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Buyer's Guide to Cross Country Skis

Fischer Carbonlite Hole Skate Ski Video:

Skate Skis - Choosing the Right Skate Ski
Learning how to skate ski effectively can require a bit of practice, but once you have mastered skate skiing you will have hours of fun on the trails. Choosing the right skate ski is important, and your selection will depend upon how much you expect to ski cross country, what your budget is, and what performance level you desire. A top of the line skate ski such as the Rossignol X-ium WCS 2, the Fischer RCS Carbonlite Hole or the Salomon Equipe 10 Lab will give you a skate ski that is lightweight, great swing weight, fast base and superior construction. Unlike Alpine skis, even if you are a beginner the top of the line skate ski will not be too much for you. The better the quality the ski the better handling, performance and ultimately the better experience you will have. When you venture into a mid-level skate ski such as the Rossignol delta course, the Rossignol delta NIS or the Salomon Equipe 9 skate, the ski becomes slightly heavier and more effort will be needed moving the ski back and forth. The entry level skate ski is great for beginners. These skis are less expensive, but performance is not as good, in that the skis are a bit heavier. The Rossignol Znex, Rossignol Zmax, the Fischer CRS Skating, and the Salomon Active 8 skate skis all fit within the entry-level skate ski category.
Skate ski sizing is determined based upon the skier's weight, not so much height. See the sizing charts to determine the appropriate size for you. Ski sizing is based upon flex.

Rossignol X-ium Skating WCS 2 NIS
The Rossignol xium Skating WCS NIS skate ski is Rossingol's the top of the line skate ski. The Rossignol xium is for the cross country skier wanting a light weight, stable and fast ski. This performance/race ski is lightweight, and shorter than other skate skis. It features a full carbon deck, reduced weight, and lightweight and durable sidewalls. The lower carbon tip results in less swing weight and improved maneuverability. The Rossignol x-ium skate ski is ideal for hard pack conditions, and is known for its smooth and stable glide. This skate ski comes with a NIS plate which integrated nicely with the NNN boots made by Rossignol and Fischer.
Fischer RCS Carbonlite Plus
The Fischer RCS Carbonlite Skating Hole skate ski is Fischer's top of the line skate ski designed for performance and race skiers. The RCS Carbonlite skate ski is the lightest on the market, weighing just 980 grams. This particular ski has won more World Cup races this year than any other ski. The Plus model is the most popular model of the Fischer skate skis, and is designed for average snow temperatures above 28 degrees F (-2 degrees C) and for older snow and more humid snow conditions. This skate ski is designed with an 80 percent air component core for tension resistance. Unique to this ski is the hole at the tip, which reduces tip weight by about 5 grams, thus less energy is needed, resulting a smoother flow, higher return frequencies and overall less effort. This skate ski comes with a NIS plate which integrated nicely with the NNN boots made by Rossignol and Fischer.
Salomon Equipe 10 Lab Skate Ski
The Salomon Equipe 10 Lab Skate Ski is Salomon's top of the line and lightest skate ski for Salomon. The ski features a racing side cut that fine tunes the ski for dynamic handing and a nomex core that makes the ski ultra light, coming in at 1000 grams. The skate ski comes in two versions: warm and cold for different snow temperatures. The cold version of this skate ski is ideal for snow temperature below 23 degrees F (-5 C). The cold camber is a fast ski which generates a longer gliding surface and better acceleration. The warm version of this skate ski is ideal for snow temperature above 23 degrees F (-5 C). The warm camber has a shorter glide surface to reduce friction and better acceleration. This ski is known for its' excellent stability, rebound energy and fast straight line acceleration. The ski features a racing side cut for dynamic handing and a nomex core that makes the pair weight only 1000g. This skate ski is ideally suited to mate with a sns boot and binding, also manufactured by Salomon.