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Equipment Young
skiers need to have equipment that will allow them to learn how to ski well
and to go fast. This principle applies
to clothing as well as to skis. Table of Contents 2. Skis, Boots, Poles – General Info 3. WST 2007-08
Season Rental Program 4. Club Scholarship Program 5. Retail Ski Shops (links) 1. For Clothing and Eyewear (important!),
jump to the club
clothing page. 2. Skis, Boots, Poles – General Information There
are three levels of equipment to choose from, depending on your budget and
the skier’s ability. We have listed
some specific equipment packages to help make this concrete. These packages are meant to give you some
helpful guidance as you think about equipment – we are not telling you to buy
a certain brand. The specific packages
are for Fischer and Atomic skis, Swix poles, and
Solomon boots/bindings, chosen because they are the most widely
available. Other companies make great
skis and they tend to be slightly less expensive. If you have or can find used equipment of
the appropriate type that is great, kids skis tend to wear very well because
kids are light, unless the bottom is too badly gouged to be refinished;
8-year old skis with refinished bottoms can be just as good as new skis. Novice level: combi skis and
boots; two pair of poles. “Combi” skis are a compromise ski that allows for both
skating and classical technique. There
are some good combi skis out there. This approach can be a good one for the
youngest skiers and for new skiers.
With combi skis, you will need to take care
to clean and glide wax the full ski before they are suitable for skating,
however this can be done using easily applied waxes and wax remover. Note that you will still need two pair of
poles, one for skating and one for classic, which will be different lengths. A good and economical entry level pole for
this purpose is the Swix AluLite
Junior. Good poles are more important
for skating than classic. Typical novice
package
Intermediate performance: Having separate skis for skating and
classic makes a big difference in performance for young skiers who know the
basics, and there are a number of intermediate-level skis in this category,
such as the Fischer SCS and the Visu line of junior
skis. Poles are as important as skis,
especially for skating, and getting a pole that is a step up from the AluLite – one with an advanced strap system (Velcro
fastener to secure the strap around the wrist, such as the Swix SR20001-small system) – makes a big difference,
especially in skating. You can use the
same boots for skating and classic, so make sure the bindings are the same on
both skis. Typical
intermediate package
Racing: The extra performance obtained from the top
junior racing skis over the previous group isn’t noticeable in practices or
“fun” skiing, except for the most accomplished young skiers, so this category
really is for the committed young racer.
As always, poles are as important as skis, and noticeable improvements
come from using the advanced strap system and higher end poles. Typical racing
package
What NOT to get: ·
If a child is 6 or older, he or she should
be on waxable skis – do not buy no-wax skis (fishscale
skis, etc.). No-wax skis have two
problems. Because their grip is so
good, the skier never learns proper classic technique and won’t learn how to
ski well. Because of the fishscales, they are slow, so they can’t be used for
skating and will hold back any fast classic skiing. ·
Also, do not get “round basket” or “touring” style poles. The round basket makes it impossible to
have good angled pole plant in either classic or skating technique. It is essential for your skier to have poles
with racing-style baskets (which extend behind but not in front of the pole)
such as those on the Swix AlulLte
Jr. ·
The skier needs to have boots with the
flexibility for classical skiing and the support for skate skiing. Do not
get touring-style junior boots – you need to get combi
boots. Also do not get 3-pin type bindings, they
cannot be used for the skating technique. ·
Kid’s rental equipment at XC centers almost
always falls into the “what not to get” category – so please don’t plan to
rent equipment from an XC center for the first few practices. (The WST rental package for our BK program
[below] is an exception – that equipment was chosen
in consultation with our coaches and is perfectly fine for novices and
intermediates.) For the same reason,
purchasing used kids XC rental equipment at
end-of-year sales by XC centers is not recommended. ·
Coaches are happy to answer questions about
equipment – if in doubt, please ask us before you buy. Sizing Charts The best
way to know what size equipment to get is to go to a ski shop. For purchasing skis, the most important
thing is matching the flex of the ski to your child’s weight. The flex of Junior equipment varies a lot
so if possible the ski that you purchase should be flexed first and its
compression compared to your child’s weight.
Qualified ski shop staff should be able to help with this, even if you
purchase by phone. As a start, here
are some sizing charts: Swix Pole sizing
chart (2003-4 but still current) Fischer ski sizing chart (2003-4 –
however this is only a rough guide, proper ski sizing matches ski flex to
skier weight) European/British/American shoe size
conversions 3. Weston Ski Track 2007-08 Season Rental
Program WST will
be offering the same season rental package as last year – same prices, same
equipment. The equipment is good combi equipment, chosen in consultation with our coaches,
and is appropriate for novice and intermediate skiers in our club. For more information, click here 4. Club Scholarship Program The club
has some skis available for the purpose of introducing skiing to young skiers
from families who would otherwise find renting or purchasing equipment to be
a financial impediment. For more
information contact the club communications director or WST. 5. Retail Ski Shops Please
see the links page for some retail XC
ski shops that carry suitable equipment for young skiers. |
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Updated 10/16/07 |
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