NetNews Usenet Archive 1993 #3

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Internet Message Format | 1993-01-28 | 14.3 KB

From: glenb@hpnmdla.sr.hp.com (Glen Baker) Date: Thu, 28 Jan 1993 08:10:09 GMT Subject: rec.skiing FAQ 03/16 XC equipment/Info Message-ID: <1340427@hpnmdla.sr.hp.com> Organization: Toyz R. Me Path: sparky!uunet!europa.eng.gtefsd.com!emory!sol.ctr.columbia.edu!usc!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!sdd.hp.com!hpscit.sc.hp.com!hplextra!hpl-opus!hpnmdla!glenb Newsgroups: rec.skiing Lines: 283 The rec.skiing Frequently Asked Questions List -or- Everything you always wanted to know about skiing and were *just* about to ask by posting. The rec.skiing FAQ is a work in progress and is maintained by glen baker (glenb@sr.hp.com) Additions and corrections to the FAQ are welcome. If you have an addition or correction to make please take the time to write it out in the format of the FAQ so that I don't have to try to figure out how to say what you're trying to say! *********************************************************** * REALLY IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER STUFF!! * * ------------------------------------- * * The rec.skiing FAQ is a compendium of questions and * * answers that frequently appear on rec.skiing. Neither * * the contributors to the FAQ, the posters of the FAQ, * * nor their employers make any claim whatsoever regarding * * the accuracy or safety of ANYTHING in the FAQ. Any item * * that may appear to be offering either medical or legal * * advice is doing neither. * * * *********************************************************** Index: 1) Welcome, Disclaimers, etc 2) Alpine Equipment 3) XC equipment/Info 4) Clothing 5) Technique 6) Transportation 7) Lodging 8) Phone Numbers 9) Miscellaneous 10) Jobs 11) Summit County 12) Southern California 13) Exercises 14) National Ski Patrol 15) Europe 16) Lest we become too serious ------------- Section 03: XC equipment/Info ------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------- XC-FAQ compiled by I Stern with input from H Tran, C Webster, B Barkey, J Steinman, K Bergeron, J Vallino, E Johnson, R Lipsius, H Grierson, C Reber, D Bonn, J Sommer, J Knell, and E Miya. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3.01) "What kind of skis should I get?" There are various types of skis, each designed for a different style of skiing. Obviously, if you indulge in all of the different styles of cross-country skiing, you can easily spend enough on skis to make up for all the money you save not buying lift tickets! Cross-country skis have either waxable or waxless bases. There are advantages and disadvantages which can be more or less important, depending on the style of ski, but usually you can get any particular type of ski with either type of base. Base types: Waxless: Waxless cross country skis have a "scaled" bottom so that they will slide forward and resist backward motion. These skis are a good choice for first-timers as they will allow you to concentrate on striding, skating, poling, downhilling, and other aspects of technique. They are not so good for going up steep hills, or for unpacked powder snow. They are great for snow that packs into a wet blob under your skis. Waxable: These skis require waxing, and proper waxing at that, to be useful. Lemon pledge is the recommended wax as you'll be able to see yourself but will avoid waxy yellow buildup. No, really: for starters a two or three wax kit is sufficient (wet snow/dry snow) but other wax systems exist where every 10 degree change in temperature requires a different wax. With proper wax, waxable skis are faster than waxless on flat ground, and can be used to climb steep hills much more easily. With improper wax, several pounds of snow will stick to your skis with every step. Ski types: Track skis: These skis are designed for use at "Nordic Centers" and the like where tracks are prepared in the snow for you. They are light, flexible, very skinny, do not have metal edges, and are usually waxless although waxable versions are available as well. You can go very fast with them provided you don't have to break trail or go steeply uphill or downhill. It might be possible to do telemark turns with these, but it's difficult because of the lack of sidecut. These skis are used in classic diagonal racing and for light touring. Racing track skis tend to be waxable. Skating skis: These skis are designed for use with the skating technique, which looks sort of like Rollerblading on snow. These skis use only glide wax, not grip wax, and are never waxless. Skilled racers go faster and easier in most conditions using this technique, so adherents of classic diagonal racing hate it. Skating skis are shorter and stiffer than track skis, and the tips are rounder. They are single-cambered. Skating skis are never used with three-pin bindings because the binding width would interfere with the technique. Backcountry skis: These skis are designed for use on backcountry trails, where you may be breaking trail, may be carrying a pack, and may find untouched powder bowls just begging for a few turns. They are heavier and wider than track skis, but lighter and narrower than downhill or telemark skis. They are usually double-cambered and have metal edges and good sidecut for telemark turns and control on the downhill. Both waxless and waxable versions exist. Telemark skis: These skis are designed for use at lift-served ski areas, for people who want to use telemark technique down the hill but are too lazy to ski up it first, and for people who don't mind the extra effort to climb with these skis, in return for a better downhill run. They are a bit longer and narrower than downhill skis, but basically look a whole lot like downhill skis with cross-country bindings. They are better for telemarking downhill than backcountry skis, but it is harder to ski uphill with them because they are heavier and have less camber. These skis are usually waxable. Three-pin bindings are usually used. Mountaineering: These are schizophrenic skis for people who can't decide if they're into cross-country or downhill. They are usually used with a randonee binding, which is used with an alpine (downhill) boot, and allows the heel to be free for uphill climbing but locked down for downhill skiing. They are essentially lighter alpine skis. 3.02) "What kind of bindings and boots should I get?" There are basically three kinds of bindings used on cross-country skis: three-pin, integral boot/binding systems, and randonee. Backcountry boots are usually stiffer and sturdier than track boots, and skating boots have a tall plastic cuff for ankle support. Three-pin: The most common type of binding, it usually consists of a metal or plastic plate that the front of the boot fits into; three holes in front of the toe fit over three pins on the plate, and the top of the plate locks down to hold the toe in place. A heel plate keeps the foot in a straight line on the ski, but doesn't hold the heel down. Cable bindings are a type of three-pin binding (used with the same style boot) which hold the toe down with a wedge rather than with pins; the boot is retained by a cable which goes around the heel. Boots and bindings of this style range from light-duty plastic bindings and low-cut boots for track use, to heavy metal bindings and stiffer leather and plastic boots which are better for telemarking and carrying loads. Integral systems: There are three major types of integral systems which are mutually incompatible. NNN (New Nordic Norm) is a system in which the three holes in front of the boot toe are replaced by a horizontal metal rod which is locked into the binding by a lever. The heavier-duty NNN-BC (Back Country) system moves the rod under the toes, rather than in front of it, which many find to be more comfortable than either standard NNN or three-pin systems. Both NNN and NNN-BC boots and bindings are made by a variety of companies. The third system is Salomon's Profil system, a version of which is used by most racers. They also make a backcountry version. Profil, like NNN-BC, has the pivot point under the toes rather than in front of the boot. There is also an older Salomon system, SNS, with the pivot in front. A few other companies make Profil-compatible boots. All three of these systems partially interlock the sole of the boot with the surface of the binding under the foot, reducing or (for the Profil) eliminating the role of the heel plate. You must use a boot compatible with your particular binding type. Randonee: These bindings take a standard DIN downhill boot, but have a hinge at the heel which can be released for free-heel climbing, or locked down for downhill skiing. They have release capabilities, like downhill ski bindings. 3.03) "Ok, what about poles?" Since you need different skis, boots, and bindings for each different kind of cross-country skiing, naturally you need different poles as well! Well, it's not quite that bad: basically you have cross- country poles, which are longer than downhill poles, and skating poles, which are even longer and very light (and expensive). There are also telescoping poles, which are used by ski mountaineers because they can be lengthened to cross-country length for the uphill, and then shortened to Alpine length for the downhill. They can also be extended and connected together for use as an avalanche probe. Skiers who do lift-served telemarking usually use Alpine ski poles. 3.04) "Ok, what about skins?" Skins are long strips of stuff which are affixed to the base of the skis to aid climbing steep hills. They are usually made of nylon or polypropylene (or mohair, if you're rich) with directional "fur" that allows the ski to slide forward but not backward. The ski-side is coated with an adhesive (some brands come pre-coated, others don't) which sticks to the base of the ski, which should be fairly clean and dry and free of sticky wax. The tip of the skin has a loop which goes over the ski tip; usually there is no attachment at the tail, just the glue, but you can buy "tail-fix" kits which provide a hook for the back end of the skin. (Duct tape works too.) There is a brand called "Snake Skins" made by Voile which are made of flexible plastic, and attach with straps rather than with glue. They don't absorb water and freeze (good), but don't climb as well as "normal" skins on hard snow and have little forward glide. They are less expensive than other skins. Using skins, you can walk up amazingly steep trails. You can also leave the skins on for the downhill ski, which will slow you down considerably; this is useful when it hasn't snowed in a while and the trail has become a slick, icy chute. If you're really desperate, you could put the skins on backwards and walk, but where's the fun in that? Other hints: -Make sure your skins are in good condition prior to the trip. Remove/ reapply skin glue if necessary. -Take a tube of skin glue on the trip in case reapplication becomes necessary. -Let your skins dry out between uses by keeping them in a mesh bag inside your pack (better than a closed container). -If you expect to need skins first thing in the morning (and no rain overnight), keep the skins on the skis overnight. This is because very cold skins and skis don't seem to adhere well once separated. -If your skins get too wet to stick, wrapping duct tape around the skis/skins at intervals can keep you going for a while. -It is dangerous to assume your skins will keep working throughout a trip. If your safety depends on them working correctly, you're in a bad situation. 3.05) "I've heard there are huts you can ski to and spend the night." There are various hut systems in different parts of the USA (and world), available for public use (for a fee) by reservation only, and for emergency use. If you use a hut, follow the rules about cleaning up, splitting wood, and so on. DON'T burn firewood if you are a day user unless it is an EMERGENCY. DON'T try to spend the night without a reservation unless it is an EMERGENCY. *This isn't a joke because death isn't reversible or fun and you can contribute to someone else's demise.* Don't plan a hut trip unless someone in your group is proficient in: avalanche awareness, medical emergency, rescue, bivouac, evacuation, route finding, map and compass reading. And even then... Some contacts: Sierra Club huts (California): Hut Reservations Sierra Club Clair Tappan Lodge P.O. Box 36 Norden, CA 9572 10th Mountain Division huts (Colorado): 10th Mountain Trail Association 1280 Ute Avenue Aspen, CO 81611 303/925-5775 3.06) "What is the telemark turn thing?" This is more a style of skiing and is largely regarded as a Norwegian attempt at humour. Proper telemark style requires not only the proper ski, but an entire wardrobe consisting of drab grey wool socks, funny looking wool pants (tucked into the socks), a sweater that looks like it's still on the sheep, and a hat with strings long enough to be used for suspenders. Telemark, named after the Telemark, Norway, is the original form from which alpine and nordic seemed to develop. It requires a better sense of balance and more daring that either of the other two forms combined, and so is not recommended until you have some experience with alpine/nordic skiing. Once you have that - and have taken a couple of lessons YYYYYIIIIIIIPPPPPPAAAAAHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!