if you are just getting into nordic skiing, i would advise visiting a local shop that knows how to fit you by taking into consideration weight, height, the flex of the ski, etc. Seems to be a few variables that make it a little more complicated that say purchasing a bike frame online. when i was starting out, there was no way I would have been able to select the correct package.

I get regular hot wax done on my skate skis, so I don't know much about waxless skis, however if you do get into wax application, it is like a whole other process and time commitment.

Also have fun - this is by far my favourite sport.

Your body weight drives correct ski flex (and length, to some extent). Getting this right is a big deal and if the shop doesn’t offer to do this or is reluctant I’d look elsewhere or online. Your height drives pole length, although the preferred range for poles will be shorter for classic than it is for skating. “Waxless” skis are unfortunately named as they glide much better when regularly glide waxed. If you go with this type of classic (I.e., diagonal stride) ski then you don’t have to kick wax for grip as the pattern / fish scale base provides this by mechanical means instead. If the weather around your ski areas is neither routinely around freezing nor routinely very icy then wax less skis buy a little convenience at the cost of a fair bit of performance.

Regardless of the type of ski you get, technique lessons are usually a good idea. Diagonal stride is easy to do very badly but hard to do well.

One other point that maybe matters less than it used to. Beginner boots used to be cheap and floppy and so greatly muted the communication between your leg/ foot and the ski, robbing new skier of the control they need at the point in their learning when they need it the most, as they can’t yet compensate with the technique they don’t have yet. A better pair of boots (firm with lots of ankle support) is a good place to upgrade if you have any extra money.

You should rent skis and try skiing at a nordic center then back country roads, trails, snow mobile tracks, or whatever. Find out what you want to do.

If you really want to dive in without looking then your best bet is a versatile ski. Ski a season then upgrade everything for next year after you figure out what type of skiing you like. A versatile ski means a mid width waxless that is narrow enough for groomed tracks but still wide enough for some back country tramping. For this I recommend something like the Fischer Spider 62, which has full metal edges, and NNN-BC bindings. A ski like that is a good old faithful in the quiver you'll eventually acquire.

Rent for awhile to see what you like. Take lessons if you haven't already.

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As others have said, go to a shop that knows about nordic and get the proper flex skiis.

I would really ask yourself where do you plan to ski. A narrow pair of fish scales are decent for groomed tracks and also you can do a little off road with them. If you get a wider pair they will be more like long snowshoes on a groomed track. Breaking trails although it sounds romantic is not really that fun (IMO). It is slow in any kind of ski. I learned to XC ski on narrow fish scales and I would go to a local golf course and break tracks, but you had to go over the tracks 2-3 times before it felt right.

Fish scales are great to learn, just please take some lessons. XC skiing and swimming are both highly technique related sports. Good technique goes a long way in skiing. Like swimming XC skiing is 100 small movements that make it effortless if you are good, but miserable if you don't sweat the details.

The most important thing you can do is take lessons.

I second some of the other suggestions, go to a local nordic centre, rent some skis, and try it out, probably both skate and classic, and see what you like, maybe take a technique lesson or two at each, and then you can make a more informed decision... then go to a reputable ski shop that will weigh you and get you on skis with the right camber... this is critical for classic, or you risk having no glide, and pretty painful and unenjoyable skiing... In terms of waxless... I used to hate it (even as a self-professed terrible classic waxer) with the old fish scale style bases, but the new skin skis that companies like Rossignol have out are incredible. It had been over a decade since I had done any proper classic skiing (I did go "classic" once or twice with friends, and just used skate skis and double poled the whole way...), but I went out last year, because the trail I needed to check out was classic only, on a pair of borrowed skin skis... I was shocked at how good they were (and it was on a day where the conditions were bordering on klister ranges, where nobody has good skis...), I had great grip and glide, and it was a lot of fun. If I ever decide to grab a pair of classic skis, I'll go with them for sure (never having to apply klister again is a pretty attractive option)...

I had a friend a couple seasons back wanting to take up nordic skiing with no experience, so he called me up for advice, and I gave him what I listed above. rather than paying for a lesson, he just payed for my trail access (my seasons pass was for another trial network, but this centre was much more beginner friendly), and brought me with to help him with technique. He rented skis, and we went out a few times of each, and he decided he enjoyed skate skiing more, so he got skate gear, then I took him out to some of the nicer trail networks. Either technique be patient with it, it takes a while to get good at them. Ski with people who are more experienced than you are, less for them to push the pace, but more so that you can watch how they ski, and potentially benefit from technique pointers... And have fun with it... Probably the biggest reason I go out to ski with a group of friends is to justify the trip to the nearby pub afterwards...

Not to say "mines bigger" but I am an ex PSIA nordic instructor and I am around a pretty high level nordic crowd. I have taught hundreds of people lessons in east and west coast venues.

If you are really interested in learning nordic I would start on classic- not skating. XC skiing is a full weight transfer activity where you have to transfer your weight on to one leg and ride out a glide to maintain speed. This is one of the key parts of skiing. In classic the weight transfer is more subtle and controlled, and you are also learning about forward body position, how to double pole, control speed, cover different types of terrain, etc.

Skating is much faster (which is really fun), but the same principles apply as classic, only they come up on you a lot faster.

I see so many awful skate skiers out there who are doomed to mediocrity because they never once learned any fundamentals. They are always dudes wearing their bike jerseys or jackets. You can still get a workout as an awful skier, but to me it is the same as going to the pool and seeing all of those people plodding along in their lanes at 2:30 100s, working really hard, not going anywhere. The XC skate skiing equivalent is the skier who never leaves V1, never fully commits to a ski, doesn't put down a flat ski, lifts their feet 12 inches off the ground between strides, has ineffective praying mantis style pole technique, etc.

If you are in Boulder you certainly have good shops and resources there. Boulder Nordic Sport is well known.

I don't disagree with that suggestion at all... I did classic for a decade before I started skate skiing (partially because there was no such thing as skate skiing when I started, and then there was the awful marathon skate... (I'll sometimes throw in a bit of marathon skate if I am waiting for people in a group to catch up, and get the curious looks...)...

And absolutely 99% of skiing is weight transfer, and that's easier to learn from classic, and then transfer over to skating... When I ski with newish skiers to two largest errors I see in skate skiing, is keeping the weight centered and not committing to either ski, and t-rex polling (which typically comes from skiing with such a high cadence, because of short glide caused by not committing your weight to the ski...). And you're pretty bang on with your description of the demographic of those skiers... You can get a good workout skiing poorly, but that workout will be more enjoyable if you ski less badly...

  
If you are really interested in learning nordic I would start on classic

This is how I started, 30 years ago in Rochester NY. Just going around a golf course. I've never seen a groomed trail until yesterday.



I see so many awful skate skiers out there who are doomed to mediocrity because they never once learned any fundamentals. They are always dudes wearing their bike jerseys or jackets.

That was me! I was in my cycling jacket! Ha, good call!

If you are in Boulder you certainly have good shops and resources there. Boulder Nordic Sport is well known.[/quote]

Skating looks like fun. So I have to make a choice between skate and classic skis, right? I really enjoy the classic style and money is a factor for me. It's $27 a day for rentals, so I was just wondering if I should get one of those $250-$300 packages I see online. Can you do the skating style of skiing with classic skis?

 
If you are in Boulder you certainly have good shops and resources there. Boulder Nordic Sport is well known.[/quote]

Skating looks like fun. So I have to make a choice between skate and classic skis, right? I really enjoy the classic style and money is a factor for me. It's $27 a day for rentals, so I was just wondering if I should get one of those $250-$300 packages I see online. Can you do the skating style of skiing with classic skis?[/quote]
You cant really do skating in classic skiis. They are longer and the boots are different, and there are flex differences, also if you buy some basic fish scale classic skiis they dont glide well. Also classic poles are shorter than skate poles. There really is no El Camino solution either.

You should be able to get a decent pair of classic boots for $100 and a decent pair of light classic skis for $200. If you are in Boulder as your signature says go to Boulder Nordic Sport and just tell them you are a beginner on a budget and I am sure they can hook you up with something. Ask them if they have close outs or demos gear - you should be able to find something.

Keen to hear how you get on; XC skiing is something that isn't an option where I live in NZ...but I really wish it was.

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You have the snow farm where all of the top level Americans go ski in the summer (here). South Island I believe.

Indeed we do, but I live on the north island and getting to Wanaka / Queenstown is often expensive and a major pain in the ass by air, and stupidly time consuming by ferry and road. I'm spending a week down there in August, so I may get a chance then.

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Some great advice on this post and I’ll just add my two cents by saying: Do it! Fantastic cross training activity that has helped keep me injury-free, motivated, healthy and happy throughout the winter. So much more enjoyable to be outdoors compared to pool or trainer, IMO.

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"No more hurting people - Peace"

Hi Chris
I picked up a pair of Fischer skin skis on my trip to Norway last winter. I went to one of the best ski shops and got a pair picked out fitting me perfect.
Since I am not in the same shape as when I was competing the flex is more forgiving.

I love the skin skis. I think 80% of new classic skis sold in Norway are skins. If picked right and with the possibility to move the binding they are the future of skiing.

I have also start testing out the new liquid gliders (not toppings). Currently I am testing out
Vauhti UF Wet Liquid Glide Wax and it is great.

Hey Halvard,
thanks for the tip. Do you remember the the make and model of ski you bought? My favorite pair of waxable classic skis is still the pair I bought in Lillehammer before the Birkie many years ago, but they're rapidly approaching a need for replacement.

I have the Fischer Twin Skin Race. But you will find really good skin skis from Atomic/Salomon also. It is where you buy your skis that is most important.
The store has to know skin skis.

Rossignol has a couple of great skin models as well... they have a mid-range one as well as the race one... I skied on the race model, but have heard just as much positive feedback for the more modestly priced model as well...

today I learned.. there are skin skis. Ha. Guess I haven't been paying attention to ski tech.

+1 to all endosch2's advice above.
Take lessons. It will make your x-c life much pleasanter and way more fun.

Skate needs decent snow conditions and groomed trails, so classic is much more versatile.
It is possible to survive ungroomed trails on track skis, I have blundered around in the woods on mine quite happily. Ungroomed trails are more fun with proper backcountry skis but then it runs into quite a bit more money than a basic classic package.

I have a pair of madshus nanosonics skins and they are great as well - but agree with the comment about a good shop being the most important.

A general comment I haven’t seen addressed in this thread - waxless doesn’t mean you don’t need to apply glide wax. It only applies to the kick zone. They can still use a good application of glide wax to go faster.

shhh.... it's good for the ego to pass people with slow skis... although frustrating to ski with people who wax their skate skis once/year (and even more frustrating to wax said people's skis)...