Cross country skiing guide: Which Equipment do you need for Classic?

 

WHICH EQUIPMENT DO YOU NEED FOR CLASSIC CROSS COUNTRY SKIING?

 

Classic Cross Country Ski


Let’s start with the core piece of your classic equipment – the skinny skis aka the cross country skis. Classic skis are usually much longer than your body height and have a soft ski flex. This is because classic skis have a glide section at the front and back of the ski and a kick section under your foot. Your weight is the major criteria when picking a classic ski, so the glide and kick balance is guaranteed. Classic skis don’t have metal edges, in order to keep the skis light and because you mostly ski in parallel classic tracks.

 

Classic skis are very specific when it comes to the bottom surface. The glide zone (front and back part of your ski) is the same for most skis. But there are major differences in the kick zone. The original type of classic skis are so-called wax skis.  The kick zone on wax skis is prepared with a sticky grip wax, which creates enough friction in order to not slide back but instead move forward. There are plenty of different klister and kick waxes for every kind of condition and temperature, such as fresh cold snow (hard wax) or wet warm snow (klister).

 

But you don’t need grip wax to create friction. There are special patterns, so-called crowns or fish scales that bite themselves into the snow and thereby help you to move forward. Quite new are skin skis, which have a climbing skin in the middle of the ski (similar to touring skis). Skin skis are a safe bet in most snow conditions. The bright side of the skin skis: the grip is so good, you can even conquer very steep uphill parts, without sliding backward.

 

People looking for a more stable and easy-going classic ski should check out cruising skis. Cruising skis tend to be wider and shorter in length and you won’t be able to reach very high speeds on them. On the other hand, they are uncomplicated enough to just grab them and ski, even in loose snow or untracked terrain. You can find them with “crowns” or with a “skin”, they are more forgiving and you don’t need to kick them super hard to move forward. That’s why cruising skis are also very popular among beginners or older people.

Important to mention is the alternative to a fish scale ski and a traditional waxing ski is the so-called no-waxing skin ski. Learn more in our cross country guide classic no-wax skin ski.

 

 

 

Classic Cross Country Boots


Another important part of your classic ski equipment is the boot. You should make sure that you have a good fit in them, like in a running shoe. Classic ski boots have a soft sole, so you can roll them easily and create a powerful kick. Despite the soft sole, most classic boots have parts that make them stable around your ankle section, so you can ski even longer distances without getting tired feet. Some boot models even feature carbon parts, making them lighter and more stable.

 

 

 

Classic Cross Country Bindings


The range of classic bindings is relatively limited. There are two leading binding systems which are not compatible: SNS (Salomon Nordic System) and NNN (New Nordic Form). Therefore, you have to make sure your classic boot or rather sole matches the binding system of your choice. While SNS bindings and boots provide more guidance for your foot, NNN is built lower and with a better feeling for the underground (snow). In addition to these two main systems, different sub-systems are available on the market. These include the smart NIS slide-on plate, the Prolink system, and since this season the new Turnamic IFP binding.

 

The NIS (Nordic Integrated System) is a sub-form of the NNN system and therefore of course compatible with it. It is basically a binding plate already integrated into many skis. On this binding plate, the NNN binding can be simply slid on – no screws necessary! This system does not only save time but also offers you a flexible mounting point.

 

In order to make use of the NNN binding and the smart NIS slide-on plate, Salomon came up with the Prolink system last season. This system allows you to use a Salomon Prolink boot not only with a Prolink binding but also with the NNN and NIS system – and vice versa an NNN boot with a Prolink binding. For the first time, this solution provided more options when choosing a boot binding combination.

 

Since this season, there is another sub-form of NNN bindings – the Turnamic IFP binding from Fischer and Rossignol. The main difference to previous systems is the amazing ease of use. Not only entry and exit are greatly facilitated by the innovative Turn Lock mechanism, but also a faster and easier tuning of ski, binding and shoe is made possible through a tool-free adjustability. This allows you to optimally adjust your ski performance in just a few seconds: pushed forward, you get more grip; pushed back better sliding properties. As with the NIS binding plate, the Turnamic IFP binding can be simply slid onto the ski. This new binding is compatible with the NNN sole profile, thus with Turnamic, NNN and Prolink shoes.

 

 

 

Classic Cross Country Ski Poles


The last pieces of your classic ski equipment are the poles. The length of the poles is very important so the whole movement of your body creates a continuous flow. To find the right length you should choose a pole that is between 80-85% of your body height. More sporty skiers choose a pole that is longer, while beginners or recreational skiers go for shorter poles.

 

Classic poles are built of aluminum, carbon or carbon composite materials. Carbon poles are very stiff and light but also more expensive, while composite or aluminum poles are softer and heavier but also cheaper.

 

 

To find out more about equipment for cross country skating visit our Skating Equipment Guide and for Backcountry Equipment, visit the article here.

 

Are you interested in other related articles about Cross Country Skiing? We have some more for you:

→ Cross country skiing guide – Styles: Classic, Skating, Backcountry, Classic No-Wax Skin Ski

→ Cross country skiing guide: Equipment

→ Cross country skiing guide: Equipment – Skating

→ Cross country skiing guide: Equipment – Backcountry

→ Cross country skiing guide: Equipment – Classic No-Wax Skin Ski

 

Foto Header: Fischer