XC Ski Gear Picks?

[Skierchickie]

Glad to help, Miranda! Pardon me if I ramble on - I have a tendency to take 5 paragraphs to say 2 things.

Clothes. Well, pretty much the same stuff you'd wear running in the winter (I don't know if you run). I don't bike in the winter, but I would guess that would require more clothes than skiing. I suspect that, being a biker, you probably have a lot of these things already, so don't think that you have to have everything I mention here. Just layer up until you know what you really want.
1. I wear a thin layer of long underwear (I wore polypro for years, but got some microweight Smartwool a couple of years ago, and love it). Pants and a crew neck (higher neck shirt if it is really cold).
2. Tights and a light to medium weight top (zip-neck Ts are good - you can unzip if you get hot). Actually, if you have a good long sleeve bike jersey, that would be perfect. If it is really cold and windy, I have a heavier weight top that has windproof panels. I also have thin tights and thicker tights.
3. For really cold & windy conditions, I wear wind pants. Mine zip all the way up the leg, which is great with ski boots, and they are just sort of a shell with a mesh liner (LL Bean from many years ago). Something NOT waterproof, and not too windproof! You want to break the wind, but not build up sweat. And, finally, a light jacket. Just a shell, really. Once again, if you sweat and it gets trapped, you'll get cold no matter what you do. Breathable (I'm not convinced that anything really is) is the key.
4. Gloves - I tend to wear lighter weight ones than most people, because I can't stand it when my hands are sweaty. Any ski shop will carry gloves designed for skiing. Big and bulky is out, unless you have trouble with getting cold - for me (once again) extra bulk = extra sweat = frozen fingers. Also, knit gloves will get worn by the poles, and could lead to blisters. Toko makes very nice x-c gloves, as well as Swix, etc. I got a pair of lobster mitts last year, for really cold. They are really nice, but I don't wear them much (once again, sweaty inside), but my friend was still wearing hers when it was 25-30 out this year.
5. Socks - I like a thin liner sock (Smartwool is my favorite, but my podiatrist recommends polypro), with a heavier sock over. They should fit close (but not tight), or they move around, and then your foot moves around.
6. Hat

For years, when I was only striding, I was hot all the time. When I started skating, I also started wearing more clothes - and I never wore hats, just light earmuffs, until maybe 7 years ago. Getting old, I guess. Striding generates a lot of heat, so layers that you have the option of removing are good (like the jacket and wind pants). I love wool, but it is expensive. I rarely wear fleece - I guess some fleece is okay, but I don't seem to own any of that. I find the wind goes right through what I have, and I also just end up wet. I'm noticing a theme here - I'm just a big ol' sweater.

I have a Nike Dry-fit top I wear all the time (nice and soft, and doesn't hold moisture, although I have other Dry-fit stuff that seems to stay damp - go figure), some Sporthill stuff, Craft, etc. I have a Sugoi top that I never wear - it is soft inside, but still kinda polyestery, and the wind cuts right through.

Finally, I heard a great quote that really sums it up: "Cotton kills!". Don't even think about wearing cotton - it will get wet, and you will freeze. Especially socks.

Hope this helps.

[madscot13]

I think I shall write about clothing also.

I agree with everything that has just been said.

1. I have sporthill windproof pants. well they are not really windproof but with long underwear below I have never felt wind. They aren't membrane material but on the inside feel more like brushed fleece.
here they are on sale (rei is having a 20% off sale on clearance items until the 17th) http://www.rei.com/REI-Outlet/produc...cat=REI_SEARCH

2. I tried to pick up windproof fleece and that was a bust. I have a goretex windpro fleece though and that is awesome. i wear it for my whole minnesota winter from fall to spring.

3. zip necks are awesome. when I get going I shed that fleece I was speaking of and instead where a zipneck fleece layer.

4. love wool

[madscot13]

Skierchickie, worry to piggy back off of your replies. they are great advice. i can't wait to organize my Christmas ski trip now!

[Skierchickie]

Thanks, Madscot. So, we usually have super snow by Christmas, with several great places to ski (the MTU ski trails hosted the US Nationals last year, and will again next January), if you are looking for a place within a day's drive.

So, does the box make it difficult to ski (I mean, interfering with your poles and all)? Probably helps cut that cold Minnesota wind though, huh?

[madscot13]

the box is pretty much windproof. I have NEVER been cold in my corrugated exoskeleton.

Do you know any resort- like areas up there? Or towns that are accessible to trails? I am not famiilar to Michigan. It would be a drive but if there is snow it would be worth it. Or in other words, it wouldn't be worth it without the snow.

[Miranda]

HolyBaGeeBas...thank you so much! SkierChickie you are too funny, about the paragraphs to get out what you want to say...that it SO me as well!

No, unfortunately I don't have a lot of winter cycling gear--just new to the sport as well, but am starting to get a few pieces, and now will think about the cross training with xc skii. For example, I do have two grades of tights, and I did not get them with the chamois, and now I am glad because I assume I can use them for part of my ski layers it sounds. Also, I can't do anything implactive exercise, like run, thus cycling and xc skiing are good choices for me.

Alas, wool makes me itch and break out in hives. I know it's a great natural fabric. I can't even wear a nice cashmere sweater in winter for fashion fun, whaaa . So, I will have to consider some of the other choices listed. Also, on the getting cold part in general, I am sorta a big baby there . I lost a lot of weigh in the last couple of years, and as one of my GFs said, "it's cold being skinny". None on my upper body, just all the weight I carry is in my good ole bootie--which I could transfer it North to stay warm.

Lastly, I think I do remember reading about the different types of strides for xc skiing on a gear website in the info section. Gotta do a bit more research, and learn of course.

Snow won't be long for sure...shhh, don't tell my bike! Thanks!

[Skierchickie]

Hi Miranda & Madscot!

Sorry - tied up with house guests for a couple of days.

Sorry to hear about the wool issues Miranda (is it all wool? Smartwool is nice and non-itchy, but I suppose an allergy is an allergy). Polypro works fine. I forgot to mention to be careful with Sporthill if you have pets - it is really nice stuff, but the 3SP material loves pet hair! I have a newer shirt that only requires about one strip off the lint roller before I can wear it, but it just has a couple of panels of that fabric - I could never buy the 3SP pants or full shirts. I have an older shirt made of that stuff, and it takes me ages to de-fur it, and then I still have a layer left .

Madscot - we don't really have what you would call resorts around here, but we have great places to ski, and usually great snow by late November (last year not included ). We typically have 24-36 (a couple of years ago it was more like 48") inches on the ground from Christmas through mid-March.

The Michigan Tech Trails are probably about 25k total, with some really challenging terrain, plus some easier, flatter stuff, and are in Houghton - pretty professionally groomed. Swedetown, in Calumet (about 20 miles from Houghton), is about 30k, with nice, rolling terrain - beautiful & Pisten Bully groomed. Maasto Hiito, in Hancock, combined with Churning Rapids is, hmm, not sure how much - striding only. Chassell Trails are about 10k, striding only. You can check out keweenawtrails.com for info. Since we're in the UP, we get tons of people from Madison, Milwaukee, the Twin Cities, etc here over Christmas. Fewer from Michigan, actually, as downstate is pretty far away. Ironwood gets great snow, too. The only problem is that the holidays bring lots of snowmobilers, too, so the motels fill up early. The bigger towns around here (Houghton & Hancock) are each about 7000 people, and the others are, well, smaller, so so don't expect St Paul-like nightlife or anything .

Oh, and at least one ski shop does rent skis.