For beginners who don't want to overthink it.
Would you like to try cross-country skiing, but the last thing you want is a long and complicated preparation? You don't feel like studying theory, choosing ski waxes, comparing equipment or spending your evenings watching technical videos?
You just want to give it a try. And then see what happens...
I understand. Completely.
So I have just one question:
Are you staying at a ski resort, or somewhere in the middle of nowhere, far away from civilization?
The Answer: In Civilization!
Excellent. If you are at a ski resort with groomed cross-country trails, I have four simple recommendations:
- Rent a pair of cross-country skis.
- Have them properly prepared.
- Start with classic skiing.
- If it's snowing around the freezing point, consider choosing another day – or suitable skis that don't require traditional kick waxing.
And that, really, could be the end of our little guide.
Except that I would have to trust you to follow my advice. And since beginners sometimes display a surprising amount of courage, we'd better explain a few things first.
1. Ski Rental: Why Make Life Complicated?
Renting is the simplest and usually the cheapest way to get suitable equipment when trying cross-country skiing for the first time.
You don't have to worry about ski length, stiffness, binding systems or whether your boots will fit. Someone who knows what they're doing can take care of all that.
At least, let's hope so.
For classic skiing, choosing skis that match your body weight and ability is particularly important. Skis that are too stiff may make it difficult for a beginner to get a reliable kick, while skis that are too soft can compromise glide.
And a reliable kick is one of the basic requirements for actually enjoying your first day on skis.
If the rental shop offers classic skin skis – with a grip strip under the foot – seriously consider choosing them.
They eliminate the need to select and apply traditional kick wax. However, they still need to be properly fitted and maintained.
2. Ski Service: So You'll Have Someone to Blame
If you rent traditional waxable classic skis, leave the preparation to someone who really understands ski waxing.
A good kick wax should achieve two things:
- Reliable grip for pushing forward and climbing hills.
- Reasonably good glide without excessive sticking or snow build-up.
Without a reliable kick, moving forward as a beginner can be surprisingly difficult.
And if the wax starts sticking or icing up, you might stop moving forward altogether.
Trust me. I know what I'm talking about.
That's why, whenever possible, you should leave the job to the professionals.
At least you'll have someone to blame if it all goes wrong anyway.
Skin skis don't require traditional kick wax, which makes them an excellent option for beginners. However, they are not entirely maintenance-free, and even their grip strips can ice up under difficult conditions.
3. Classic Skiing: The Respectable Lady Shuffle
For your first cross-country skiing experience, I would recommend the classic technique.
It has one enormous advantage: you don't have to look like a professional athlete from your very first minute on skis.
Classic skiing can also be performed using a technique I like to call “the respectable lady shuffle.”
You simply move slowly through the winter landscape.
On flat terrain, you shuffle one foot forward and then the other. If the skis provide sufficient grip, you can gradually introduce short gliding movements as well.
On gentle climbs, you continue in much the same way, only shortening your steps. On steeper hills, you shorten them even more or use the herringbone technique when necessary.
And once you've finally made it to the top?
Here comes your reward.
If your skis glide properly and the kick wax isn't collecting snow, you can enjoy that wonderful part of cross-country skiing when you no longer have to work quite so hard.
Going downhill!
Of course, start with a gentle, open and safe slope. Learn how to slow down and stop before attempting anything remotely resembling a serious descent.
And the result?
A lovely winter day, new experiences on the trail, beautiful snowy scenery and perhaps something delicious to eat at a mountain café – maybe even at Hřebínek in the Jizera Mountains.
That is more or less my idea of a perfect first day on cross-country skis.
4. Snowing Around Freezing? Watch Out!
And now for one particularly important piece of advice.
Fresh, slightly damp or wet snow around the freezing point creates some of the most challenging conditions for reliable kick waxing.
Why?
Because sometimes a tiny change in temperature, humidity or snow structure is enough to turn a perfectly functioning kick wax into something that sticks, ices up or suddenly stops providing grip.
It's no coincidence that ski wax manufacturers offer numerous different kick waxes, klisters and combinations for these conditions.
Finding the right solution can be difficult even for experienced ski technicians.
And that is precisely why I would advise beginners using traditionally waxed skis to avoid these conditions whenever possible.
With suitable skin skis, things may be considerably easier. That doesn't mean, however, that they work perfectly in every type of weather.
If you want your first experience to be as uncomplicated as possible, choose a day with more stable snow and temperature conditions.
Unless, of course, you're a passionate believer in the following philosophy:
“It doesn't matter what kind of experience it is, as long as it's intense!”
Because stomping along beside the ski tracks – or right in the middle of them – with enormous frozen lumps of snow attached to your skis will certainly qualify as an intense experience.
I'm just not entirely convinced it's the experience you were hoping for on your very first day of cross-country skiing.
So, Once Again: How Do You Start Cross-Country Skiing in Civilization?
A rental shop, properly selected skis, good preparation, classic technique and reasonably favorable snow conditions.
No complicated science.
And above all, no unnecessary suffering.
Because your first day on cross-country skis should show you how wonderful it can feel to move through a snow-covered landscape.
And if you enjoy it, next time we can look at how to start cross-country skiing outside civilization.
Now that will be a slightly different story...