What is classic cross-country skiing?

Our friend Stephanie recently asked us about the differences between classic skiing/striding and skate skiing, so in this two-part blog series, we'll take a closer look at both.

In the first part, we'll dive into classic skiing, also called striding. This style of skiing is great for beginners and it’s one of the most popular forms of cross-country skiing.

As the name suggests, it involves striding forward on skis, one ski at a time, in a motion similar to running or walking. To perfect the technique, you'll need to learn how to stride forward with one ski at a time, pressing the ski into the snow with your toes and then pushing off to glide with the opposite ski. At first, you'll likely walk on the skis, but with practice, you'll start to glide while striding, allowing you to move faster and save energy. This technique is used on flats, moderate uphills, and small downhills. It's an easy technique to learn by both kids and adults. Poles are used when striding, however it's best to learn the right kick and weight transfer without them.

Once you've mastered the basic striding, the next level technique most people learn is double poling. This technique involves using your arms and poles to propel yourself forward. The skier plants both poles simultaneously in front of them and pushes down and back with their arms, using the force to propel themselves forward on their skis. The motion engages your entire body and is particularly effective on hard-packed or icy snow conditions. It is often used on flat, downhills, or even on slightly uphill sections of the course. Our kids added double poling very quickly to their cross-country skiing technique repertoire and it added next level of fun.

The skis used in classic cross-country skiing are typically longer than those used for skate skiing, and the poles are shorter. Classic skis have a camber profile, which means that the ski's center is slightly higher than the tip and tail. This design helps to distribute the skier's weight more evenly along the ski, making it easier to grip the snow, and maintain forward glide. Gripping the snow is achieved by applying either kick wax or klister to the classic skis, or by using no waxing skis that have skins or scales in the middle section.  To learn more about classic skies and what to consider when making a purchase, check out our upcoming blog post where we'll dive deeper into the topic.

The boots used for classic skiing have generally a softer and more flexible sole and the cuffs are lower compared to those used for skate skiing, allowing for greater ankle movement and flexibility. This optimized design provides better feel for weight transfer involved in a gliding motion with the skis moving parallel to each other in a straight line.

Classic skiing can be done on groomed trails or off-trail in backcountry settings. The specially prepared tracks on the groomed trails make it easier to stride as they provide additional support and stability for skiers.

Here is a video of Bella striding and double poling.

And don't forget to stay tuned for part two of this series, where we'll explore the exciting world of skate skiing.