Choosing skis
First of all, you need to determine whether…
…you need skis for a well-prepared, firm ski track or whether most of your skiing will take place in deep, soft snow.
…you are looking for classic or skate skis. Or perhaps you want to alternate between both techniques – that is also possible.
While serious skiers usually have several pairs of skis for different temperatures and for both skiing techniques, an average recreational skier can manage well with one or two carefully selected pairs.
As a general rule, classic skis should be 15-20 cm longer than your height, while skate skis should be 5-10 cm longer. If you want to use one pair of skis for both techniques, you should choose classic skis approximately 10-15 cm longer than your height. Choosing the right skis is an important part of skiing.
NB! You cannot ski classic technique with skate skis.
A pair of skis with the correct stiffness (and, in the case of classic skis, the exact wax pocket or grip-wax zone) can be quickly determined using the paper test.
Proceed as follows:
- First, find the ski’s centre of gravity (balance point) and mark it on the side of the ski;
- Place the pair of skis on a flat, hard surface, put a sheet of paper under the middle of the skis and stand on the skis so that your toes are positioned over the balance point;
- While applying different amounts of pressure to the skis, ask another person to move the sheet of paper back and forth.
NB! Do not perform the paper test on concrete, as concrete is never completely smooth and may damage the ski base.
Use the following table to determine whether the skis are suitable:
| Skiing style | standing on both feet | standing on one foot | standing on the ball of one foot |
|---|---|---|---|
| classic ski* | the paper moves approximately 60 cm forward from the heel. This is the grip-wax zone or wax pocket. | the paper does not move. On a klister ski, it may move slightly under the sole of the foot | the paper does not move |
| combi ski or universal ski | the paper moves approximately 60-70 cm | the paper moves slightly only under the foot | the paper does not move |
| skate ski | the paper moves 60-80 cm | the paper moves 30-50 cm | the paper moves freely under the foot and slightly forward towards the ski tip |
*If in doubt, choose a pair of skis with a slightly softer flex rather than skis that are too stiff. This ensures reliable grip on climbs and when you become tired. Remember that few things can spoil the enjoyment of skiing more than skis that slip backwards during the kick.
Paper test
The paper test is the most reliable way to determine and mark the grip zone of classic skis. Stand on the skis so that your big toe is positioned over the ski’s balance point. Stand upright and look straight ahead. Ask someone to take a strip of paper (ordinary writing paper folded once, giving the thickness of two sheets) and move it under the middle section of the ski from the tip towards the front. Mark the point on the side of the ski where the paper gets stuck. This marks the front limit of the grip-wax zone. Today, grip wax is not applied behind the heel. It is sufficient to apply grip wax up to the middle of the foot. (When skiing downhill, shifting your body weight backwards improves glide.)
NB!
– If you use grip tape, the grip zone should be shortened by at least 5 cm at the front.
– The same applies when using klister: shorten the grip zone by 5-10 cm at the front and by up to 5 cm at the rear.
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