Ski Equipment Info

Skiing is great fun, but it can also be expensive.  I will go over two categories on this page: Skis/boots/poles and ski clothing/accessories. If you have equipment needs please read this and feel free to ask questions of a coach. I will lay out options from expensive to cheap. Keep in mind that the coaches,  team and nordic ski community do a lot to reduce the cost barriers for this great sport. Also keep in mind you get what you pay for...the more expensive options can help. When I buy equipement I ask if it is the limiting factor on performance before spending money. If a skier is not very fit, the equipment is likely not the limiting factor. If a skier is working hard and really going for it, then equipment can become limiting.

We have a team store for our uniforms (Podium Wear), so kids can own their suits and coats. We do have team uniforms, but not enough (yet, almost there) for every athlete. Buying your own helps the team a lot if you can. If buying skis at a local shop (I recommend AMH or Hoarding Marmot) make sure to get racing equipment, not touring, and tell them you are on the team for a discount.  If you know what you need, Play It Again Sports can have good options also, as do the local ski swaps around late October most years. 

Team store is open on 8 November! We should get orders in before Winter Break. If you wish to order your own suit and jacket go to this link and the password is "eastnordic". We do have suits and coats for team members, so you do not need to order your own, but some team members like to have their own gear. If you order the warmup pants they seemed to run "snug", so err on the side of slightly big. 

Skiers must have coat, warm-up or "ski pants", hat or headband, gloves, watch, and snacks each day.

What to bring: 

• Skis, poles, boots for both classic and skate skiing  

• We will provide you any of these if you don’t have your own) 

• Ski clothes: Skiing is an active sport, but we ski in very low temps. Layers are your friend! 

• Base layers: wind or wool/synthetic briefs, thin wool or synthetic long underwear tops & bottoms, wool or synthetic socks (I prefer thin) 

• Mid layers: thin or thick wool or synthetic long underwear tops & bottoms, synthetic sweater 

• Outer layers: ski pants (not “snow” pants) with wind blocker and side zippers, wind-blocking and water-resistant jacket (we will provide team jackets for training and race days, but having another is good practice!), hat or headband, buff or neck gater, gloves 

• Optional: down jacket, down shorts or pants, air foil 

• Other items: Hydrate and fuel; calories in, energy out 

• Water belt, snacks (high-carb), watch 

Where to shop: 

• Hoarding Marmot (great Nordic savvy staff) – consignment pricing 

• AMH – new gear, ask for team discount 

• REI 

• On-line (FB Marketplace, Backcountry.com, Pioneer Midwest, etc) 

Skis: We participate in skate skiing and classic skiing. Ideally every skier has their own pair of race skis for each, and would only use school ones or their own older skis for training (rock skis); this does come out to four pairs of skis, but having something to train and warm up on that can take a beating is really great.  Our team does have a lot of skis to share, so it is possible to be on the team without buying skis. The advantage of having your own is they can be higher quality,  in better condition (bases, edges) and they can fit a skier's size perfectly.  If using team skis please take care of them: no jumping, skiing in parking lots, letting bases touch floor and so forth. If you have old skis, consider donating them to the team (only NNN bindings please!). 

Boots and Bindings: If you are buying one piece of equipment for your skier, make it boots. We have some team boots, but these wear out faster and are more difficult to fit than team skis. The most expensive (and ideal) option is to buy a racing skate boot and racing classic boot for each skier. The cheapest option is to use team boots. In between options include buying a skier a "combi" boot that is OK for each technique, but not ideal for either (a good option for growing or new skiers who are unsure their commitment).  Another option is buying either a skate or classic boot, or combi boot and using one pair from the team.  Our team boots are rather old. Donations welcome.  Make sure boots are NNN (have 2 grooves on bottom). 

Poles: Like skis, skiers need two pair of poles. One for skating (standing on ground these go to "mustache" zone) and one for classic (standing on ground these go to top of shoulder, or near that); 85% athlete height max in ski boots. Good technique requires the correct size poles. With many teenagers growing we often see kids with poles that are too short. The most expensive option is to buy each skier their own pole for each technique. Poles cost between $80-$500. The more you pay the lighter the weight and the stiffer the pole (stiffness is very important); but also the more brittle the carbon is. For most skiers a $100 pole at AMH is pretty good. I would not buy any poles much cheaper than that as they likely bend a lot or have cheap grips and cups. Elite racers might spend more as weight becomes a limiting factor on performance.  A cheaper option is to use team poles, or one pair of them. If you can only afford one pair of poles, buy a skate pole as we have more short ones for classic. 

Ski clothing: The team has race suits and team jackets. The team does NOT have warmup pants and other ski clothing. We have hats for purchase. It is important to purchase some ski clothing for your skier. Having the correct clothing is a SAFETY issue when it is cold and we are outdoors. The team jackets are nice but not for all weather conditions. Skiers have to adapt their gear for the day, as we ski between 40 degrees and -10 degrees F. There are always skiers who try to wear the same ski clothing every day in that range, and it does not work. Having layers makes good options. Here are some layers I recommend—please no cotton!  A lot of this can be bought at Costco, Fred Meyer, Target, or Walmart, or Amazon; Look at Hoarding Marmot for good used gear, or REI and AMH for brand name and brand new.  Zoom in on pictures for more tips. 

Layers are your friend: skiers MUST have long underwear (to go under race suit), gloves, hat (with them in pocket at least) and ski pants. Ski gloves, wind brief (boys), mittens, lightweight top highly recommended. 

Extras for the serious skier or gear nerd: over boots for cold days, GPS watch, cell phone holder, water bottle holder or insulated water pack. Pro tip: I wear a water belt every day. It has a large pocket for keys, phones, wallet, keeps water from freezing, and is high-vis. What do I wear? Depends on the temp! Usually 1 base layer, 1 windproof over-layer (coat and pants). I also start with a hooded top layer and remove it as needed. Also I have a buff (neck gater) and hat (not a headband guy...less insulation up there these days). Dress in enough clothes to stay warm when standing around for 10 minutes outside.