski articles from past newsletters:


Beginners Guide to
Cross Country Ski Equipment & Clothing
This is intended to be a beginners guide to cross country ski equipment. It's written from the standpoint of an opinionated, biased, sometimes pompous, XC skier (who has an extreme bias towards waxable skis! He has, in fact, publicly called waxless skis "Muggle Skis", without apologizing to Harry Potter. He also claims to have one of the last remaining tubes of "Bertie Botts Every Snow Condition Wax", although he has never offered to share it with anyone.). If you're racing, telemarking, or doing the Polar Routes, you'll have your own needs and viewpoint. Want some more info? Check out Cross Country Ski World

TWO TYPES OF SKIS:
With WAXABLE skis you crayon on a thin layer of wax to match the day's snow conditions. The benefits are increased glide & better traction. Although you can skate on a waxable ski, a real skating ski will be much faster.
NO-WAX or "waxless" skis have a grip pattern molded into the base. They're convenient (just put them one and go), and are popular with touring and backcountry skiers. When conditions are changing from above- to below-freezing, waxing can be a real challenge and many skiers switch to a no-wax ski. Because the grip pattern may drag on the snow, a no-wax ski is difficult to skate with and is generally slower than a waxed ski. Most experience skiers "glide wax" the tips & tails of their no-wax skis.

FITTING OF SKIS:
CAMBER is the bend in the middle of the ski where the wax pocket or grip zone is. A ski needs enough camber & stiffness to hold the grip zone off the snow when you're gliding. But, when you stand on one ski and press down, the ski has to bend enough to let you grip the snow and move forward.
Your weight and skiing ability affect the amount of camber and stiffness you need. Stiff skis are faster but more demanding of your technique. It takes practice to avoid slipping backwards on stiff skis. Racers love stiff skis. Novice skiers are happier with a softer ski that requires less force (especially at the end of a long day).
IMPORTANT POINT! to go faster, you should try to glide further instead of moving your arms and legs faster. The longer you can balance and glide on one ski, the faster/smooth/better skier you will become.
A WIDE ski gives more flotation in soft snow while a NARROW ski gives more speed and less drag. People who ski on groomed trails use a narrower ski than backcountry skiers. People who ski with heavy packs choose wide skis.
SHAPE OF THE SKI: Skis are hourglass shaped, narrower under the foot than at the ends. This is called sidecut and it makes the ski easier to turn and steer. Backcountry skiers need skis that turn easier than a skier who is always in prepared tracks.
The LENGTH of the ski is decided with your height, weight and skiing ability in mind. As a general rule: a shorter ski is easier to handle and steer. A longer ski gives increased stability and glides further. A ski should be properly matched to your WEIGHT and sking ABILITY. As a very general rule: CLASSICAL SKIS should reach to the wrist when you raise your arm over your head. FREESTYLE (SKATING) skis are about 10 cm shorter.

SHORT SKIS:
Most skis now come in shorter lengths - in some cases as short as 147 cm. 147's have been described as Roller blades for snow. On a good trail they're a blast: exceptionally agile and almost as fast as a traditional length ski. But, they can be less stable on cruddy, hardpacked trails. What started as the 147cm-size-fits-all concept has evolved to longer lengths, so they still must be matched to your weight and ability.

LENGTH OF POLES
The old measure of under your arm pit is dead, dead, dead! Most skiers are using from top of shoulder to below the chin for traditional skiing because it's more efficient when climbing hills. Skaters & racers are using poles to the mustache! IMPORTANT POINT! Don't grip your poles too tightly - you'll only fatigue your arms. Push on the straps! Practice skiing with your pinkie fingers extended.

METAL EDGES:
Cross country skis with metal edges used to be limited to hard-core backcountry/mountaineering types and telemark skiers. The situation changed with the introduction of the NNN Backcountry bindings and the shorter skis. It's now possible to get metal edged skis that weighs just a few grams more than a regular ski. One tester called them the Hum-Vee of XC skis. But they must be paired with good boots and bindings to let you control them.
Metal edges may let you ski on ice infected hills, but why would you want to? You'll accelerate very rapidly on even a shallow icy slope, and unless you're very, very good, you may become very, very, very scared. Enjoy your metal edges for the control they offer, but use common sense.

BOOTS & BINDINGS:
Both boots & bindings have improved dramatically over the last few years. Even the fossilized three pin bindings have shown new life in their heavier, backcountry versions.
But the handwriting in the snow is clear: the integrated boot/binding combo like the NNN II and SNS Profile is the choice for most people. It's light, durable, and gives vastly improved edge control. And control of your edges is everything...! The drawback is the different boots and bindings are not interchangeable, which is a problem for those of us with four pairs of skis!
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Clothing for Cross Country Skiing
XC skiing demands a fine balance between staying warm and overheating. Overheating is a major concern because you will sweat and if you don't get rid of that moisture, you're going to get cold as soon as you stop.
Almost all beginners overdress and they quickly stop to remove excess clothing. Cross country skiers often dress like runners. But, everybody's comfort level is different - what's good for you may be freezing or roasting for someone else. Skiers often carry a small pack with extra layers. A small pack is also a great place to carry water bottles and snacks. You need to drink frequently, you need to drink a lot, and you need to drink before you get thirsty!

Three LAYERS are used to regulate body temperature:

WICKING LAYER: In order to stay warm, the layer next to your skin MUST stay dry. Synthetics like polypropylene move the perspiration away from your body and into the outer layers. Cotton is cold when wet and will only make you colder when you stop! Don't wear cotton. Wool is OK too, but poly is much better.

INSULATING LAYER: Wool sweaters, pile and synthetics are best. Light and easy-to-pack layers are best. Racers may not even need an insulation layer (until they stop). Only wear cotton if you never fall, never perspire, enjoy being uncomfortable, think that cars haven't really improved much since the 1962 VW Beetle, and haven't heard that the Grateful Dead are no longer touring. (Sorry to break you the bad news).

OUTER LAYER: This protects you from wind and snow. The better shells have lots of neat zippers so you can vent excess heat and moisture. Put nice strings on the zippers so you can work them with your mittens on.

LYCRA: Once you ski in lycra tights you'll probably never wear anything else. The freedom of movement and lack of binding at the knees, etc., really adds to your comfort. Lycra tights now come with warm & fuzzy pile inside! Not to mention some really wild & colorful prints.

HATS & GLOVES: Like your grandmother said, if your feet are cold, put on a hat! You lose a lot of energy through your neck and head, so insulate it! The layering system can work here too, with a hat and a hooded wind breaker. Cold hands are no fun: liners, gloves and overmitts will make a versatile system to keep your hands warm in almost any weather. When you first start out the overmitts are nice and warm, but you easily remove them when you get warmed up. And you will get warmed up......
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The 8 Essential Skills of XC Skiing
The skills needed to ski XC can be broken down into eight easy-to-learn parts!
Whether you are a beginner or an expert, diagonal striding or skating, the skills apply to all levels.
For example, the basic snowplow starts by SKIDDING the skis sideways into a Vee, then EDGING them into the snow. When you add WEIGHT TRANSFER, you will start to turn!
By practicing the basic skills for a few minutes each day when you ski, you will become a smoother, more efficient, and faster skier.

  1. SLIDING: Gliding across the snow with a neutral, balanced stance with your feet side by side.
  2. GLIDING ON ONE SKI: gliding across the snow on ONE ski, with your body mass centered over that ski.
  3. WEIGH TRANSFER: Shifting your weight from ski to ski.
  4. PUSHING OFF: Also know as "kicking", when you grip the snow with the ski to move forward. Nowax skis grip with the fishscale pattern, was skis grip with the wax, and skating skis grip with the edges.
  5. POLING: pushing off against the poles.
  6. EDGING: tilting the skis on edge so that the bottom corner digs into the snow.
  7. SKIDDING: slipping the skis sideways across the snow
  8. STEERING: turning the leg and foot to turn the ski.
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Basic Ski Maintenance
After a long summer of hibernation in the basement, your skis deserve a little TLC before they will be ready to carry you down the trail. These are the basics, and are not intended to cover the more advanced waxing and "rilling" techniques used by fast skiers today. Any good ski shop will be happy to make these repairs for you as well.

Check tips & tails
Equipment required: Epoxy cement, C-clamp.
Check your skis for delaminations or cracks: the tails are the most common problem area, since this is the end you rammed in the snowbank by the tavern at the end of the day last season. Clean the wound: a nail file can help to get out the crud. Mix epoxy according to the tube label. Apply with a small stick. Clamp with a small C-clamp for as long as the label suggests.
Thanks to a now defunct arline, I once arrived in Breckenridge, CO with a pair of bashed skis. I was able to buy epoxy at the 7-11, but no C-clamps. So I mixed up the glue and used a heavy chair as a clamp and it worked!

Check the bindings
Equipment required: Screwdriver (Posi-Drive preferred, or large Phillips, carpenter's or white glue.
Look for cracks or obvious damage: bent parts, looseness, etc. The boots are part of the binding system: check that they fit properly into the bindings. In case of a problem, replacement is often the only answer. Are the screws tight? Check the heel plate. Some glue on the screws helps keep water out of the ski's internals.

Clean the bottoms
Equipment required: Rag, wax remover, plastic scraper.
You must get last year's crud and wax off! Clean skis glide better! If the bottoms are clean, a rag and wax remover may be enough. If you find old wax on the skis, you'll have to use a scraper first. Plastic scrapers only, unless you're experienced.

Smooth the bottoms
Gouges in a no-wax ski's kick zone are almost impossible to fix. Gouges in the tips & tails (glide zone) can be smoothed out. If the gouges are not too deep: polish with fine sandpaper, followed by a Scotch Brite scouring pad. Work in a tip-to-tail direction. You want it to be as smooth and flat as possible. Clean with wax remover. If the gouges are deep: you can fill in the large craters with a p-tex candle, followed by smoothing with a metal scraper. This works OK, but it's not for a beginner.

Wax the skis
You'll get better glide if you wax the tips & tails. It also helps protect the base. Crayon a THIN layer onto the tips & tails. Don't wax the grip zone (unless it's "grip wax" or "binder wax" on waxable skiis!) Smooth it with a cork, or better yet, use an iron. Let it cool down, then scrape off the excess. You will need to re-wax during the season.
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How to Turn & Stop on XC Skis
(Yes, it is actually possible...)

Control Your Speed
To control your speed and turn: use the wedge & snowplow turns.
If the hill is too steep for your comfort: Walk down the hill!
But walk off the track, your footprints in the middle of a trail could cause another skier to fall.
... and remember: The downhill skier has the right of way.

Basic Body Position
For balance & shock absorption: the upper body is slightly slumped, but still upright. NOT BENT OVER!
The legs are bent at the ankles and knees so your legs can act as shock absorbers.
Your toes, knees & nose are aligned vertically.
Legs should be shoulder-wide for better balance & stability. You can't balance well with the legs close together.
Practive by standing "flat footed" on the skis with your weight equally distributed between heels and toes. Rock back and forth and get familiar with distributing your weight evenly.
Keep hands low and in front of the thighs.

As Your Speed Increases:
Lower your body to gain stability: this lowers your center of gravity).
Resist the urge to bend forward.

Really Important: Bend your knees!
If you bend forward at the waist when going downhill, you will throw your center of gravity so far off, that it won't matter what kind of skis you have - you will be out of control! Correcting this solves most skiers control problems.

WEDGE or SNOWPLOW (Part 2)
The wedge or snowplow allows you to control your speed or stop. It's also the platform from which turns are done.
The wedge can be modified to a half wedge: one ski out of the track.
Bend your knees and ankles.
Imagine squeezing a basketball or grapefruit betwteen your knees.
The shins should push into the tongues of the boots, but the heels must not lift.
The stance will seem "pigeon-toed".
Push OUT with the knees, and IN with your heels.
Edge the skis. (The inner edges!)
You can't edge efficiently with straight legs.
As the speed increases: go wider and lower.
Keep upright, don't bend at the waist: imagine sitting in a chair.
Look straight ahead, not at your ski tips.
Practice without poles!

Snowplow Turns
You start the turn from a narrow wedge.
A slightly higher stance will keep the skis flatter and allow STEERING the skis.
Steer the skis in the direction of the turn by rotating your feet and legs.
Big toe turns: Practice steering by holding a pole between the tips of your skis. Lift a ski and push into the pole. Feel your big toe pushing against the boot.
Add edging and weight transfer for more control.
Weight the opposite side of the turn.
Practice on a gentle slope without poles!
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