EQUIPMENT (details below)
A. All athletes are responsible for procuring a ski bag, skate skis and poles, classic skis and poles, and appropriate boots (combi boots are OK).
B. If you lease skis, you must clearly mark every item with your initials.
C. MUHS will provide all training and racing waxes.
D. Equipment can be leased for the season from Green Mtn Adventures or Skirack - both are great resources and offer team discounts.
Equipment
Skis: A pair of each skate and classic skis. Skate and classic are the two different Nordic skiing techniques and require different skis. The two ski types are very different in how they’re made , and how they work, so you’ll need both.
Ski poles: A pair of each skate and classic poles. This time, skate poles are longer while classic poles are shorter. We promise you’ll figure it out.
Ski boots: A pair of combi boots OR a pair of each skate and classic boots. Combi boots are designed to function as both skate and classic boots, and one pair of combi boots is less expensive and probably the better option for your first year of skiing. Be sure to label your skis, poles, and boots with your name. Sharpie on masking tape is a great option for rental skis.
Ski bag: You’ll need a long, skinny bag to store all your skis and poles together and transport them to and from meets and practices. Fischer bags are most common on our team (so common, in fact, that it’s hard to tell anyone’s bag apart!). Here’s an example. These are about $30-$50. Make sure your name is especially large and visible on this bag.
Duffel bag: These aren’t necessary, and if you have another sports bag you use, that will absolutely work. If you don’t, though, you might consider getting a duffel bag to take to practices and races, as they’re really convenient to keep your layers, water, boots, and food in. Anywhere from 25 liters to 50 liters can serve this purpose depending on how you prefer to pack. Here’s an example. These can be around $100-$130.
Headlamp: It is DARK for the first month at Rikert. Makes our time much more useful. Will also be helpful for drylands.
Clothing
Ski Pants: A pair of wind-resistant and flexible ski pants. Here’s an example. Swix, Craft, and Bjorn Daehlie are the most popular brands on our team. We recommend you buy pants with zippers all the way down the sides, or at least up to about your knee, because this makes it much easier to take your ski pants off over your ski boots before a race. These tend to be about $80-$100.
Ski gloves: These aren’t just winter gloves or running gloves - they’re designed to keep your hands warm in all the wind from skiing down hills and on freezing cold days, but also to be more breathable than usual winter gloves. Here’s an example. Toko, Swix, and Bjorn Daehlie are some common brands. It’s nice to have a low-warmth pair for racing and workouts and a high-warmth pair for very cold days, but you can start out with a lower/medium-warmth pair and just use winter gloves on cold days, too. Each pair tends to be $20-$40.
Nordic ski jacket (aka softshell jacket): This is a light weight, wind-resistant, breathable jacket to wear over a thermal or athletic shirt during most practices. Here’s an example. If you have a jacket you wear for colder weather runs, this will likely also work. Swix, Craft, Bjorn Daehlie, and Kari Traa are some common brands for ski jackets. They can be around $80-$120.
Down jacket: This is a warmer down jacket to keep you warm at meets, before practices, on the bus, etc. The school team fundraises to offset the cost of these so everyone can get a MUHS team Nordic jacket for a really decent cost.
Hat/Headband: You’ll need something to keep your head warm at practice. This can be a hat or headband, although if you like to workout in a ponytail or bun, we’d recommend a headband. Here’s an example. These are about $20. Team hats will also be available in December to purchase for about $20.
Buff: Although you might be able to get away without one, we’d really recommend a buff for skiing to keep your neck warm. Here’s an example. Skida is a popular brand for these as well, but REI, Smartwool, Turtle Fur and other brands are also good options. These are about $25.
Base layers: Optional This is certainly optional, but it’s nice to have base layers to wear under your ski pants and ski jacket. Here’s an example of a top, and a bottom. Low cost thermals can be purchased at Sierra.com or TJ Maxx. Smartwool, Ibex, Kari Traa, and REI alsol make great thermals. Wool thermals can also be about $100 for a top or a bottom, and if the expense of all the other gear is adding up, it could make sense to wait on these until next year and stick with tights and athletic shirts for now.
Wool/thermal socks: Optional Although not necessary, wool or thermal (not cotton!) socks will help keep your feet a lot more comfortable, especially on colder days. Darn Tough is definitely the best option for socks, because they have a lifetime guarantee. Here’s an example. These are about $20 a pair.
Sport glasses: Optional Again, not necessary, but sport/sun glasses can be nice for skiing. They protect your eyes from wind, snow, and most importantly the light that glares up from the snow on sunny days. If you have sensitive eyes, this is definitely something we’d recommend. If you already have sports sunglasses, they will work. Here’s an example. The price on these can vary significantly, but you can find perfectcly functional models for $20-$60.
Where to get gear: The easiest way to get skis, poles, and boots for the season is to rent them from either Green Mountain Adventures (formerly Middlebury Mountaineer) in town or Ski Rack in Burlington. They’ll fit you for everything and make sure you have what you need. The whole package tends to be about $300. You can find ski bags and duffels at these shops, or online as well.
We know this is a lot of gear, so we just want to say: don’t panic! The items in this list marked as optional are truly optional. The only thing that’s really necessary is that you have skis and clothing that will keep you comfortable and warm at practice. So just try not to get overwhelmed, and remember that you can always buy something later in the season if you decide you do need it. Reach out if you have any questions, and we’ll be happy to help out!