Dressing for Success in Cross-Country Skiing
Deciding what to wear for cross-country skiing has proven to
be difficult for many people. Personally,
I can’t help but think of the scene from the movie Step Brothers in which Will Ferrell’s character asks his therapist,
“What happens if there is inclement weather? Where do you…? What do you wear?!” When it comes to dressing for cross-country,
many people can put themselves into Will’s shoes!
As a veteran on the US Nordic Combined National Team, I have
been asked the “What should I wear?” question more than once! The good news is that your apparel does not
have to be complicated in order to find comfort. Whether you’re racing or skiing, here are
some of the basics of how to dress to avoid being too cold, or more common, too
warm!
Cross-country is very much a full body endurance sport,
regardless if you are skiing classic style or skate. This means that you need both upper and lower
body efficiency. Obviously, the most
difficult part is getting both systems to work together. Doing so takes the proper technique, fitness,
and equipment. The good news is that the
more you ski the better your technique gets.
This is simply because the most efficient way to ski is usually also the
best technique! So, you have no excuse
not to get out and ski as much as possible. Cross country skiing is very similar to
cycling in the muscles it uses. The two
sports complement each other very well for cross training purposes. However, the same cannot be said for the
sports attire. Sure, both cycling and cross-country
athletes wear spandex, and on cold days, tights and a jacket. However, in cycling, you’re sitting on the
bike, so the individual needs to dress warmer.
Cross-country on the other hand, you’re not sitting, so the same outfit
that works on the bike can be extremely warm for cross-country skiing.
So let’s get right down to it. In any winter sport, your power lies in
layering, and cross-country is no exception.
Having the ability to remove a layer while out on the trail, will keep
you happy and prevent you from sweating through everything you have, only to
freeze when you stop skiing. One should
also keep in mind, that you’re not downhill skiing, so that heavy super warm
long underwear you’re used to wearing, is probably going to be overkill. So, keep it light. If conditions are cold enough to warrant long
underwear, I would recommend a breathable light weight version. L.L. Bean and CRAFT both make great base
layers for Nordic skiing at an affordable price. Another option is to wear your race suit as
your base layer during training. If that
is your plan, I recommend a nice pair of wind briefs to keep your unmentionables
warm. CRAFT and SmartWool are two
commonly used brands for those. The most
common mistake at this point is when an individual wears the long underwear, a race
suit, plus their outer wear. Generally, a good rule to go by is if you are
wearing an outerwear pant or jacket, do not go more than 3 layers deep
including your wind briefs. The upper
body is simpler, if you have a medium weight top, just use that and a jacket. If you have a race suit, wearing a light
weight base layer under that and a jacket will suffice. The goal is to be slightly chilled as you
head out on the course. If you’re warm
and comfortable before you start skiing, you’re going to be too hot. So you should be able to ski into a
comfortable warmth.
For outerwear, I highly recommend purchasing some Nordic
specific pants and jacket. They are not
so different than cycling gear, however they are vented in more appropriate
places, making them more breathable. Additionally, they are made for the movement
patterns of cross-country skiing, which means they’re going to have a little
better range of motion and therefore increased comfort. There is no need to spend a fortune, but if
you make one purchase for clothing this would be the best place to start.
I saved the hat, gloves, and buff for last. Hats are simple. A light weight hat is going to be best. Something that your head can breathe through,
and nothing too warm that will cause you to sweat profusely. Gloves on the other hand can be a little more
complicated. Warmth without the bulk is
key. A thin glove allows you to grab the
poles a little better and will be far more comfortable in the pole straps. However, if you go too thin, and you’re like
me, your hands will be cold. I recommend
having two pairs of gloves if possible. One
for warmer conditions, and one for cold. This way you have a little variety to keep
your hands happy. I also would recommend
using fingered gloves instead of mittens.
Mittens make it a little harder to control your poles. If your dead set on that style however, go
with a “lobster” style glove. This
leaves the thumb free and groups your pointer finger with your middle finger,
and your ring finger with your pinky, but allows the two units to move
independently giving you better control on your pole grip. Lastly, the buff is a great way to insulate
your neck and keep out any unnecessary drafts.
Peaks Coaching Group’s very own Elite/Master Coach Sam Krieg makes some
great ones in a variety of designs to suit your personality!
So there you have it.
Below you will find links to all the items I have mentioned. Thanks for reading and feel free to contact
me with any questions!
Jacket:
Pants:
Base Layers:
Wind Briefs:
Smartwool’s version:
Lobster Style Glove:
Light Fingered Glove:
Race Suit:
Buffs:
Here are some of the common training outfits of World Cup
Skiers in which you can see the variety of gloves, pants, jackets, hats and
buffs!
