xcSkiis How Long To Fit?

[Skierchickie]

Miranda: It sounds like you are really getting into this - cool!

I don't have much to add, except that the waterproof jacket might be bad. Good that it has pit zips, but if you sweat too much and that gets trapped, you will end up freezing! I have searched for years for something that doesn't trap moisture when it is cold out (I am a sweater, and I don't mean a knit one!). Last year I got a Swix jacket that seems to work really well. Craft is a very good brand. Both are more winter-sport specific than, say, PI. I have a couple of PI jackets (get wet & cold), a couple of Sporthill (get wet & cold), Craft (better), Swix (possibly better yet), ........ Not that PI and Sporthill wouldn't work - just not the exact jackets that I have. Something that will break the wind, but still breathe is the key. Some things that are good for biking are not that great for skiing. Then again, I don't bike in the winter.

I always wear my skiing stuff for snowshoeing, if that helps.

Good luck!

[anakiwa]

Yikes- I'm still hoping to get some biking in yet

Attire- my favorite brands would be Craft and Sporthill (the Sporthill pants are a classic). But if I were you- I'd start with using your winter cycling gear, and then figure out what it is you need- in other words- if you're too hot, you need lighter weight layers or if you're too cold, you need heavier layers or more layers or a vest etc.

As far as gear goes- backcountry gear varies all the way from very much like touring gear to very much like downhill gear (and there are a lot of options in the middle). Where are you looking to use the skis? (relatively flat fields or more hilly challenging terrain?) If you're looking to use them on flat terrain- I'd suggest just using the touring gear you already have- trailbreaking is slow going- but it should be do-able in snowy conditions (not so do-able in ice/crust etc)- once you've broken the trail, you're all set until the next snowfall. If you're looking to get new gear, you'd be best off purchasing all new skis/boots/bindings. Theoretically, you can put regular bindings on the skis and use your boots, but you won't have enough control over the ski (backcountry skis tend to be heavier and it takes a sturdier boot/binding combo to put enough force on the ski to turn it).

Hope that helps.

[Miranda]

Just getting back to my thread again....

Thx ladies for those responses on gear and clothes. One of my winter bike jackets, it's the Sugoi Firewall jacket, says something about xc sking too with it. I think like SkierChickie's PI coat, it will break wind, but get wet. REI just sent me some fall/winter sale notice. Think I'll geek out the brands there too. Also, I kinda thought so much about needing to get new gear for true back country. I'll try what I have again, and go from there.