xcSkiis How Long To Fit?

[Skierchickie]

Good job! Glad you are getting closer!

I'd still make them do the ol' paper sliding test, though. Just because a pair is marked "medium" doesn't mean it isn't at the soft or firm end of that scale, or else mismarked completely. Try to get them to actually check out that pair, and confirm that the wax pocket (even waxless have a pocket that grips when you kick, and flexes up out of the way when you glide) is right for you. Those markings are just a guide, so you know where to begin, and a good shop will confirm that they fit you properly (you know all those threads around here about having a professional bike fitting?) by actually checking it out. You'll have no fun at all if you have no glide, and even less with no kick!

Don't forget the Maxiglide, or something similar. Even waxless skis need a coating of wipe-on stuff to make things fun. Very simple and quick to use, and will help your skis glide.

I'm living vicariously through you - no new skis for me this year! On the bright side, it started snowing here last Tuesday, and we already have mid-season conditions (maybe 1-1/2 feet on the ground)! All of our local trails are open and groomed - all 4!

[Miranda]

Yes, closer to the purchase . I'm hoping the shop has Maxiglide. At least I know what to ask for. I know the guy said something about it being easier to not have to wax skis for maintenance. Just get em out, and go. But the glide sounds simply. I so hate "non fun stuff" , so we wouldn't want any of that biz lol !

It does seem odd to not stand on the skis to check them as well. Yes, fit is probably like buying jeans. Even tho the tag says they are the same, notta the case. I will definately do that and investigate the pocket. Too bad for the no new ski purchase for SkierChickie... the living and helping me in mine is greatly appreciated .

And, the comment about the bike as a kid, and not having something too advanced is totally true! I have not been cycling that long. All of the roadie gym buds have top of the line carbons. So, that's what I went to the shop after. Mind you, I had not even ridden a bike since before I got my driver's license. I'm a middle aged broad now . The shop guy could have sold me the mother load, but talked me out of it a bit. He said it could be "too much bike" for me to handle at once.

I own a Giant ladies specific road model bike, OCR1. Some carbon. But mostly aluminum frame. Considered Giant's top end "sport bike". Just even riding it first time, I felt very unsteady on the road tires. Thought I might crash in the neighbor's yard before I made it to the corner. But, much better now. So, next bike, I know what to look for, and have some additional skills to go with it. The skis are an excellent comparison to my first bike purchase. Good point!

[madscot13]

The "not buying the most expensive thing" is something that my father has been trying to teach me for years! I think it might just be catching on, and I wonder if it has any thing to do with it being my money and I have to be careful of how I spend it. Aw well. Good luck with skis. I think that aren't bad ski makers out there so it is all about finding the one that fits you.

[Miranda]

I'm giving my old thread on this topic a bump, vs starting a new one, in hopes of getting some more TE expert advice.

The conclusion of the gear purchased from this thread was:
*Fischer Jupiter Control Ski (traditional nordic xc ski for groomed trails, size 'small' 164cm, load limit 64kg / 141#s )
*Rottefella NNN binding
*Alpina Touring poles 130cm
*Alpina TR25 Boot

Alright, as far as gear fitting me, I think I have that OK with the help of you ladies. Bodyweight w/o gear is still holding between 120-125# (135#s+ish w/gear), I'm 5'5"... and the wax pocket test passes... paper slides underneath ball of foot with weight on both skis, shift to one ski, and the paper becomes trapped. They seemed to work ok on the surface they were intended for.

+ GEAR ADVICE...
NOW, here's my delimma... after I got my skis home, I figured out that what I bought, was not really the primary type of skiing I was looking for. That would be right out my door... more like a back country type ski.

The package is not a loss, as this summer through mtb more, I found some parks that groom their hiking trails for xc skiers. The GF I borrowed the old pair from is up for going to them. So, they will get more use this coming winter now that I know where to go.

The skiing out the back door thing became more important to me with schedules and time. We have a lot of farm fields in the midwest, and some parks w/fields closer to me than the groomed trails. What I found myself really wanting to do with my skis, aka take them into ungroomed powder breaking the path, didn't work so well with the groomed set up.

If I wanted to get a back country type ski set up also, what would I need? I know 'whatever' type of ski and the binding to go with it. BUT, what about my boots and poles? I think the poles would be 'ok', not ideal. But, will the boots fit BC bindings?

+ ATTIRE ADVICE...
I added some winter cycling pieces to my wardrobe that worked out ok for the xc skiing too. My outter shell though was a size small, and too tight for xc ski stuff with the under layers. It was a Hind waterproof (taped seams) jacket w/big zip vents... actual, I think it's more multi-sport, than cycling specific (no drop tail). I think just a size medium similiar jacket would do the trick. Any favs, please post.

Any more thoughts for me are appreciated. A chill is in the air... snow will be here before we know it ( for bikes, and for winter sports).

EDIT: I had the thought that the groomed xc trail skiing is about like my mtb, compared to my road bike. The road, if you just have an hour to ride, you get on the bike, and go for that long. The mtb, the hour ride is a two hour deal... travel time, PLUS the trail ride time. Both are fun. One just takes more time & planning.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I know they are not the cheapest gaiters, but I have these:gaiters and they are absolutely wonderful, very well made and snow-proof. I got the large because of my big size 9 winter boots.

I have waterproof rain pants I have worn snowshoeing, but I find I get too hot in them with tights underneath.

Instead, I wear a pair of UnderArmour winter tights, then some Ibex wool tights over that,and the gaiters, with my heavy wool socks and winter hiking boots.
With that outfit, my legs can still 'breathe' and I stay warm but don't get sweaty.
We are talking temps down to about 20 I guess, with no strong winds or freezing wet slush.
I find ANY jacket to be too hot after snowshoeing along for a while. So I wear a couple of thin wool base layers, maybe an Ibex merino Shak top if it's really cold, good double gloves, a wool hat or a thin silky balaclava, and then just a warm wool vest. Again, you can see this type of outfit I've described in my signature snowshoeing photo below....minus the gloves which I took off while we were fiddling with the camera. This type of layering keeps me warm but prevents me from getting all sweaty.
I have no experience in XC skiing, so I don't know if there are different needs involved with that. But I'm sure some of the clothing needs must overlap with snowshoeing clothes somehow.

[Miranda]

I know they are not the cheapest gaiters, but I have these:gaiters and they are absolutely wonderful, very well made and snow-proof. I got the large because of my big size 9 winter boots.

I have waterproof rain pants I have worn snowshoeing, but I find I get too hot in them with tights underneath.

Instead, I wear a pair of UnderArmour winter tights, then some Ibex wool tights over that,and the gaiters, with my heavy wool socks and winter hiking boots.
With that outfit, my legs can still 'breathe' and I stay warm but don't get sweaty.
We are talking temps down to about 20 I guess, with no strong winds or freezing wet slush.
I find ANY jacket to be too hot after snowshoeing along for a while. So I wear a couple of thin wool base layers, maybe an Ibex merino Shak top if it's really cold, good double gloves, a wool hat or a thin silky balaclava, and then just a warm wool vest. Again, you can see this type of outfit I've described in my signature snowshoeing photo below....minus the gloves which I took off while we were fiddling with the camera. This type of layering keeps me warm but prevents me from getting all sweaty.
I have no experience in XC skiing, so I don't know if there are different needs involved with that. But I'm sure some of the clothing needs must overlap with snowshoeing clothes somehow.

Thx BSG for the clothing tips. There is a method to my madness... trying to overlap the sports. Winter biking, xc ski, and snow shoeing.

Regardless of my ski outcome, I think I am getting my snow shoes. This should help in addressing my "fix" to just go out the back door to play in the snow.

If the TE ski queens tell me that I will probably have to get a WHOLE new set of of ski stuff to make BC work... well, that may have to wait. Guess, I'll shoe in the drifts close to home, and pack up the xc skis I have now for a groomed trail outting.

Yes... I was studying what you had on in that pic w/the snow shoes. I could xc ski like that too.

I didn't get good gaitors last year. Those are something good for both I now know. My winter cycle tights, I bought without chamois to use for other stuff besides the bike. My wool try out itch-test order is going to be that Ibex merino jersey (looks very multifunctional), and SmartWool socks.

I just don't like the snow fall soaking me on the outside. Maybe I'm just a weanie on that one.

[Crankin]

I have a Go-Lite jacket I use for x country skiing and snow shoeing when it is very cold. Like below 32. What I wear underneath, depends, but it's usually a combination of silk long underwear base layers and winter cycling tops and/or a fleece vest. As long as I can unzip, I'm OK. The jacket is not waterproof, but it's fine for a light snowfall. It is SO warm, but thin. For the bottom, I have a pair of Ibex tights that are part wool, part something else. My husband actually bought them for me, before I knew anything about Ibex. I wear them both with and without long underwear (silk). I also have worn them mountain biking in the late fall/winter and hiking. I also wear them on the rare chance I do a road ride below 40 degrees. They are totally windproof.
I wear the thinnest x country ski socks (long ones) that I can find, with the silk sock liners. I put a chemical heater between the liner and the sock when it's less than 20 out. When I snow shoe, I tend to wear woolie bullies or hiking socks that are thicker, since I am wearing my hiking shoes.
I think that when I bought my skis, they didn't consider my weight, only my height. Next time, I'll know better!

[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.