It’s a new era for nordic ski manufacturing. Between 2022 and 2023, the number of nordic skiers in the United States increased from 17.71 to 18.46 million. As the sport gains traction, ski manufacturers are pushing the envelope to design skis that flatten the notoriously difficult learning curve, are more environmentally friendly, and fast enough to keep professional skiers on the podium.

While the sport itself is booming, nordic testing circumstances have never been more finicky, with snowless conditions across much of the United States. Fortunately, we had testers in multiples regions of the U.S. and we traveled to higher-snow areas like Arizona鈥檚 high country to track down the right conditions. Here are the skis that came out on top this year.

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At A Glance

• Best Beginner Ski: Fischer Aeroguide Skate 85 ($449)
• Best Elite Race Skate Ski: Salomon S-Lab Universal Skate ($950)
• Best Expert Classic Ski: Rossignol X-ium R Skin ($500)
• Best Touring Ski: Fischer S-Bound 98 Crown/ Dual-Skin XTRALITE ($439)
• Best Endurance Skate Ski: Madshus Endurace Skate ($425)
• How to Choose Cross-Country Skis
• How We Test
• Meet Our Testers

If you buy through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission. This supports our mission to get more people active and outside. Learn more.

Best Beginner Ski

Fischer Aeroguide Skate 85

Sidecut: 43-40-45 cm
Weight: 1,200 grams/175 cm per ski
Lengths: 165, 175, 185 cm

Pros and Cons
鈯� Forgiving sidecut
鈯� Forgiving sidecut can allow for imperfect technique

There are three design choices that make the new Aeroguide an especially good fit for beginner skate skiers: First, it comes in three relatively short lengths鈥�165, 175, and 185 centimeters鈥攎aking it easier for beginners to control.

Next, it has a more aggressive, hourglass sidecut (43-40-45) than higher-level skis. The sidecut on Fischer鈥檚 top-of-the-line Speedmax Helium Skate Plus is shaped like an arrow. That aggressive side cut provides more grip on the edge, making it much easier to push off when initiating the weight transfer (something beginner skiers often struggle with.)

Lastly, unlike almost every other skate ski on the market, the base has two vertical grooves down the length of the ski, which further increase stability and control when gliding by gripping to the snow.

At its base, the ski is lightweight, with a hollow wood core strengthened by basalt fibers that provide better flex characteristics in a wider range of temperatures than fiberglass. The ski may be slightly heavier than more intermediate and expert-oriented designs, but that also adds stability. With a deeper, coarser base structure (thanks to a grinding process using the hardness of natural diamonds), the Aeroguide is easier to ski in warm, moist conditions鈥攁 good thing in a warming world.

Veteran tester Brian Hayden took the Aeroguide for a spin on 12 kilometers of hot laps on the hilly, freshly-groomed, manmade snow at Spirit Mountain Nordic Center in Duluth, Minnesota on a mild, mid 20s winter day. He was duly impressed with the 185-centimeter length, which is seven centimeters shorter than what he normally skis. Despite it being a few hundred grams heavier than the World Cup-level skate skis Hayden normally uses, he praised its stability. 鈥淚t gave me confidence to get out over my ski.鈥�

Best Elite Race Skate Ski

Salomon S-Lab Universal Skate

Sidecut: 44-43-44 cm
Weight: 970 grams/192 cm per ski
Lengths: 170, 177, 182, 187, 192 cm

Pros and Cons
鈯� Versatile
鈯� Fast and fun
鈯� Not specifically designed for warm or cold conditions

The snow was so sparse in northern Minnesota this year that I timed my testing of the S-Lab Universal Skate to coincide with the morning grooming at Duluth, Minnesota鈥檚 Spirit Mountain Nordic Center. That meant perfect corduroy on a 3.3-kilometer loop that would, in a week, host the US Spring Nationals and Super Tour Finals.

Despite 37-degree temps and soft snow, I loved the way the Unis, known for handling a wide variety of conditions and temperatures ranging from 10 to 30 degrees Fahrenheit, rose to the occasion. They were smooth while climbing punchy hills, cornered well on tight, curvy downhills, and effortlessly glided across the flats. They felt fast even as the sun beat down and turned parts of the course to slush.

Why, unlike more temperature-specific skis, is the Universal so fast in variable conditions? It boils down to an ever-evolving blend of three elements: a proprietary 鈥淕5鈥� base formula that improved the ski鈥檚 performance in warm conditions, combined with a World-Cup-tested grind pattern that has produced winning results across a wide range of testing circumstances (Note: Olympian gold medalist Jessie Diggins skis on Salomon with the same pattern). Finally, the ski鈥檚 flex profile is finely tuned with proper length contact zones, its tips and tails are forgiving enough to allow the ski to float through crud and powder, and it鈥檚 just stiff enough to edge well and support the weight of the skier.

Like most elite-level skis, the Uni is constructed of lightweight wood sidewalls and a Nomax core鈥攁 strong, light, honeycomb-like structure that鈥檚 tough to beat for its strength-to-weight ratio. The ski is then wrapped in a thin-ply carbon that boosts transmission with every stride.

The Uni ski design hasn鈥檛 changed for 2025, but Salomon鈥檚 Shift Race binding is brand new. It offers adjustable positioning on the plate, allowing skiers to move forward and back on the ski depending on conditions: Shift forward to boost grip on ice, shift back to enhance glide in snowier conditions, or keep the binding at zero, the most neutral position on the ski. Despite the lack of heavy snow, I played around with binding positioning and found that it did finely tune the ski鈥檚 performance. The downside to Salomon鈥檚 system, however, is that skiers have to remove the ski to shift the positioning lever鈥攊t can鈥檛 be done while skating.

For experienced racers who only want one or two skis, the S-Lab Universal Skate is a do-it-all World Cup-level ski.

Best Expert Classic Ski

Rossignol X-ium R-Skin

Sidecut: 40-44-44 cm
Weight: 550 grams/198 cm per ski
Lengths: 186, 191, 198, 203, 208 cm

Pros and Cons
鈯� An ultralightweight ski fast enough for racing, without the hassle of waxing
鈯� If weight isn鈥檛 transferred correctly on the stride, even the mohair skins can鈥檛 stop the classic ski from backsliding

The first version of this ski was born around 2016 when Rossignol manufactured about 4,000 pairs of its first iteration of the X-ium R-Skin. In the near decade since, Rossignol has tinkered with the skin ski鈥檚 camber shapes and profiles, internal construction, grind patterns, and skin shapes and placements to create the universally beloved X-ium R- Skin. The R Skin is now so popular that Rossignol manufactures hundreds of thousands of pairs鈥攅ven the most diehard skate skiers have good reason to fall in love with classic skiing all over again with this ski.

Like the Salomon S-Lab Universal Skate, the X-ium R Skin鈥檚 core is made from Nomex Honeycomb, the honeycomb structure that offers ultra-lightweight precision and powerful energy transmission. The core is covered in a fiberglass 鈥渃ap,鈥� a continuous cover that extends from one sidewall over the top sheet and onto the other sidewall. The result is a ski that offers both torsional rigidity and supple flex in the tips and tails, making for a smooth and stiff ride.

This year Rossignol removed the shiny varnish from the ski, which had both intended and unintended results. The varnish contained chemicals that factory workers could have breathed in, so now the ski is more eco- and health-friendly without it. The other bonus: Varnish created a stiff outer coat which affected the tension on the ski. Without it, the ski is slightly lighter and flexes more smoothly, which puts less pressure on the tips and tails when weighted, making the ski easier to kick (and much more fun.)

Our Jackson, Wyoming-based tester Adam Meyer found that while Rossignol鈥檚 cosmetic change to the X-ium R-Skin weren鈥檛 鈥渢rying to reinvent the world of skin skis,鈥� the ski was a blast in multiple conditions. Meyer said that it maintained the classic Rossignol responsiveness, while remaining stable when kicking and gliding thanks to its generous mohair skin. As Meyer reported: 鈥渢he ski did its job well.鈥�

Overall, this is an expert-level classic ski that鈥檚 fun and fast enough to place on the podium.

Best Touring Ski

Fischer S-Bound 98 Crown/ Dual-Skin XTRALITE

Sidecut: 98-69-88 cm
Weight: 2,200 g/179 cm per ski
Lengths: 159, 169, 179, 189 cm

Pros and Cons
鈯� Fun and light
鈯� Grips well on steep uphills
鈯� Not enough heft to cut through heavy powder

If this year鈥檚 testing had a motto, it was 鈥淏e Prepared.鈥� As in: Be prepared for thin ribbons of snow between patches of mud in northern Michigan; dense, spring corn in northern Arizona, or boilerplate hardpack in Minnesota. The beauty of the S-Bound 98 Crown, a lightweight backcountry touring ski, is that it took all of these conditions in stride, especially excelling in the hardpack.

This adaptable and sturdy ski is a bestseller in the Fischer line. Its new, ultra-lightweight paulownia wood-and-fiberglass core has hollow air channels throughout. Not only does the fiberglass reinforcement make the ski stronger than one with a solid wood core, but the air chambers distribute pressure better, too. A 鈥渘ordic rockered鈥� tip also makes the S-Bound easier to glide and turn in deeper, untracked snow, and a narrow steel edge makes for stable contact on every surface.

I was especially impressed with how the skis鈥� fish-scale base gripped while skiing uphill on boilerplate hardpack at my local alpine area in Duluth. I didn鈥檛 even need to slap on one of Fischer鈥檚 two mohair-and-nylon skins鈥攖he short 鈥淓asy Skin鈥� or the full-length 鈥淪uper Skin鈥濃€� compatible with this ski.

On a day with particularly challenging conditions, when I expected testing to be all business and no play, the S-Bound surprised me. I found plenty of purchase on a steep climb with thin snow, which made it almost as much fun as the downhill. Thanks to metal edging and an enhanced rocker on this nimble ski, the downhill was a blast, too.

Best Endurance Skate Ski

Madshus Endurace Skate

Sidecut: 44-43-44 cm
Weight: 1094 grams /187 cm per pair
Lengths: 172, 177, 182, 187, 192 cm

Pros and Cons
鈯� A powerful ski that can plow through crud on days when the skate deck isn鈥檛 perfectly groomed
鈯� Speed is not the defining feature of this ski

World Cup-level skate skis are like Formula One race cars: feisty and deadly until you鈥檝e learned how to handle them on curves, hills, and corners. The beauty of the Endurace Skate鈥攚hich is two steps below Madshus鈥� top-of-the-line World Cup Redline skate ski but still 鈥渞ace-inspired鈥濃€攊s that a few design tweaks allow it to occupy that liminal space between an elite-level race ski and a more stable, forgiving endurance ski. The Endurace is all about balance. Its moderate sidecut makes it feel solid underfoot while still being maneuverable at all speeds. And its proprietary foam core has an excellent strength-to-weight ratio, making it responsive but not so jittery that you feel a crash is imminent around every corner. Madshus also dialed back the camber to reduce the Endurace鈥檚 aggressiveness while still keeping it lively.

Madshus came late to the testing party at the end of March, which is a notoriously tricky month in terms of conditions. We took it out on ten kilometers of a skate deck that had been left ungroomed through at least two or three freeze-thaw cycles, leaving it terrifyingly rutted and icy in patches and knee-tweaking slushy in others. But we were impressed with how gracefully the Endurace handled the conditions, letting us eke out the last bits of joy during a tough end-of-season snow week.

How to Choose Cross-Country Skis

Nordic skiing has a steep learning curve. But every year, the ski design, technology, and material keeps shortening that curve. The first step is to determine which type of ski you want: classic, skate, backcountry touring, or hybrid touring/track ski. For first-time buyers looking for the best ski for their budget, it鈥檚 essential to go to a shop and talk with a nordic expert who can also take your weight, height, and other dimensions to fit you with the perfect ski.

Classic

Classic skis, most often used in a groomed track, are longer than skate skis and require a stride in which you propel your skis forward in a parallel motion. This sport has been around for millennia, but it鈥檚 still very challenging to learn perfect technique. All nordic skis require a base with friction that comes in the form of waxless fish scales, a mohair/nylon grip known as a skin, or a smooth base on which you apply kick wax that sticks depending on the temperature of the snow.

Once the standard, waxable classic skis used by elite racers who are used to the speed and grace of a full glide with little friction, are being replaced by skin skis, also a favorite of a wide variety of enthusiasts and waning ski racers who want to eliminate the hassle and extra maintenance of waxing. Today鈥檚 skin skis are so fast, light, and stable that they are an excellent option to train or even race on. Most beginners prefer the maintenance-free option of fish scales, which are carved into the ski鈥檚 base, thus requiring no waxing.

Skate

Skate skis are used on a groomed skate deck that looks like the horizontal corduroy we see at an alpine resort. Instead of propelling skis in a parallel motion, skiers use a faster skating technique, where the skis are in a V shape and the skier transfers weight from one ski, pushing off and gliding, then transferring it to the other鈥攕ort of like a speed skater鈥攅xcept with help from poles, which are generally moved in unison. It鈥檚 a difficult technique to learn but feels akin to flying once you have it down.

Skate skis are shorter than their classic counterparts by about 10-15 centimeters and have more rounded tips. In general, shorter skies are easier to handle, while longer skis provide better glide. Flex and structure are two other important specs. A more flexible ski is more forgiving for softer snow, and a more rigid or structured ski is better on hardpack for power transfer but can also be harder for an inexperienced skier to drive. There are so many factors when considering the best skate ski that it鈥檚 especially important for first-time buyers to go to a ski shop and get properly fit by a professional.

Touring

Touring skis are for those who want to get off the trail and into the woods or rolling sidecountry in ungroomed terrain. Like alpine skis, touring skis have steel edges that make carving on downhills easier, but even with their sculpted waists and rockered tips, the lightweight touring skis you might use in the Midwest aren鈥檛 designed for alpine terrain like ski mountaineering skis are. Depending on how you want to use them, most lightweight touring skis are equipped to handle a touring, alpine touring, or telemark binding. The length is generally shorter than classic yet longer than skate. A touring ski usually requires a slower, more truncated version of a classic stride because the terrain is variable and mostly ungroomed.

How We Test

• Number of testers: 4
• Number of products tested: 24
• Number of miles skied: 415
• Number of states tested in: 5 (MN, WI, MI, WY, AZ)

Call it La Ni帽a, climate change, a weird anomaly, or a combination of all three, but the upper Midwest, where most of our testers are located, had one of the worst snow years on record. The warmest day we skied鈥攊n a mix of snow and rain鈥攚as 40 degrees Fahrenheit. The coldest day, on the other hand, barely hit the teens, an almost unheard of anomaly. As a result, we had to resort to creative testing, shipping skis across the country, timing our lives to the snowmaking and grooming schedule at local ski centers, and racing in shortened events.

Between our four main testers, we skied an American Birkebeiner that was abbreviated from 50 to 30 kilometers, did a dizzying number of hot laps on the impeccably groomed manmade snow of the 3.3K SuperTour Finals and Spring Nationals course at Spirit Mountain Nordic Center in Duluth, Minnesota, road-tripped to Michigan鈥檚 Upper Peninsula, and sought out the last patches of spring snow in Jackson, Wyoming. The best snow of all? Arizona Nordic Village, a sweet oasis of 40 kilometers of trails starting at 8,000 feet about 20 minutes northwest of Flagstaff.

Meet Our Testers

Adam Meyer

Adam grew up in Maine where he spent winters tubing and skiing in his backyard. His love for nordic skiing blossomed when he began racing in high school and went on to ski for Tufts University. Since college, Adam has coached nordic ski teams in Vermont, Colorado, and, now, Jackson Wyoming.

Jen Pearson

Jen Pearson is a physician and associate professor in the Department of Family Medicine and BioBehavioral Health at the University of Minnesota. She鈥檚 raced the American Birkebeiner more than 20 times with multiple top 20 finishes.

Brian Hayden

Brian Hayden is the founder of the Duluth Devo Mountain Bike Program. He鈥檚 a former collegiate nordic ski racer and ski wax technician for the Duluth East High School Nordic Ski Team. His patience at the wax bench made this test possible.

Stephanie Pearson

Category manager Stephanie Pearson grew up in Duluth, Minnesota, cross-country skiing out her backyard. She started at 国产吃瓜黑料 as an intern in 1995 and has worked in various positions with the magazine, most recently as a contributing editor, for almost three decades. In 2023 she became a National Geographic Explorer.

The post The Best Cross-Country Skis of 2025 appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

As chilly weather approaches and the leaves turn, it鈥檚 time to swap out staying in your favorite camping tent in favor of a hot-spring resort or cabin.

As a self-proclaimed hot-springs addict, I鈥檝e been on the prowl for seven years for the most gorgeous, steamy soaking pools across the globe. Having lived in the geothermal meccas of California and Colorado for years, I鈥檝e experienced the good, the bad, and the muddy when it comes to naturally fed soaking ponds. I鈥檝e trekked to remote warm springs in the Sierra Nevada and the Rocky Mountains, in Iceland and even Antarctica, and stripped down to splash into every single one of 鈥檈m.

Even though I love a solid hike-in hot spring, my favorite way to enjoy geothermally heated pools is on a splurge-worthy weekend trip to a lodge or a resort with private cabins, where I can soothe my tired muscles in peace, without crawling into a sleeping bag in a van or tent afterwards. Here are a few of my all-time favorite U.S. hot-springs resorts.

If you buy through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission. This supports our mission to get more people active and outside.听Learn more.

1. Ojo Caliente, New Mexico

Nearest town: Taos
Prices from: $239 for rooms per night, $40 for camping

Tucked away between Santa Fe and Taos sits the vibrant , a gaggle of adobe-style suites, retro cottages, and a historic hotel, surrounded by hiking paths, bike trails, and loads of soaking ponds.

The resort at Ojo Caliente opened in 1868, and it鈥檚 been revered as a healing sanctuary ever since, offering mineral pools rich with soda, lithium, and iron. These minerals are said to aid digestion, boost moods, and bolster your immune system, respectively. The resort鈥檚 high-end spa offers a huge variety of treatments, from sound healing to blue-corn-and-prickly-pear-sea-salt scrubs. But this retreat is not all soaking and spa time鈥搃n between baths, you can treat yourself to a yoga class, hike the or chow down on piping-hot tortilla soup and chicken mole at the on-site Artesian Restaurant and Wine Bar.

2. Esalen Institute, California

Nearest town: Big Sur
Prices from: $540 (for three days/two nights)

has long been a haven for holistic hippies and New Age types looking to embark on week-long or weekend escapes filled with meditation, clean eating, therapeutic workshops, and oceanfront hot-springs access.When I stayed at Esalen a few years ago, I skipped the institute鈥檚 famed expert-led workshops and booked a self-guided weekend exploration with my partner, so that we鈥檇 have ample free time.

We still attended a wide variety of open classes, from ecstatic dance to yoga to the study of native plant botanicals. This approach allowed us tons of time to hike among the coastal redwoods at Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park and spend our nights soaking in the property鈥檚 outstanding Slate Hot Springs, which overlook the wild Pacific Ocean.

3. Mount Princeton Hot Springs Resort, Colorado

Nearest town: Nathrop
Prices from: $243 a night

Unlike many hot-springs retreats, which brand themselves as adults-only relaxation hubs, offers family-friendly pools, cabins, and lodge rooms, with a seasonal waterslide and an infinity pool overlooking the sky-high Mount Princeton and Mount Antero.

Guests can choose between minimalist lodge rooms, log cabins, and motel-style cliffside stays with epic mountain views. I heartily recommend the luxe Creekside Suites, complete with kitchenettes, balconies, and fireplaces, where my partner and I stayed this fall for a hike-and-soak couples鈥� retreat. Not only are the suites close to the natural-stone warm pools along Chalk Creek, they鈥檙e tucked back behind the main lodge and pools for maximum serenity. When you aren鈥檛 getting pruney fingers in the springs, indulge in a CBD massage (my favorite treatment) at the spa or a Rocky Mountain elk filet at the on-site restaurant.

4. Quinn’s Hot Springs Resort, Montana

Nearest town: Paradise
Prices from: $269 a night

Situated a mere hour from the outdoorsy mecca of Missoula, serves up elevated, mountain-chic lodge rooms, cozy riverfront cabins, and naturally fed springs with water temperatures up to 106 degrees, which is steamier than your average hot tub.

The soaking pools at Quinn鈥檚 are open year-round and offer vistas of forested hillsides, which, in winter months, are topped with snow. The site鈥檚 Canyon Cabins boast the most direct access to the springs, but its River View Cabins, set on the banks of the Clark Fork, offer outstanding views. When you鈥檙e not taking a dip or casting a line for native westslope cutthroat trout, enjoy hearty Americana fare like bison carpaccio and wild-game meatloaf at Harwood House Restaurant, which won a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence in 2024.

5. Breitenbush Hot Springs, Oregon

Nearest town: Detroit
Prices from: $112 for camping / $117 for rooms

Following a devastating fire back in 2020, Oregon鈥檚 is back in action, with three newly built Grove Rooms, plus mushroom yurts, glamping tents, and vehicle-friendly campsites.

This off-grid, clothing-optional sanctuary is a mere two-hour drive from Portland and is open year-round. It鈥檚 a designated substance- and device-free space, so travelers can unwind and unplug while connecting with community members. Natural rock-bottom hot-spring pools and clawfoot tubs adorn the forested property, and organic vegetarian meals can be added onto any booking, including day passes.

Not keen on soaking all afternoon? Spend some time cruising the West Cascades Scenic Byway or hike the .

6. Chena Hot Springs Resort, Alaska

Nearest town: Fairbanks
Prices from: $20 for camping / $200 for rooms a night

Want to kick back in a remote hot spring while the green tendrils of the Northern Lights dance above your head? At , a retreat center in Alaska鈥檚 rugged interior, this far-flung dream can become a reality.

Choose between the hotel-style Moose Lodge Rooms, the cozy budget-friendly Fox Rooms, woodsy cabins, camping yurts, and RV-friendly campsites, then relax. With an average water temperature of 106 degrees, this soaking site is prime for year-round visitors, no matter how gnarly the Alaska weather gets. Aromatherapy and hot stone massages are also available in an adorable cabin near the main Pool House. Spend your days cuddling sled-dog puppies, touring the ice museum, or dog sledding, and when the sun sets, bundle up for an .

7. Avalanche Ranch Cabins and Hot Springs, Colorado

Nearest town: Carbondale
Prices from: $135 a night

With day pass rates of $32 and lodging starting at $135, the clear, uncrowded pools of have become a Colorado favorite, with overnight guests often having to book four to six months out.

I first heard about Avalanche Ranch back in 2019, when a canceled flight out of Aspen gave me a day to kill near Carbondale. Lucky me. Because it was a frigid weekday, I was able to make a last-minute day reservation and warm my post-ski bones with a view of snowy Mount Sopris and its rounded twin summits. It was as close to a perfect day in the mountains as you can imagine, but next time I head to Avalanche Ranch, I鈥檒l spend a little extra to bed down in one of the property鈥檚 colorful, pet-friendly log cabins. Overnight guests can use the springs 24 hours a day; day passes allow four-hour access from 9:00 A.M. to 1:00 P.M. or 1:00 to 5:00 P.M. (The pool closes Wednesdays for cleaning.)

8. Burgdorf Hot Springs, Idaho

Nearest town: McCall
Prices from: $150 a night

Accessible by regular vehicles all summer long and by snowmobile in the winter months, and its historic cabins look more like a rustic ghost town than a real-deal soaking resort. However, this off-grid haven is a slice of paradise for those who don鈥檛 mind booking a cottage without electricity and running water, and are willing to bring their own bedding.

Intrepid wanderers will be rewarded with steaming pools of up to 113 degrees, with gravel bottoms and split log sides. Nestled in the conifer-dense Payette National Forest, Burgdorf is a hiker鈥檚 heaven, with awesome nearby hiking trails like Deep Lake, Ruby Meadows and Josephine Lake (don鈥檛 forget the bear spray). Just be sure to return to the springs in time for a dreamy, post-trek sunset soak.

9. Hot Springs Resort and Spa, North Carolina

Nearest town: Hot Springs
Prices from: $45

*Hot Springs Resort and Spa was damaged in recent flooding resulting from Hurricane Helene. Please see this page. Check back in early 2025 if you plan to visit and support this small town.

Though the East Coast isn鈥檛 revered for its hot springs, a handful of all-natural warm springs have kept travelers coming back for decades. North Carolina鈥檚 is one of the rare destinations where tent campers and RVers can enjoy both nature and the option to book a in a modern, jetted hot tub. The place has also become a favorite stopover for thru-hikers coming off the Appalachian Trail.

Campers can choose from among a myriad of options, which range from primitive tent sites to spacious group sites on the banks of the French Broad River. Not so into roughing it? Check out the resort鈥檚 deluxe cabins, complete with kitchenettes.

10. The Country Inn of Berkeley Springs, West Virginia

Nearest town: Berkeley Springs
Prices from: $130 a night

First opened in 1933, this historic colonial-style hotel in the eastern panhandle of West Virginia boasts 70 guest rooms and an that offers everything from mineral baths to sugar scrubs and hot-stone massages.

The tiny hamlet of Berkeley Springs, less than two hours from Baltimore and Washington, D.C., is revered as one of the nation鈥檚 first warm-spring wellness retreats, with famous patrons like George Washington frequenting the area. Rooms at are adorned in elegant furnishings, but also provide modern amenities, like flatscreen TVs, mini-fridges, and high-speed Wi-Fi. Don鈥檛 miss live music at the Inn鈥檚 restaurant on Saturday nights.

11. The Gideon Putnam, New York

Nearest town: Saratoga Springs
Prices from: $229 a night

This elegant New York retreat is set a short 35-minute drive from Albany, in the centuries-old wellness haven of Saratoga Springs, which was once visited by the likes of Oscar Wilde and Susan B. Anthony. Today, with updated East Coast colonial-style rooms, some of which are pet-friendly, guests can kick up their feet with modern conveniences like air conditioning, HDTVs, and Wi-Fi.

What truly sets , though, is that it鈥檚 the only hotel located inside Saratoga Spa State Park. This National Historic Landmark features two different golf courses, a large swimming-pool complex, and miles of nature trails that transform into a cross-country ski paradise in winter. Be sure to check out the Gideon Putnam鈥檚 luxurious Roosevelt Baths and Spa, named in honor of President Franklin D. Roosevelt for his role in helping preserve the Saratoga Springs area, and book yourself a mineral bath and a Muscadine Moonshine Sea Salt Scrub while you鈥檙e at it.

Emily Pennington is a national-parks expert and self-proclaimed hot-springs addict who鈥檚 also a longtime contributor to 国产吃瓜黑料. To date, she鈥檚 visited every U.S. national park and hiked on all seven continents. Her book, Feral, Losing My Way and Finding Myself in America鈥檚 National Parks, was published in 2023. When she鈥檚 not frantically typing at her keyboard, you can find her exploring every hot spring known to humanity in her new home state of Colorado.

For more by this author, see:

I Visited Every U.S. National Park. My Favorite Might Surprise You.

The Best New Hotels with Easy Access to U.S. National Parks

These 10 National Parks Will Have Timed-Entry Reservations This Year

The post 11 Most Beautiful Hot-Springs Resorts in the U.S. appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

Cross-training cyclists, alpine skiers, and the backcountry crowd already get it: skate skiing boosts your fitness while offering a reparative full-body workout that delivers a physique like Kikkan Randall鈥檚. With a few lessons or the diligence to watch online tutorials, the skills are easy to pick up. But to really excel, you need light and powerful skis, boots, and poles and apparel that lets you move at your anaerobic threshold on the climbs without freezing on the descents. The gear that follows is suited to racing or just skiing at the limit of your fitness and capacity for fun.

Rab Phantom Pull-On Shell ($200)

Skiing in a midlayer works only if you can also carry a superlight just-in-case shell that鈥檚 wind- and water-resistant enough to get you back to the car when the weather goes bad. Rab鈥檚 Phantom anorak features a deep half zip to save weight and pack space. We scrunch it up into the compartment of a hydration waist pack, but it鈥檚 so small that you could even ball it up and tuck it beneath a base layer鈥擳our de France style鈥攊f you鈥檙e starved for pockets. The two-layer, DWR-coated Pertex Shield fabric shed sleet just long enough for one tester to ski ten kilometers back to the truck.听(S鈥揦L)

Salomon S/Max Carbon Skate Prolink Boots ($410)

Comfort or performance? If you鈥檙e shopping for skate boots, you typically have to choose one. No longer. While the S/max Carbon Skate isn鈥檛 as feathery as a World Cup race boot, it鈥檚 plenty light for recreational racing. It also has padded uppers and a more anatomical exoskeleton. Now the energy transfer and edging power are top-notch, but the pressure points are gone.

Atomic Redster S9 Gen S Skis ($960)

The Redster S9 represents one of the first major developments in skate skiing in years. The most radical change is also the subtlest: a new sidecut that engages more actively at the shovel. This means that as you glide from one ski to the other, the tip tracks straighter longer, saving you time and energy. As with most nordic-gear upgrades (except for nailing the wax), you don鈥檛 notice that effect immediately. But we did feel more efficient鈥攁nd faster, too, at the end of a three-hour session.听

Beyond the ski鈥檚 tracking straighter, what you will notice immediately is the S9鈥檚 handling. Especially on hard, fast downhill corners, it edges and arcs so well that we found ourselves carving sections we鈥檇 typically step turn. That鈥檚 a function of both the new sidecut鈥攖he forebody wants to arc鈥攁nd the steep and powerful sidewalls, which deliver a secure feel on edge.听

We鈥檙e also huge fans of Atomic鈥檚 bold move to produce the S9 in just one midrange length (183 centimeters). Skiers merely have to choose between a stiffer and a softer flex, based on their height and weight, which simplifies the buying process. On paper, that size might seem short for some skiers and long for others. It works because the S9 is so deceptively stout and easy to handle. A versatile base material and a stone grind, which glides well in a huge range of snow conditions, means the S9 is truly a one-ski quiver. Bindings come pre-mounted.

Swix Nybo Full-Zip Hoodie ($160)

I鈥檝e owned many expensive nordic soft-shell jackets over the years but ski most often in simple wind- and weather-resistant hoodies like the Nybo. A DWR-treated shell material up front offers just enough weatherproofing for highly aerobic skating in marginal weather (although you wouldn鈥檛 want to stand around in a storm). In spring snow mixed with rain, it kept us dry enough to reach the top of a long climb before pulling on a shell for the cold, windy descent. Stretch panels over the shoulder blades allow for maximal range of motion while double poling鈥�and reflective panels add safety for biking and running. (women鈥檚 XS鈥揦L / men鈥檚 S鈥揦XL)

Hestra Infinium Momentum Gloves ($60)

We鈥檝e seen pairs of Hestra cross-country ski gloves last for 12 years鈥攁nd counting. But the new Infinium Momentum is a serious upgrade thanks to the highly breathable and water-resistant Gore-Tex Infinium that kept our hands dry in all manner of conditions. The backing is a stretchy soft-shell material that鈥檚 easy on the hands. And because Hestra is famously attentive to detail when it comes to stitching articulated fingers, the dexterity is best in class. Carry a simple over-mitt with you to push this spring-weight glove into winter temps.听

Balingsta Custom Project Pants No. 1 ($580)

Cut from Polartec鈥檚 hyper-breathable waterproof pants offer more weather protection than the standard bottoms engineered for skiers who鈥檒l be popping in and out of warming huts and lodges. It鈥檚 cut from Polartec鈥檚 hyper-breathable waterproof material, NeoShell. During a long, sunny jaunt on snowmobile trails, the No.1s kept us plenty cool. On a wet, snowy day with the wind and weather at our backs, they kept us warm and dry. Most other wind-resistant nordic pants can鈥檛 do both.听The brand makes every pair to order, which minimizes waste.

Bliz Breeze Sunglasses ($105)

The nordork code requires that sunglass temples be worn outside the touque. Bliz鈥檚 Breeze lets you one-up that fashion statement by swapping out the temples for an elastic strap that wraps around the back of your head, combining the stay-put fit of goggles with the fog resistance of shades. The lens hits a sweet spot: light enough to see well in dim forests, and tinted enough to preserve solid vision in full sun.

Swix Triac 4.0 Aero Poles ($500)

If, like me, you didn鈥檛 grow up racing nordic, it鈥檚 easy to assume that skating poles are like alpine poles: an afterthought unrelated to performance. In modern skate skiing, a significant amount of your forward propulsion comes from the upper body and core. You want poles that are lightweight, for a faster turnover, and stiff, for more energy transfer. The best nordic poles are lightweight, for faster turnover, and stiff, for more energy transfer. In pursuit of that sweet spot, the new Triac鈥檚 shaft is slightly pentagonal (rather than circular), diminishing drag and boosting rigidity. We鈥檝e tested three generations of Swix Triacs, and each one has proven noticeably more rigid than the last. We tested the 4.0 head-to-head against a ten-year-old set of skate poles that were once top of their class. The improvement is instantly perceptible. Don鈥檛 need the mack daddy? Check out Swix鈥檚 range of Quantum carbon race poles for a range of prices.听

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Nordic skiing comes in many forms. Sure, it鈥檚 fun to zip down corduroy on a well-waxed skate setup. But there鈥檚 something special about just clipping into your bindings and going鈥攁round the backyard, down an unplowed forest road, or through the woods on a hiking trail that doesn鈥檛 see a lot of traffic. Those days call for different gear: a fatter ski, a slightly beefier boot, and clothing and accessories to keep you warm even if you鈥檙e moving slow. Here鈥檚 our favorite kit this season.听

Fischer OTX Trail Boots ($149)

Nordic touring boots can be clunky. Not these, which are stiff and supportive enough for off-track endeavors in a surprisingly light (1.3-pound), svelte package, with a secure speed-lace system that locks the foot in place. The rubber outsole is more flexible and deeply lugged than typical nordic boots to keep you surefooted in icy parking lots.听

Ortovox 颅Berrino Jacket ($240)

The Berrino has fleecy merino on the inside and durable synthetic polyamide on the outside. It鈥檚 light, breathable, soft enough to wear over a T-shirt, and wards off flurries. (women鈥檚 XS鈥揦L / men鈥檚 S鈥揦XL)

Atomic Savor XC Skintec Skis ($335)

When it comes to off-track nordic adventures, skin skis, which use built-in alpine-style climbing skins under the foot to produce grip, are the way to go. They require minimal maintenance, so you can pretty much just slap them on at your back door and head off into the woods. Atomic鈥檚 Savor boasts a new silhouette designed with maneuverability in mind: it鈥檚 wider and shorter, with a gradual sidecut for a stable yet nimble ride that skiers of all abilities will enjoy,. At 46 millimeters underfoot, they鈥檙e also skinny enough to fit into groomed tracks.听

One Way BC Vario Poles ($119)

Any old beater poles will do the trick for low-key woodland adventures, but touring-specific ones with adjustable shafts and powder baskets sure are nice. One Way鈥檚 aluminum BC Vario is adjustable from 95 to 160 centimeters, with a long cork-and-foam grip that comes in handy on angled traverses.听

Mystery Ranch D Route Pack ($99)

The D Route has been one of our favorite resort-ski packs for years due to its low-profile design. Turns out it rocks for nordic touring too鈥攊t鈥檚 just big enough to hold water, snacks, and an extra layer or two, without getting in the way of an efficient stride. This year it got an upgrade: a waterproof front panel, 1.2 extra liters of storage capacity, and a two-ounce weight reduction.听

Goodr VRG Sunglasses ($35)

Shield frames offer refuge from both sun and wind but look undeniably dorky. The VRG has those benefits (sans lateral protection) in a stylish silhouette.

Hestra Windstopper Wool Terry Split Mitts ($70)

Unfortunately for those of us with cold hands, mittens are a no-go for nordic skiing. You need full finger dexterity to grip and release the pole with each stride. The solution: hybrid gloves, which group your fingers into three slots instead of five individual ones. This pair uses a terry lining made of looped wool yarn, which generates a shocking amount of warmth with relatively little bulk (a windproof shell helps). That lining is almost as soft as fleece, minus the fuzz.听

Daehlie Sportswear Conscious Pants ($200)

Daehlie鈥檚 latest uses a Tencel-wool blend鈥攕oft shell on the front of the legs and airy elastic mesh on the back鈥攕o you can stay warm on blustery days without getting sweaty, even when you鈥檙e working hard. We especially like the pants鈥� wide, flat waistband, which is covered in the same stretchy fabric found on the back of the legs鈥攖hey鈥檙e almost as comfortable as yoga pants. (颅women鈥檚 XS鈥揦L / men鈥檚 S鈥揦L)

CamelBak Podium Flow Belt ($45)

If you鈥檙e just going out for a few hours, CamelBak鈥檚 Podium Flow belt is all you need. Its rectangular zippered storage pocket is just a bit bigger than what you鈥檇 find on typical hydration belts鈥攅nough to fit a phone, gloves, and snacks. The water-bottle sleeve holds a standard 21-ounce vessel (included).

The post The Best Cross-Country Ski Touring Gear of 2022 appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

As the darkness of a COVID winter looms, I plan on cross-country skiing my face off. It鈥檚 the perfect socially distant winter activity:听glide off into solitary oblivion without a chairlift in sight, while getting a kick-ass, gym-free workout. I won鈥檛 be the only one out there.

鈥淢any people are turning to nordic, especially if they don鈥檛 live near a resort,鈥� says Nick Sargent, president of the industry organization听. Whether travel or general safety听is your concern, cross-country skis afford beautiful independence.

鈥淣o matter what the situation is鈥攑andemic, weather, holiday, with kids or without鈥攚e can go nordic skiing,鈥� says Sargent, who grew up skiing two miles to school and back in Vermont. That ease of access is appealing.听Shops across the country are 听than in past years; in Colorado,听听reports听seeing shortages from many manufacturers. This means now is the time to buy.

But cross-country ski gear is undeniably confusing. There are several different types of boots and skis鈥攁nd different ways to ski them鈥攑lus a complex matrix of boot-binding compatibility. Here鈥檚 our primer on how to become the nordie you鈥檝e always wanted to be.

Use a Shop

Possibly more so than any other sport, there is massive value in working with a shop to get set up with proper skis, boots, bindings, and poles. (And many shops can help customers over the phone instead of in person, ideal in our COVID world.)

The first question will be: Do you want to ski in tracks at a nordic center or out of tracks in the backcountry? They鈥檒l also ask what other sports you do, and what kind of experience you鈥檙e looking to have.

Skate Skis

Skate skiing is exactly what it sounds like: each ski glides forward diagonally, similar to听what happens听ice skating, every听stride starting with a push-off on the inside edge of the opposite ski. Anyone who likes to go fast off the bat, and who plans on skiing exclusively at groomed nordic centers, will likely gravitate toward this discipline. (Though the best way to decide whether you prefer skate or classic skiing is to rent equipment and try them both.) Skate skis have a base that鈥檚 smooth from tip to tail.

Nathan Schultz, the owner of Boulder Nordic Sport,听suggests investing in at least , which cost anywhere from $300 to $500.听鈥淚t鈥檚 way more fun to have high-quality stuff,鈥� he says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 less work.鈥� Why? Higher-end base materials glide and hold wax better, and well-engineered foam or corrugated composite cores make skis lighter and livelier, moving your energy down the trail instead of absorbing it. 鈥淚nexpensive skis feel more dead and wooden,鈥� he says.

Classic Skis

Classic skiing is what you probably think of when you picture cross-country athletes: you move your skis forward in a parallel motion, like you鈥檙e running on skis. This discipline can produce just as good of a workout as skate skiing, but it鈥檚 typically a little slower听and requires more technique to unlock higher speeds. (Most beginners simply walk on skis. The true听kick-and-glide motion takes awhile to learn.) Classic skiing is also more versatile. You can go fast听in tracks at nordic centers听or cruise around off-trail in the woods. The skis look similar to skate models in every way, except they鈥檙e usually longer and the tips curve up more. They also have a grippy kick zone under the foot.

Classic skis come in several variations. require you to apply a temperature-specific, sticky 听to this section of the base, while have a fish-scale pattern underfoot that generates kick. In the past few years, have started embedding听mohair skins, like those used for alpine touring, into the bottom of classic skis, instead of grinding in a fish-scale pattern.听(No matter which type of ski you pick, you should still apply glide wax to the tips and tails. More on that below.)

For high-performance classic skiing, to waxable skis (and a good wax application) will have you kicking and gliding the fastest. However,听Schultz says that听 meant for in-track skiing work well and 鈥渞emove one layer of confusion and complexity from an already technical sport.鈥� There鈥檚 also a versatile category of that work both in tracks and off-trail.

Backcountry Skis

If you want to ski a wide range of off-trail terrain, you鈥檒l need skis that are fatter, shorter, and have metal edges for stability and turning. Otherwise, the underfoot grip zone and the kick-and-glide forward motion are听the same as they are听on classic skis. 鈥淲e have a lot of people come to us听wanting to听shuffle around the lakes and forests of Minnesota and Wisconsin,鈥� says Jenny Beckman, general manager of the Minnesota听shop听. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e looking for a classic-style setup with very little maintenance. We direct them to waxless skis in tracks and out.鈥� There are also burlier听听are 60 millimeters (or even fatter) underfoot and can handle听low-angle trails from New Hampshire to Montana. A听dedicated will keep your feet warm while offering higher levels of support for rugged terrain. This听type of boot works only with a dedicated backcountry, or .

Boots and听Bindings

have a stiff sole听and a high, supportive ankle cuff,听and they should fit snugly, like a cycling shoe, but not as tight as an alpine boot. A听听is听cut lower, and its听sole and听ankle are able to听flex as you kick and glide. For fit, allow听about a thumb鈥檚 width of room at听the toe, like a running shoe. The same rule applies for both: A听听boot, often made , will be lighter and stiffer, yielding better power transfer. It will also pack out less over time. If you鈥檙e interested in both skate and classic skiing, you can get away with , which have a structural cuff for skating and a soft enough sole to flex for classic鈥攁dequate for both, though optimal for neither.

To a certain degree, the boot you buy will determine what kind of binding you need. (Or听vice versa:听if you particularly like a certain binding platform, that will limit your boot options.) Nordic boot-binding compatibility can lead you down a path of confusing acronyms. Most boots these days from brands like Alpina, Fischer, Madshus, Rossignol, and Salomon are on an NNN platform, with three NNN-compatible binding platforms鈥擭IS, , and听. Ultimately, it鈥檚 best to ask a shop employee or a very knowledgeable friend to make sure your gear is copacetic. Skate and classic bindings systems bear the same acronyms. The main difference is that听classic bindings听have a softer toe bumper than a skate binding to allow more of a kick-and-glide movement.听A 听of classic binding听shifts up to three centimeters forward or backward. 鈥淵ou can shift the binding forward for extra kick听or back for extra glide,鈥� depending on the conditions, says Beckman.

Poles

Skate and classic skiing use听the same poles, just cut to different lengths. Skate poles should arrive听between your upper lip and your nose when you rest the tip on the ground while wearing boots or street shoes; classic poles听should reach the top of your shoulder while you鈥檙e wearing boots. Zach Caldwell of Vermont鈥檚 and 听recommends lightweight 听instead of a carbon-fiber glass blend, so you鈥檙e not swinging a heavy pendulum with every pole plant.听Make sure the grips and straps fit your hands and wrists properly. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 where the power transfer happens,鈥� Caldwell says.

How Much Money Are We Talking?

in any cross-country discipline will cost you between $700 to $1,000, but you can get a package of boots, bindings, and waxless touring skis for $350. Compare that amount to even an entry-level bike and exhale.

Taking Care of Your Gear

Caldwell advises听 your ski bases at regular intervals听and then using every time you ski鈥攅ven the tips and tails of classic skis, no matter what kind of classic ski you have. This helps the skis glide and keeps the bases from drying out. Skipping the hot wax and just using liquids works fine,听he says, but regular hot-wax applications will help the overall performance and life span听of your new skis.

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Salomon Escape 64 OutPath Skis ($320)

Combine full metal edges with a 颅64-millimeter width and grippy 颅fish-颅scale bases, and you get boards that can handle meadow powder, forest mank, 颅low-elevation climbs, and frozen crust. They even have enough sidecut to make turns on mellow spring corn.

Start Nordic Ranger Poles ($65)

Off-trail skiing demands poles with big, powder-ready baskets and shafts that will hold up to bushwhacking. We love the Nordic Rangers, made from burly yet flexible carbon and glass with comfy cork grips.

Salomon Escape OutPath Boots ($230)

In the backcountry, your primary goal is to control your skis while staying warm and comfortable. To that end, the insulated Escape OutPath features a snug cuff and a wide last that accommodates thick socks. It鈥檚 also flexible enough for walking鈥攌ey for crossing creeks and mud patches.

Mystery Ranch Coulee 25 Pack ($169)

Long days on skis require a backpack that can keep your load balanced. The Coulee 25 offers that, plus a few smart features. Carry water bottles in external sleeves or stash a bladder inside. The tri-zip front panel opens up wide for fast access.

听

Swix Pro Marathon Glide Wax ($80)

Swix鈥檚 new wax protects your skis and offers plenty of glide. And, since it鈥檚 fluorocarbon-free, it carries fewer health risks for you and the environment.听

Amundsen 5Mila Pants ($379)

Like all good nordic pants, the 颅5Mila is 颅weather-resistant up front and stretchy in back. Even better, waxed-canvas bum and shin reinforcements ward off underbrush.

Bliz Fusion Nordic Light Sunglasses ($105)

Weighing just 1.3 ounces, with adjustable nose pads and temples, these shades are a dream. The oversize protective lenses are tuned to boost contrast in flat light.

Hestra Ergo Grip Active Gloves ($110)

Dexterity is key for efficient nordic technique. But off-piste, protection is, too. With supple goat leather, offset finger seams, and windproof Gore-Tex, these Hestras deliver both.

Gore Wear X7 Partial Gore-Tex Infinium Shirt ($200)

Water-resistant and impossibly breathable, with windproof chest and arms and a rear pocket, this outer layer is perfect for all nordic missions.

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If you鈥檝e ventured into the sport of cross-country skiing,听you鈥檝e likely made the mistake of being hopelessly overdressed and underprepared. As if this听weren鈥檛听already the world鈥檚 hardest sport, you鈥檝e weighed yourself down with parkas and snow pants, which inevitably wind up sweaty and unzipped, superfluous layers flapping in the wind. Symptoms听also include drenched neck gaiters and oversize听fleece hats haphazardly stuffed into HotHands-filled pockets in a moment of desperation.

Yes,听cross-country skiing is hard. But the real issue is听that you鈥檝e dressed听yourself like you鈥檙e going downhill, not up. To the uninitiated, this is an easy mistake to make. Even seasoned nordies are prone to overdressing sometimes.

After four years听as a professional nordic racer, I鈥檝e amassed an armload of tricks that make a day on skinny skis much more enjoyable.

To start, drop any preconceived notions of what you think is cool in snow sports. Baggy jackets? Nope. Helmets and goggles? Nix. Nordic ski style is part cyclist, part speed racer, and undeniably Scandanavian, with pieces that are slim, simple, sleek, and highly functional. Since it鈥檚 an aerobic sport like running, cross-country skiing layeringusually doesn鈥檛 require too many clothes to keep you warm. The key is to wear just enough to avoid getting cold without winding up overheating on the first hill. Unless you鈥檙e doing a lot of standing around (think: long, slow skis with lots of wildlife-viewing breaks and snack pit stops), you likely don鈥檛 need more than two layers each on your top and bottom. You certainly do not need a heavy parka on top of fleecy layers. Here鈥檚 what I recommend.

Choose Your Underthings Wisely

Generally speaking, start your layering from the inside and work outward. First, wear a pair of moisture-wicking undies that fully covers your butt. Most women and a few men will understand the distinction I鈥檓 making here. Second, start your upper-body layering system with a light, tight tank top; this piece will warm your core while also keeping your arms free for movement. I borrow from the cyclists鈥� playbook and have a couple muscle-cut merino base layers on hand for extra chilly days. Add a long-sleeved base layer on top. For warm days, skip the tank and head straight for the base layer.

As for socks, you鈥檒l want a pair that鈥檚 lightweight and not wooly. Heavy socks can retain moisture and cause blisters, even in the winter. You鈥檒l also want socks that rise above your ankles to keep out snow. As long as your feet are moving, your toes will be warm. If you鈥檒l be doing significant standing around in your ski boots (cheering on the sidelines of a race or hanging out by a scenic view) or if it鈥檚 particularly windy, boot covers听add extra protection for your feet.

Layer Up Your Torso

Once you have your next-to-skin layers dialed, you鈥檒l want to add a soft, breathable jacket, like one you鈥檇 wear for running or fast-paced hiking. Great cross-country ski jackets are lightweight, stretchy, slightly wind blocking and moisture resistant, and have several pockets for snacks. If it鈥檚 cold, don听a light vest as well. In fact, bring the vest along no matter what. In warm temperatures, you can wear it over your base layer without a jacket.

Wear Soft-Shell Pants鈥攐r No Pants!

For the legs, two layers will be enough. Start with a pair of light long undies (merino wool听is the best听because it resists stink) with either a pair of cross-country pants听(more on those below) or a set of spandex tights.

Like jackets, good cross-country ski pants will be light and breathable. They鈥檙e typically made of a stretchy soft-shell material听so that they鈥檒l wick moisture and move with you, and they鈥檒l have a fitted cut. Some might feature听slight wind resistance in front with a more breathable fabric听in back. I use听mine听for camping during the summer and running in the fall.

But the fun thing about nordic skiing is that you actually don鈥檛 have to wear pants. Nordorks love spandex. If you have a pair of running tights, those will work really well, especially in temperatures of around 30 degrees or more. (Just make sure that you wear them under your boots, not stretched over them, ya noob!)

Accessorize

Finish off your kit with a neck gaiter, hat, and gloves. Light Lycra neckies with no fleece are best, except on extra cold days when you might want additional听insulation. Either way, they warm up the cold air around your face and in your throat, reducing your risk for lung burn, .

For your hat or headband, say it with me now:听鈥淟ighter is better.鈥� Careful, though. Your neighborhood ski shop might try to sell you something called a racing hat,听because you鈥檙e buying all this other cool gear and clearly fit in with the nordies. These things are spandexy and tight, likely have your local听ski-club logo screen-printed onto them, and have gained the nickname 鈥渃ondom caps鈥� in the ski world for a reason. Best to avoid them听unless you want to look like a dork. .

Finally, opt for gloves over mittens. Unlike听downhill skiing,听proper cross-country form requires you to grip your pole each time you plant it and then听release听the grip as your follow through your stride, which means you need good dexterity鈥攁nd mittens are like hot prisons for your fingers. I听always have three pairs of gloves ready to deploy: a听lightweight pair, an insulated听pair, and one set of lobster gloves that offer the warmth of mitts without compromising too much fine motor control.

Pro tip: when shopping for gloves, look for a thoughtfully placed patch of fleece on the outside part of the thumb. That鈥檚 a very important feature designed specially for nose wiping. You鈥檙e gonna need it.

Wear Sunglasses鈥擜ny Sunglasses

This doesn鈥檛 have to do with layering, but I cannot stress it enough: goggles are not sunglasses. are for shredding pow and protecting your face from the pounding downhill airflow. They鈥檙e heavy, tight, and tend to fog up when you get hot. When worn without a helmet (which you also should not wear for nordic skiing), goggles听also make you look like a Minion. Leave them at home.

When choosing what eyewear to bring, don鈥檛 get too caught up in fashion. Any sunglasses will do, so long as they cover your eyes. The ideal option is a pair that has听interchangeable lenses for different sun levels. Large-framed sunnies are very hot right now with the nordies. But wearing nothing is still better than wearing goggles.

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When the Environmental Defense Fund听(EDF) emailed me in December, hoping to daylight听a manufacturer filing an anonymous application to use a toxic chemical, the message carried the sort of dire rhetoric that the EDF has, in past campaigns, unleashed on Dow Chemical Company and DuPont. The phrases 鈥渓ung waterproofing鈥� and 鈥渃oncern for systemic and male reproductive toxicity鈥� glinted on my screen alongside a note from听the EDF鈥檚 lead senior scientist, Richard Denison.听Denison described a new product whose key chemical ingredient was rejected for commercial use by the Environmental Protection Agency听(EPA) late in 2018, and then oddly approved by the same agency last June, through a decision-making process that is largely hidden from the public.听

What was this noxious new stuff he听was decrying? Insecticide? A solvent to degrease construction machinery? No, Denison and the EDF were听focused on a lightning-fast ski wax.听

The chemically complex glide wax was developed by Swix Sport, a venerated 74-year-old Norwegian company that today commands a 60 percent market share in the $150 million global ski-wax industry. Swix鈥檚 new wax compound has application for skiers in all disciplines and also for snowboarders, but it鈥檚 aimed mainly at nordic ski racers, who can save minutes in a single 50-kilometer event if their skis glide well. The wax鈥檚 active ingredient is a chemical whose tight molecular bonds, yoking fluorine and carbon, are super stable and thus both impervious to ski-slowing moisture and very resistant to breaking down. This chemical belongs to a large and notorious family of听, which are collectively known as PFAS. Often called 鈥渇orever chemicals,鈥澨齈FAS are sold in vastly greater quantities in firefighting foams and as a waterproof coating for frying pans, raincoats, and pizza-delivery boxes.

Fluoro wax has been a staple of cross-country racing since the late 1980s. Still, Swix鈥檚 rollout of a new fluoro seems oddly timed. The EPA has found PFAS to cause liver and kidney damage听as well as cancer and tumors in lab animals. A just-released film, , stars Mark Ruffalo as an intrepid lawyer battling DuPont in the early 2000s after the chemical giant began making a PFAS-based product, Teflon, at its factory in听Parkersburg, West Virginia, where听chronic illness and untimely deaths spiked among nearby residents. Several states, New York and Ohio among them, have filed lawsuits that seek compensation for health problems caused by drinking water polluted by PFAS. DuPont and 3M are frequently defendants in听these suits.

The ski world is conducting its own clampdown on fluoro wax. The , the sport鈥檚 international governing body, which oversees nordic skiing鈥檚 World Cup, announced in November that it will begin enforcing a ban on fluoro in November 2020, citing its 鈥渘egative environmental and health impact.鈥� The FIS has yet to decide on penalties, but in many high school and collegiate nordic ski leagues in the U.S., along with youth and amateur leagues in Europe, fluoro is already banned. Scientists have found it lacing the snow on nordic trails in Norway, and while fluoro might have scant ill effects on casual ski racers who wax with it twice a year, a 2010听Scandinavian study showed that World Cup ski technicians had on average 45 times as much fluorocarbon in their blood as nonskiers.听

And yet, according to documents provided to 国产吃瓜黑料 by the EDF, Swix approached the EPA in November 2018 for approval of a new听fluorocarbon chemical.听(Later, a spokesperson for the company would inform 国产吃瓜黑料 that the听new compound was planned 鈥渇or use in a small number of high performance waxes while [Swix]听transitions to fully fluoro-free product lines.鈥�)听The company was able to seek what鈥檚 called a low volume exemption (LVE) and bypass the agency鈥檚 standard process for evaluating a new chemical, because it planned to produce less than the EPA鈥檚 threshold of 10,000 kilograms (approximately 22,000 pounds) of material a year. As such, the wax maker wasn鈥檛 required to make public its company name听or the chemical makeup of its new product.听

The EPA denied Swix鈥檚 request for approval, saying that the unnamed chemical听would have a 鈥渉igh environmental hazard.鈥� But Swix fought the EPA鈥檚 ruling, hiring a Washington law firm鈥擶iley Rein, which has also represented auto tire makers and the plastics industry鈥攖o write the agency and paint a dire picture of what would happen if approval weren鈥檛 granted. If the agency denied the exemption, Wiley Rein said, Swix might have 鈥渘o choice but to revert to more environmentally harmful鈥� wax-making processes听simply to 鈥渟tay in business.鈥� The EPA wrote back two months later, reporting that it had 鈥渞econsidered its assessment.鈥� It granted Swix a three-year exemption in a letter that equivocated over the wax鈥檚 likelihood to cause lung waterproofing, a condition in which the tiny air sacs in the lungs, the alveoli, become dysfunctional and unable to pump oxygen into the blood. The EPA said lung waterproofing was 鈥渘ot expected鈥� before noting that 鈥渦ncertainty鈥� surrounded the issue.听

In a written statement to 国产吃瓜黑料, a publicist contracted by Swix focused on the chemistry of its new compound, which is now听incorporated into current versions of Swix鈥檚 fluorinated race waxes, and听selling听in shops and . (Flourinated waxes make up about 30 percent of the products听Swix sells.) She noted that it鈥檚 made of 鈥淐6 fluorocarbons,鈥� which 鈥渁re better for both the environment and for human health than C8 fluorocarbons.鈥�

C6? C8? There are, in broad terms, two categories of ski wax containing PFAS. Historically more prevalent, C8 wax boasts eight fully fluorinated carbon molecules in its long backbone. C6 wax features only six such molecules听and breaks down more easily, though how much easier is still unclear to scientists. A 2015听Food and Drug Administration found that C6 lacked the 鈥渂iopersistence and potent systemic and reproductive toxicity that are characteristic of C8 fluorocarbons,鈥� but also acknowledged that few studies have been done on C6 toxicity and stressed that it鈥檚 not clear yet whether C6 is a 鈥渟afer alternative.鈥� The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA), a policymaking branch of the European Union, has called C6 鈥渁 substance of very high concern due to its very persistent and very bioaccumulating properties.鈥� In July, the ECHA will begin enforcing its ban on the sale, manufacture, and import of all 鈥渘onessential鈥� C8 products in Europe. It is now contemplating a ban of C6.听

Swix is certainly attuned to the dangers of fluoro. The company has already spent ten years and hundreds of thousands of dollars trying to design a fast fluoro-free wax, and in September鈥攖hree months after Swix gained approval from the EPA for its C6 fluorocarbon鈥擲teve Poulin, CEO of the subsidiary Swix Sport USA, told ,听鈥淲hat I want to happen is a fluoro-free environment. I am pushing Norway for a fluoro-free environment and a fluoro-free company. We need to lead by example, because we are a market leader.鈥澨�

Swix did not break any laws by lobbying the EPA to let it introduce a new fluoro wax. But its听hiring of Wiley Rein to appeal听the EPA鈥檚 initial ruling听certainly seems at odds with its听eco-friendly rhetoric, as does the company鈥檚 continued use of fluoro at all. Both听make business sense, though: despite the fact that the new wax won鈥檛 be legal on the elite racing circuit next winter, amateur racers will still use it听in great quantities.听

In its statement to 国产吃瓜黑料, Swix depicted its new use of C6 chemistry as 鈥渁 short-term bridge to get the company to its ultimate goal of producing a high-performance fluoro-free wax by 2022. While the company is committed to the transition to fluoro-free, the new technology is not yet ready for commercial use.鈥澨�

Despite what we know about fluoro鈥檚 environmental and health risks, nordic skiing isn鈥檛 likely to be free of it any time soon. There is simply no existing ski wax that is as hydrophobic鈥攁nd hence as fast鈥攁s fluoro. Every serious skier out there has several bars of it in their听wax kit, even if they鈥檙e听fated to no glory greater than 11th place in their听age bracket at the local 10K. And it鈥檚 likely that not a single world-class nordic skier is fluoro-free. Stores听still sell the wax听that the FIS听is poised to ban, and the consumer who wants to avoid the most harmful stuff probably lacks the investigative impulses and chemistry knowledge to decipher wax makers鈥� careful fluoro messaging.听

In Norway, a tiny nation that boasts one of the world鈥檚 top cross-country ski teams, the media is trying to help. In a scathing, ongoing series of stories on fluoro, the Oslo-based newspaper 听has argued that, while the industry says it has largely switched to a 鈥渟o-called C6 technology,鈥� science proves otherwise. (Waxes aren鈥檛 labeled with details of their chemical contents, let alone whether they鈥檙e C8 or C6 fluorocarbons.) In reporting a story that , Dagbladet bought 11 fluorinated waxes from ski shops, then took them to a chemistry lab at the University of Stockholm for a test of whether their C8 content exceeded the limit set by the ECHA鈥�25 nanograms per gram. The lab found that the waxes鈥� C8 values were, on average, 134 times higher than the 2020 limit. Swix waxes were not the worst wax currently on the shelves, though鈥攖hat distinction went to a Swiss company called Toko, which produced a wax that is 1,215 times over the current limit. (Swix bought Toko in 2010. In response to Dagbladet听and 国产吃瓜黑料, the company said the wax was produced in 2009, is no longer sold, and should not have been on shelves when the publication did its test.)

The Dagbladet series 听鈥渟ky high鈥� levels of a PFAS compound were found in the blood of workers听at a now-defunct听Italian factory called Miteni, which manufactured C8 wax for Swix as well as products for other companies. Ultimately, these workers suffered cancer, diabetes and cirrhosis,听Dagbladet said, citing a 2019 study done by epidemiology researchers for听the local government in Italy鈥檚听Veneto region. Miteni poisoned the drinking water of over 120,000 people,听according to Dagbladet and a 2017 report by the .

In an email to 国产吃瓜黑料, Swix brand director Age Skinstad says that Swix鈥檚 current management knew nothing of the Miteni scandal until it was approached by Dagbladet in 2019.听鈥淢iteni didn鈥檛 inform Swix of the problems,鈥� Skinstad said. 鈥淭he way Miteni has acted is totally unacceptable and in breach of the contract Swix had with them.鈥� Skinstad went on to suggest that听even if Miteni caused environmental problems, it didn鈥檛 do so by making ski wax. Swix products constituted 鈥渁 max. of听0.5% of the total production of Miteni and was not connected to the PFOA production,鈥� he wrote to 国产吃瓜黑料, naming the particular PFAS chemical found in the workers鈥� blood.听

Miteni went out of business in 2018, but products incorporating C8 are still听. In the U.S., it鈥檚 still legal for any company, except those in the more heavily regulated carpet industry, to import it. C8 is still widely used by outdoor apparel makers. Only a few brands鈥擬ountain Hardwear, for instance, and Patagonia鈥攈ave transitioned to waterproofing with C6.

Most other makers of our foul-weather garments are unlikely to curtail their fluoro use anytime soon. Under President Donald Trump, the EPA has proven very friendly to the chemical industry. Last year听it unveiled a new PFAS Action Plan, but critics have argued that it lacks teeth. 鈥淸It鈥檚] all plan and no action,鈥� Scott Faber, a senior vice president for government affairs听at the听Environmental Working Group, in the newspaper The Hill. 鈥淚nstead, it promises merely to 鈥榚xamine鈥� information about PFAS discharges. 鈥� EPA must still 鈥榙etermine鈥� whether to force utilities to filter PFAS from our water.鈥�

鈥淲e鈥檙e very concerned that the EPA is allowing new chemicals onto the market without scrutinizing them enough,鈥� says Richard Denison of the Environmental Defense Fund. What鈥檚 particularly troubling to Denison is the agency鈥檚 low-volume-exemption program, which has, since its inception in 1985, allowed听applicants to cloak their identity. Each company submitting an LVE bid can opt to say it contains Confidential Business Information (CBI) and thus should remain private. If the EPA allows the听CBI claim,听the bid (and thus the company) are known to the public solely by its case number. Swix鈥檚 bid was numbered LVE L-19-0033, and you鈥檙e reading about it now only because an anonymous听whistle-blower divulged the number to the EDF, which in turn filed a Freedom of Information Act request for files relating to that number, eventually sharing this information with journalists.听

Denison stresses that his group didn鈥檛 set out to shame the ski industry. Instead, the EDF hopes to highlight what it sees as the hypocrisy of a federal agency that now tolerates the corporate use of 86,000 chemicals and, in Denison鈥檚 view, routinely 鈥渃uts corners,鈥� green-lighting 89 percent of all the LVE applications it鈥檚 received since tweaking toxic-chemical rules in 2016.听

鈥淲e were interested,鈥� Denison says, 鈥渋n finding a case in which [the] EPA denied use of a chemical and then decided to approve it, despite its own staff鈥檚 recommendations.鈥澨�

If all this political strategizing sounds far removed from the sylvan splendors听of gliding through the woods, have faith, for there are options for nordic skiers who want to avoid fluoro waxes. Hydrocarbon-based ski wax, which is sold by Swix and several other brands, breaks down much听quicker than fluoro does, and it tends to be cheaper. Next fall, Swix also plans to听introduce a new, fluoro-free race wax called Pure Marathon, which it claims will be 鈥渢he most durable, eco-friendly wax available today.鈥� Its chemical makeup is a proprietary secret, but Swix says it will be faster (and more expensive) than hydrocarbon. Meanwhile, an array of super woke, eco-friendly glide waxes have recently emerged on the market. , for example, sells 鈥減lant-based鈥� waxes composed听鈥渆ntirely of renewable resources,鈥� according to company literature.听

For the foreseeable future, though, fluorinated wax will continue to听sing with a dark allure to the nordic ski world. It remains legal at many recreational races, among them , which draws more than 10,000 competitors to Wisconsin each February, and its exit from school and college leagues is far from complete. 鈥淔or anyone who wants to go fast, it remains a necessary evil,鈥� says University of Vermont nordic ski coach Patrick Weaver, who this winter will don chemically resistant gloves and a $1,200 ventilated face shield to fluoro-wax 250 pairs of skis for his athletes. 鈥淢ost of the ski world wants to get rid of it, but on wet days, if you don鈥檛 use fluoro, you鈥檒l be greatly disadvantaged,鈥� he adds. 鈥淯ntil it鈥檚 gone from the sport, fluoro wax is going to be tempting.鈥�

On the FIS鈥檚 World Cup circuit, where top skiers rake in millions of dollars a year, the temptation could lead to a different problem. With C8 now banned, and the ban of C6 likely imminent, will there be cheating?听

Illegal blood doping and have been nagging problems on cross-country鈥檚 World Cup circuit for decades鈥攁nd currently, the FIS has no streamlined system for testing whether a ski is fluorinated. In enforcing its ban, the governing body has engaged an Oslo lab, the 听(NILU), which has developed a method for detecting fluorine in skis by using an ungainly washing-machine-size听X-ray device. But the FIS still hasn鈥檛 鈥渧alidated鈥� this system, says Martin Schlabach, a senior chemist for the NILU. It also needs to spend about $200,000 to develop a mobile X-ray scanner capable of testing skis at a prerace starting line听rather than at a remote lab, which could only deliver results days later.听

As a stopgap, the NILU may open the 2020鈥�21 season using specially trained sniffer dogs to suss out whether skis are fluorinated. 鈥淭he dogs would give us a strong indication, but they would not be a final measure,鈥� Schlabach notes.

Schlabach will, of course, be fighting an age-old human impulse. When I recently phoned Vince Rosetta, who chronicles World Cup nordic racing on his popular YouTube channel, , his mind went at once to how, exactly, skiers will cheat the new rules.听

鈥淚 can assure you that right now, in a basement somewhere, there are people focused on nothing but beating the system,鈥� he said. 鈥淢aybe they鈥檙e looking for a masking agent鈥攕omething to hide the smell of fluoro on skis听so the dogs can鈥檛 detect it. Maybe they鈥檙e trying to think up a way to squirt some liquid fluoro onto skis, prerace, right after the test is done. We鈥檒l only know what they鈥檙e up to after the first person gets caught.鈥�

The post Nordic Skiing Has an Addiction to Toxic Wax appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

Craft PrimaLoft Stow Light Jacket ($160)

With 60-gram synthetic fill, this lightweight puffy is loose and breathable enough to keep you warm without overheating. Stuff it into its pocket when the mercury rises.

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Fischer Twin Skin X-Lite EF Skis ($349)

If kick waxing gets you down, invest in these skis with wee climbing skins in the bases. The X-Lite EFs aren鈥檛 as fast or light as race sticks, but they鈥檙e great for a mellow tour.

Start Ultra Gel Wax ($28)

Unlike typical rub-on glide waxes, Start鈥檚 easy-to-apply Ultra Gel penetrates deep, lasts longer than a few miles, and won鈥檛 dry out your bases. It keeps you gliding when you don鈥檛 have time for a full hot wax.

Bliz Matrix Sunglasses ($75)

The Grilamid-nylon frames are featherlight, while wide, shatterproof lenses provide sharp optics, wind protection, and a huge field of vision without the dork factor.

Leki Nordic Tune Shark Boa Gloves and HRC Max Poles ($140 and $450)

Leki鈥檚 original glove and pole system gets an upgrade. Boa dials achieve an exceptionally snug fit when the gloves are clipped to the poles, for efficiency and power transfer.

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Craft Fuseknit Comfort Leggings ($40)

This seamless polyester piece offers all-day comfort, either as stand-alone leggings or as a base layer. Variations in weave density provide warmth or ventilation in key areas.

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Rottefella Dynamic Half-Zip Top ($169)

Rottefella鈥檚 half-knit top is ideal for nordic skiing, with a warm Polartec Power Wool front, a Power Dry back to dump heat, and close-fitting side panels that move with you.

Alpina CSK Skate Boots ($500)

No more deciding between a cold, tight race boot and a warm, casual one. Alpina鈥檚 insulated CSK offers control and stability while shielding toes from frostbite.

Rottefella Move System Bindings ($130)

Variable terrain and conditions calls for different pressure distributions across the ski鈥攆orward for better kick, back for better glide. Enter the Move鈥嬧€嬧€嬧€嬧€嬧€嬧€�, which shifts 48 millimeters fore and aft for the best of both worlds.

The post The Best Nordic Skiing Gear of 2019 appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

Early this morning, in the women鈥檚 skate team sprint, Team USA鈥檚 Jessie Diggins under the lights of Pyeongchang鈥檚 Alpensia Cross-Country stadium. Collapsed in the snow, she reached out to her sprint partner, Kikkan Randall, and audibly cried, 鈥淒id we just win the Olympics?鈥澨�

As we know by now, they had. After six rounds through the 1.25 kilometer sprint course, the duo crossed the line just under two tenths of a second before the Swedish team, and nearly three seconds before the Norwegians. The finish marked the U.S.鈥檚听first gold medal in cross-country skiing, and the first-ever Olympic medal for the U.S. women鈥檚 team. To many fans and participants of the sport, it was a long time coming. After years of fighting through low funding and setting big goals without precedence, the U.S. women proved today that they鈥檙e pure grit covered in spandex.

But today鈥檚 result is much bigger than a medal.听

To put it simply, these two women are a dream team. The 35-year-old Randall is a pioneer. She was the first U.S. woman to win a World Cup, and to take home a World Cup globe, and to gain top 10 international results. She bootstrapped her way through the sport in a way that paved the road for athletes like 26-year-old Diggins to follow. In her 16 years on the U.S. Ski and Snowboard team (her first Olympics were as a 19-year-old in 2002), Randall has redefined what it means to be a U.S. cross country skier. She was the first to prove that the U.S. could compete against Scandinavian countries without government funding, and without a precedent for success. She took one season away from the World Cup to have her son, and returned stronger than ever. And she did it all with pink hair and glitter, as she could along the way.听

Then there鈥檚 Diggins. She represents everything the U.S. ski culture needs: optimism, energy, and an undying ability to outwork everyone around her. Like Randall, Diggins boasts her own collection of accolades and firsts, including historic finishes in both these and the 2014 Games. She was the first U.S. woman to win distance World Championship and World Cup events, and perhaps more importantly, the first person to successfully choreograph a featuring Nordic skiers. She and Randall also share the first U.S. World Championship gold medal, from the five years ago. In that race, Diggins lost her pole, but continued hammering at a higher tempo to make up for it, putting Randall into medal contention. That same determination showed this morning. After she came from behind and stretched to the line, Eurosport commentators exclaimed: 鈥淭his is the race to show your kids and grandkids to inspire them to push and try and give 100 percent.鈥�

People often call cross-country skiing an individual sport. But more than anything, Randall鈥檚 and Diggins鈥� success is a counterpoint to that idea; their victory is a testament to the people rallying behind them. For the past five years, the cross-country ski community鈥攊ncluding these women鈥檚 teammates, coaches, and hundreds of thousands of fans鈥攎aintained the belief that they could accomplish something that had never been done before. Several of the women standing beside Diggins and Randall had equal shots at medals this year, including multi-time World Cup medalists and . This community pushed through dips in funding, apathy in American ski culture, and the general challenges that come with pursuing the hardest sport on the planet. Today, Randall and Diggins听proved that this is truly a team sport.听

鈥淭o have it happen in a team event means so much more to me than an individual medal ever would,鈥� Diggins in her post-race interview. Will we see medals for these women in the individual events? I have no doubt about it. But this win feels very fitting as the first. 听

Now, the paradigm has shifted. Olympic gold is no longer just a dream that the U.S. ski community dared to pursue. These women did the daring for us. This win is significant because it belongs to so many different people. And it鈥檚 just the beginning.听

The post The U.S. Women’s Cross-Country Gold Is a Huge Deal appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.