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How to Buy Skate Skis
Your long-term enjoyment of your new skate skis is dependent upon you making an informed purchase based on ski flex. This article, How to Buy Skate Skis, reviews the most important factors in sizing and picking skis that will fit your skier profile and skiing expectations.
Ski flex is the number-one factor that will determine the long-term enjoyment of your skate skis. This is something that ski racers have known for some time, but ski flex is just as important for recreational skate skiers. Why? Because, mid-level skis are generally not held to the same tolerances as the top-level skis. Retailers are also given flex information on high-end skis that are not given for mid-range skis. This means that your chances of purchasing a properly fitted ski in the mid-range is much lower than at the "World Cup" level. Weight range ski sizing charts are a starting point, but these charts are usually too broad, and the actual ski may not fit into the specified flex profile.
If you are new to cross country skiing, you might be saying to yourself that you don't need something "that good". Well, ski fit affects every skier in the same way, but new skiers will find progress to be that much harder on skis that do not fit. This is why we flex test every pair of skis to ensure an accurate fit for every skier. The following is a quick explanation on the effects of ski flex.
If a skate ski is too soft, the ski will "bottom-out" under foot. This increased pressure zone under foot slows the glide of the ski, and the ski will pivot at the foot making it feel unstable.
If a skate ski is too stiff, the skis will ride only on the tips and tails, which will again create instability and not allow the skier to relax on the ski. The instability will also be noticeable in turns where a lack of control and balance will prevail. Stiff skis also tend to "plow" into the snow due to increased pressure at the tip, which slows the speed of the skis.
A properly fitted (universal flex) ski is one which has long contact zones with the snow at full skier weight, but does not bottom out. The long contact zones distribute the skier's weight (pressure) through the length of the ski, minimizing drag that would slow the ski while maximizing stability.
Not all skate skis are flexed equally. Ski construction does play a role in how we analyze the flex of a ski. Certain construction designs and materials distribute a skier's weight differently than others, so what might work for one ski model does not carry-through all ski models. A good retailer should not only be able to accurately flex test a ski, but also be able to analyze the flex characteristics and construction to accurately fit the ski.
Other factors that influence a ski choice are skier ability level/expectations, skier height, and snow-pack firmness/moisture. We can also use flex characteristics combined with these other factors to find a complimentary or special purpose (quiver) ski.
Skis are constructed essentially as sandwiches with the materials laid-out in a mold. Resins are injected, and the molds are placed in a press which fine-tunes the camber and the ski materials are welded together. The quality of these materials determines the performance and price of the final product. So, throughout a ski line the skier may need to weigh the pros and cons of certain materials based upon budget.
Heavier and bigger skiers should note that many mid-level performance skis are flexed on the softer side and may not be stiff enough for the 200 pound plus range (even though the chart may indicate that it does).
At Nordic Ski Source, we only carry performance and race skate skis. We believe that the performance characteristics combined with a properly fitted ski will provide the skier with years of enjoyment and fun. And fun is what skate skiing is all about, isn't it?
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