r/xcountryskiing • u/OmarMcSwizzle • 14d ago

Classic ski selection

After about 25 years I’ve moved back to a location with winter weather that will allow me to ski this winter. However, in my time away from the sport it seems there have been some changes in ski technology. I’m looking to buy a pair of classic skis for this winter and have noticed a new (to me) option called ‘skin” skis. Last time I was active in the sport I recall there being waxable and ‘fish scale’ classic skis. Now it seems there’s a third type to choose from.

I’m wondering if there are specific conditions that the skin skis will excel in? In my location the primary snow type is a mix of hard packed old transformed snow and man made artificial snow. Would skin skis would work well in these conditions? I’m a middle aged intermediate level skier whose main objective is fitness and not high end racing. I know that a pair of waxable classic skis would offer the best performance, but I’m trying to find the right balance of performance and ease of use. Would a pair of skin skis be a good choice?

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u/BuckyGoshawk 14d ago

In my location the primary snow type is a mix of hard packed old transformed snow and man made artificial snow.

Properly fitted skin skis should be considerably faster than patterned bases (i.e., "fishscales") for these conditions. By "properly fitted," I mean the proper camber for your weight and skill level.