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This article about waxing your waxless cross-country skis is, as you might imagine, the result of me being frequently asked the same questions about waxing waxless cross-country skis! Technique and gear form an integrated whole when it comes to cross-country skiing. So, although I provide relatively short answers to common questions here, I do encourage…
People call me weird and bizarre. Some even say possessed. They look at me as if I’d lost all connection with reality as I sit eating my lunch at the local sandwich shop while still wearing my cross-country ski boots. Later in the day I call my best friend to tell him about the morning’s…
When springtime rolls around and normal people are tending gardens, cleaning garages, and planning summer hikes, we mountain folk are still out cross-country skiing, alpine skiing, snowboarding, and snowshoeing. “How can that be?” you ask. “Aren’t all the Lake Tahoe ski resorts closed by March or April?” Many groomed ski areas at Lake Tahoe do,…
When I hand first-time cross-country skiers their ski poles (in the rental shop where I seasonally work), I’m often met with disbelief. New customers will say something to the effect of, “these are so much longer than my alpine ski poles” or “are you sure they’re supposed to be so long?” They are a lot…
There are countless variations of classic cross-country ski boots in circulation. The styles range from vintage patent leather shoes designed for use with the 3-pin binding system (NN) and will most likely be found in a thrift store or at a garage sale to high-tech and high-top styles of backcountry boots that feature ankle support…
Ski bindings, whether they be for Nordic skis, Alpine skis, Telemark skis, or Randonee skis (Alpine Touring), are the unsung heroes of the world of skiing. Without bindings, our skis would be rendered useless for they are the direct interface between human and technology (skis). Their purpose is to enable us to exert control over…
There are many design features that make a classic cross-country ski unique, but arguably the most distinct is the grip zone. This area directly underfoot accommodates kick wax or features a textured pattern such as fish scales, skins, or a surface designed to be roughened up so you can achieve grip on the snow. The…
Presented to you in this article and collection of videos are some basic lessons on waxing your waxless cross-country skis. I prefer to use the term “functional” when describing my style of waxing because I aim for function rather than high-performance. I cross-country ski for enjoyment, exploration, and exercise (not racing), so my skis are…
Years ago when “waxless” skis were introduced to the market, recreational cross-country skiers rejoiced. No more sticky kick wax to deal with (particularly of the klister variety) and no more trial and error to achieve the ideal grip for diagonal striding. These waxless cross-country skis instead featured a fish scale-type pattern in their bases (in…
From an outward appearance, classic cross-country skis look simple in their design. They’re long, skinny, lightweight, and feature a graceful arc that (mostly) spans the length of the ski. However, the reality is that the shape of classic cross-country skis, as well as the techniques used to run them, are deceptively complex. Understanding the basic…
Skis began, as you might expect, as a mode of transportation over snowy terrain. Whether people were traveling from one place to another or chasing down wild game, skis were (and still are) designed to provide the means to travel most expediently across snow. Although downhill skiing has been around since the 1800s and has…
At around $250-$500, buying a new set of recreational cross-country skis and its accompanying equipment (boots, bindings, and poles) is not a major financial investment. However, this initial purchase has the potential of being just the beginning of a disease known as gear lust. Of course, how far down this rabbit hole you travel depends…
Having worked in a rental shop at a cross-country ski resort in North Lake Tahoe and at an outdoor store that sold and rented cross-country ski gear in South Lake Tahoe, I was often asked by customers, “Since I’m new to cross-country skiing what type of skis should I buy?” Seems like a basic enough…