Skis, boots, and poles
Cross country ski racing requires two techniques: classic and skate. The optimal skis, boots, poles, and waxes differ for these techniques. Combi skis, which can be used for both events, are an option for reducing costs but may lead to some frustrations for two reasons. First, combi skis will limit your ability to learn or the ski's ability to respond to proper classic and skate technique and, consequently, combi skis may limit how much fun you have on the snow. Second, we will be switching frequently from skate to classic and removing classic waxes and re-applying skate waxes, and vice-versa, is very time consuming.
We would encourage all high school skiers to purchase dedicated classic and skate skis, especially if you want to improve in the sport and optimize your fun. If you are currently using a combi ski, a good option would be to buy either a skate or classic ski and use the combi ski for the other event. Some combi boots, especially the Salomon Pro Combi, can be effectively used for both techniques.
When purchasing skis, it is important to have properly fit skis if you want the ski to respond properly. Ski companies do publish charts that can generally be used to assess fit but use these with caution as the flex of an individual pair of skis can vary substantially within a particular length and flex class. Also note that properly fit inexpensive skis will be faster than poorly fit top-of-the-line skis. There are several shops that specialize in nordic ski equipment in our area. Gorham Bike and Ski has moved most of their nordic operation to Jackson, NH but they still maintain some inventory in Portland and they have some top technicians in our area. Boulder Nordic Sport East is a dedicated nordic shop that outfits many of the eastern college skiers and has top technicians to help you make the right purchase and offers a team pricing discount. LL Beans has carried racing skis on and off, I'm not sure what they are carrying for 2010-2011. Carter's in oxford has a large shop and often has discounted older models. Akers in Andover also often has discounted older models. Shopping for used nordic equipment is an exercise in patience. Skis do not often come up on Craigslist and the supply at the various ski sales is generally low. Finding a ski that fits properly can be difficult.
A complete skate or classic package at a nordic retailer might be about $210 for skis & bindings + $160 for boots + $50 for poles = $420. You could cobble together something less expensive from online sources and older models but this may be time consuming and might compromise fit and ultimately your experience.
As parents, we are very aware of the significant costs in purchasing skis, poles, and boots, especially if the skier is still growing. But recognize that because of the high demand for good, used nordic equipment, retired skis can be easily sold at the various November/December ski sales. Or they can be used as rock skis or used by a younger sibling (with all the caveats of correct fit).
Nearly all of the variation in race times among Maine HS skiers can be explained by fitness, strength, and technique. But this doesn't mean that ski fit, especially, but also grind and wax are not important. Fit (mostly), grind, and wax can make the difference of where you place in the top 10, or in the middle 10, and even in the last 10 (where probably lots of skis are poorly fit). Indeed, more experienced racers have multiple, differently flexed, classic and skate skis that are used for different snow conditions. These different flexes matter. It's a bummer that competitive ski racing is more than simple fitness but until skis are randomly distributed at the start of a race, this is part of our sport.
Your investment in skis should reflect your goals in the sport. If you are skiing because we're just a fun team with awesome athletes and coaches then do not feel at all compelled to purchase top equipment. If you want to be competitive in the state of Maine, proper ski fit will be much more important. If you have an interest in competing regionally or nationally in the Eastern Cups or JOs, the proper ski fit will be a necessary criterion for purchases.
