Clothing & Equipment

Clothing

We train in ALL weather conditions. Dressing appropriate is not optional, it's a necessity! Athletes should have the following clothing:

• Hat, gloves (warm and cold), warm (but not thick) socks, Nordic ski pants (that fit ski boots through the legs), base layer top and bottom, running shoes, rain/wind jacket, and down jacket (optional but nice), wind briefs (optional but nice)...

• insulated drink belt (for all skis more than 90 minutes)

Where to Purchase Gear

1) The team will have a clothing order with Burnsville logo'd gear for sale at the start of the season.

2) Pioneer Midwest Rocks (415 County Rd 81, Osseo, MN 55369 ) https://www.pioneermidwest.com/

3) Finn Sisu is also exceptional (2436 Larpenteur Ave W, Lauderdale, MN 55113) https://finnsisu.com/

4) Gear West is good. Won't hand pick skis like Finn, Boulder or Pioneer, but good selection. (1786 Wayzata Blvd, Long Lake, MN 55356) https://gearwest.com/

5) Other options for finding gear: Looks for sales. REI often sends out a 20% coupon. Websites such as Backcountry, SteepandCheap and MooseJaw are great places to find discount clothing and some ski gear. Other sites, such as ActivieJunkie, offers cash back if you navigate through them. Be wise: some items can be purchased site unseen, while other should be tried on or fitted to you specifically. When in doubt ask! It's also good to read reviews.

Minimum required Equipment: (first year athletes may rent ALL this from the team)

• 1 pair of race skate skis w/ nnn bindings

• 1 pair of race classic skis w/ nnn bindings

• 2 pairs of ski poles: one for skate (taller) and one for classic (shorter)

• 2 pairs of ski nnn ski boots (for skate and classic) OR 1 pair of combi ski boots

• 1 ski bag and enough ski ties for all skis

Recommended additional Equipment:

• 2 pairs of addition skis (skate and classic) for practicing/racing in lower snow conditions and for warming up before race (applies to varsity athletes only)

• 1 pair of "rock skis" for skiing when trail conditions are poor.

BHS Equipment Rental Program

Nordic skiing involved a lot of equipment; but don't be overwhelmed! Our program is able to help athletes try the sport without requiring you to invest hundreds the first year. First year (and some second year) athletes have the option of renting equipment from our teams rental program. This opportunity is a great privileged as the equipment is worth a great deal of money. Equipment must be properly cared for throughout the season. Anyone who fails to care for the teams equipment appropriately will have to turn it in.

For $75 athletes can rent the following:

• 1 pair of skate skis; 1 pair of classic skis

• 2 pairs of poles (skate and classic)

• 1 pair of boots (works for both skate and classic skiing.. called Combi books)

• ski bag and ski ties

This equipment is matched to the athlete as best as possible, but a perfect fit can't be guaranteed. It is an advantage to have your own equipment! When purchasing your own skis, most reputable ski shops, such as Boulder Nordic Sport in Bloomington, Finsisu in St. Paul, or Gear West in Long Lake, will match custom match skis, boots and poles to an athlete. We recommend athletes begin looking at invest in their own equipment their second year in the sport.

Taking care of Gear:

• Wax your skis or team skis at least once per week. This ensures the base of your ski is protected and does not encounter excessive damage from the snow/dirt/ice we ski on. Failure to do this will damage the skis base, shorten the life of the ski and slow the ski down.

• Clean the kick zone of your classic skis at least every two weeks. Too much kick wax makes it hard to continue finding kick as the weather changes. Plus it will create drag that slows you down.

• Keep skis tied together, especially while in your ski bag with poles that may scratch the skis base.

• Make sure your name is on everything! A phone number won't hurt either!

• After the season, storage wax your skis.