What are classic skis and how to choose them?

Not all beginner skiers know what classic skis are (skis for the classic move), and how to choose them correctly. First of all, you need to figure out how long and wide they should be. Having answered this question, you can make a choice in size and weight, get acquainted with specific brands.

Skating skis:

• always have a blunt toe;
• in length do not exceed 1920 mm (versus 2070 mm for classic ones);
• very rigidly resist buckling;
• have a gap of 2-3 mm in the middle, which makes it possible to increase the repulsion efficiency.

Before describing the classic skis themselves, it is necessary to understand how they are used - this will allow a deeper understanding of the main specific features.... Jogging (synonymous with classics) is the same one that the inhabitants of the northern countries have used for centuries. With this method, the legs are parallel. Even beginners can ride the classic method on an equipped (or simply knurled) site. The techniques are much more sophisticated than skating.

It means that with incorrect hand actions and incorrect placement of the sticks, the movement becomes more complicated, more energy is spent. Visual differences from skating skis - adding a long pointed toe. The structure itself should be softer and more "responsive" to the actions of the skier. But the difference does not end there.

Traditionally, it was believed that classic skis are forced to constantly fiddle with lubrication. But the designers have found ways to solve this problem.Almost all manufacturers, along with old lubricated products, can offer sports equipment equipped with special notches. It is referred to by the terms crown and grip. The notched skis are good for staying in place and in a straight line, and are inexpensive, but they don't offer great glide and buzz as you ride.

Notched designs are the preferred choice for those who want to walk rather than glide at high speed. Dry skis are often zero skis. They are recommended to those who expect to vigorously compete in the snowy expanses. If the priority is driving in warm weather, models of the skin class become an excellent purchase.

Such travel devices are in great demand, they are readily acquired by:

• families with children;
• single lovers of skiing;
• professional skiers;
• biathletes;
• participants in ski marathons.

According to the level of skill necessary to unleash the potential of the product, skis are distinguished:

• professional;
• amateur;
• intended for tourism;
• designed for children and adolescents.

It should be noted right away that the preference for a particular brand is largely subjective. Quality skis are made by all major suppliers. At any of them you can find equipment for all levels of professionalism and for different intensity of training, races. Lovers of impeccable quality often opt for products:

• Salomon;
• Rossignol;
• Madshus;
• Fischer;
• Atomic.

However, products of the same quality can also be offered by Peltonen, Yoko, SkiTrab. Although classic skis are often sold for 1000-1500 rubles, it is better not to save on this, but to purchase products from one of the just listed well-proven brands. The minimum cost from which decent options begin is 3000 rubles. It should be noted that each ski manufacturer has its own specific corporate policy.

For example, Fischer does not indicate a range of permissible body weight. You need to define it additionally, focusing on the FA index... The selection of skis for amateur training and for walking is possible only by height, since their rigidity is unified.

The Atomic and Salomon models are very similar, which is not surprising - they are made in the same factory.... Both brands provide weight labeling; accessories for professional riders are labeled with a variety of additional information.

Rossignol's approach is to write the skier's weight on a special sticker. There it is adjacent to the article and barcode. You can select versions for amateurs only by height. Madshus provides the necessary information on NIS platforms.

It is not too difficult to choose the right classic skis in terms of height. The approximate required length is calculated by adding 20-25 cm to the user's height, the length can be roughly estimated as the height in comparison with your own figure... In some cases, the length should be 2-3 cm more or less. If the height is more than 190 cm, an accurate selection for this indicator is impossible. The reason is obvious: the "classic" is never longer than 207 cm, and only in isolated cases reaches 210 cm.

But one must understand that it is impossible to choose the size only taking into account the height itself. It is not for nothing that a certain range is usually established for each height group, and not rigidly set indicators. The rigidity of the structure will also have to be taken into account. It is even more important than length.

For obvious reasons, height and weight indicators usually correspond to each other. But for skis of the mass segment (with the same size), the spread in weight indicators is not too large. Entry-level products are extremely rarely designed for body weight over 100 kg. They are also rare in the segment for professional athletes. Therefore, you should not pay special attention to your own kilograms.

In all descriptions of the selection of skis, when it comes to the mass of athletes, it inevitably soon spills over to the rigidity of the structure itself. It is this parameter that determines how well it will ride on snow. Stiffness is often measured with a special device called a flex tester. Experienced athletes estimate it quite accurately with a simple squeeze with their hands. The colder the expected weather, the softer the running equipment should be.

General recommendations are as follows:

• amateur and novice athletes should choose the least rigid specimen within the recommended range;
• the harder the track, the harder the skis should be;
• at the same time, their rigidity is inversely proportional to the length of the distance - sprinters do not particularly need soft specimens, but stayers will like them.

The width of classic skis is very important. It is measured in the area of ​​attachment and indicated in millimeters. If it is less than 65 mm, hard snow becomes easier to pass. But if you have to walk not on a packed mass, snowdrifts and hummocks, but on fresh loose snow, the ideal width is from 72 mm.

When you have to do both alternately, you need 65-71 mm skis. If a skier is already quite active in skating, he should take a less rigid classic model for any similar ride. A high-quality design bends not only evenly, but also strictly proportional to the applied force.

If this rule is violated, in some places the pressure on the snow will be excessively high. Then even the most experienced athletes will slow down a lot, and the lubricant will be lost very quickly. Alas, it is impossible to check the diagram upon purchase - it can only be measured on specialized equipment. It is very important to scrupulously check the geometry of the skis. This requirement is relevant even for products of well-known brands, and even more so - and for those models that are already well known personally.... When turning sideways, the sliding surface must be initially flat.