Looking to purchase XC skis...30 years after my first set

[Crankin]

Zoom Zoom, I've never bought skis for a kid/teen, so I don't know how to address your question about size, etc. But, yes, you are on the right track with what type of ski is good. I have Fischer Spyders, which are metal edged classic skis. Personally, I don't like breaking trails, but they are advertised to be able to do this, on a moderate level. Most true back country skis are wider. I once went on a group ski and one of the women had back country skis. She couldn't ski in the tracks, and was frustrated. So I wouldn't buy true back country skis if you might be at a groomed touring center at times. To me, the most important thing is the edges. They help so much climbing and descending.
When I was in the Methow Valley last winter, the leader of our trip set me up with much skinnier, true classic skis, for advanced skiers. Although the conditions were terrible, I definitely felt faster. But, those skis would not work in New England.
I would go to shop at a bigger center to ask your questions about weight, etc. But, it seems like it wouldn't be good to get him skis for a 150 lb person when he weighs 115 now.

[zoom-zoom]

Yeah, definitely don't want true backcountry skis...I don't envision us doing big-time deep powder and breaking trails. More like 6" of fresh stuff and trails that have maybe had only a couple of people on them before us. And maybe 50% on groomed trails.

With the kid we may even look at used skis, since I'm thinking he may not get more than a year or two on a pair, given his recent rate of growth. Or buy him pretty cheap ones, now, then sell in a year or two -- once we have a better idea what will work for him and where his weight may start to settle.

[zoom-zoom]

We got these, today! I actually went with upgraded boots and poles. The upgrade boots fit my goofy wide/duck foot much better. And the upgraded poles were a lot lighter for only $7 more. My kiddo's skis are the exact same size (at 5'8" he's at the light end of the weight-range and at <5'4" I'm at the top -- incentive to get down to the lighter end and not gain any more over the holidays), so it's good his bindings are different so that we can tell them apart. We hope he'll get a couple seasons out of them.

Now we need to get real snow!!!

[Catrin]

I don't know anything about skiing, but it looks to me like you are going to have some fun this winter, enjoy the new gear!

[Crankin]

Nice purchase, Zoom. Enjoy your skis.

[zoom-zoom]

Nice purchase, Zoom. Enjoy your skis.

If only we'd get some snow. Most years I dread snow...2 years ago we had record snow, last year we had a ton of snow and record cold. This year...we've had maybe 3" total...nothing that stuck long and it was slushy. Naturally. Because we have brand new, shiny skis that are itchin' to use!

[Crankin]

It's kind of early for snow. At least around here, we rarely get any big storms until January. There have been a few years when we get one in December, then nothing for awhile. Last year we had snow the day after Thanksgiving, and then it didn't snow again until January 23. Of course, then, it didn't stop until the end of February.
There's been some snow up north, but not enough for x country skiing. This is why I love it so much. I wait and wait and waitn, and then 8 weeks of heaven. I could get at least 4 more weeks, if I went up north in March, but, by the end of the first week of Mach, I am thinking about my bike. Most years, I am out by 3/5, though last year wasn't until the 28th.