From the FasterSkier archive — posts syndicated from athletes’ and coaches’ own blogs between 2004 and 2012, kept online as published. Current coverage is at fasterskier.com.
The cross-country ski tting experts are bringing North America’s largest inventory to you!
WHO’S INVITED? All Club Members & Coaches
WHEN IS IT HAPPENING?
Saturday, October 7th from 11am – 7 pm
Sunday, October 8th from 11 am – 5 pm
WHERE IS IT HAPPENING? Trolley Square Shopping Center – next to Wells Fargo 600 S 700 E, Salt Lake City, UT 84102
WHY GEAR WEST?Our philosophy – fit matters. Gear West is based in Long Lake, Minnesota. We are the largest retailer of Nordic ski equipment in North America. Our size allows us “first pick” from the warehouses and factories of the manufacturers we work with, resulting not only a large inventory — but a quality selection of
hand-picked skis. We take pride in the fact that the skis we outfit our customers with are precisely fit for specific conditions as well as the person’s skiing ability and budget.
WHO IS COMING OUT TO FIT?
Jenny Beckman
Director of Nordic Sports
Michael Stearns
Ecommerce & Marketing Manager
Jenny & Michael have 20 + years of combined ski fitting experience. Michael has personally selected all of the skis for Gear West’s current inventory. Prior to Gear West, Jenny was the Salomon Nordic Race Service & Community Marketing Manager where she worked with the S/Lab team to select skis for Salomon athletes.
Ski training during the summer and fall is critical to improving cross country ski technique and fitness. Rollerskiing is an important part of a well-rounded summer program because rollerskis do an excellent job imitating on-snow training. Like skiing on snow, rollerskiing exercises arms, legs, core and improves cardiovascular fitness. Rollerskiing is also great training for injured runners who are looking for an alternative low-impact, weight bearing workout.
The saying “Skiers are made in the summer” is absolutely true because winters aren’t long enough to get all the workout time in to build the base needed to improve at an endurance sport like cross country skiing. So skiers need to rollerski in the summer, along with strength training and running/pole hiking, to get the work in to build their base and develop technique.
Okay, You’ve Convinced Me – Now, What?
Pick One: Skate or Classic
Skate rollerskis are identified by having shorter shafts and narrower wheels with larger diameters than classic rollerskis. Classic rollerskis are longer, have wider wheels and smaller diameters for easier balance with a ratchet in either the front or rear wheel to provide kick.
Simply select the technique you would like to improve in. Skate if you want to improve your strength and technique for skate or classic if that is where you want to improve. If you are unsure, the rule of thumb is — practice good skate technique on rollerskis before classic. Skate skiing on good rollerskis, whether it’s V1, V2 or open field, imitates all aspects of on-snow skate skiing. Classic rollerskis are perfect for developing the arms and core strength needed to improve on-snow classic performance, but their “perfect kick” can lead to learning poor kicking form. Getting a kick while striding on snow requires strong technique, including good weight transfer, and this is not necessarily a requirement for classic rollerskiing.
How About Combi Rollerskis?
Only a combi ski can be used interchangeably between techniques, and allows an individual to practice both skate and classic. The combi design is essentially a short classic rollerski. When used for skating the wheels can wear unevenly if they aren’t rotated often. They also don’t skate as easily as a skate specific rollerski. When climbing hills, the fatter wheels tend to have a harder time angling to accommodate the skate technique without the wheel bolts brushing the pavement. Also, when combi skis are used for classic skiing, guides need to be attached to the tip of the ski to prevent the front of the rollerski from catching on the ground while striding. Our suggestion is to choose either a dedicated classic or skate rollerski.
I chose my technique – now which rollerski do I pick?
Elite skiers almost always select lightweight rollerskis with hard rubber wheels designed for smooth surfaces, with either with an aluminum or composite shaft depending on the intensity and length of the workout. In general, aluminum rollerskis are more durable but are less effective at absorbing road vibration, while composite rollerskis provide the most realistic “snow feel,” but can break if repeatedly bottomed out.
New skiers, older skiers, or skiers who are worried about falling may love the V2 rollerski line because of the added stability of the inflatable Aero wheels and all the cool breaking gadgets they can add to any of the rollerskis in the V2 line. The V2 design offers the ability to add brakes and/or speed reducers to the wheels. Speed reducers operate with a little lever, which the skier presses down to engage a bearing against the rollerski wheel for added resistance to slow the ski. A brake acts more like a normal brake. Leaning back will engage the calf which in turn activates the break. Leaning back more aggressively adds more pressure and quicker breaking.
Additionally the V2 Aero line is designed with wider and taller wheels to handle skiing on bumpy terrain. These skis roll over grass and gravel and are fun to cruise on crushed limestone trails. The Aero 125 is designed for skiers under 150 lbs. The wheels have inner tubes and should be kept inflated with a bicycle pump. The V2 150 Aero is designed for larger skiers or those looking for the ultimate in stability on bumpy terrain.
What Other Equipment is Needed?
Bindings
Rollerskis use the same bindings as regular snow skis. Skate boots need skate bindings and classic boots require classic bindings. Either the mid-priced bindings (such as the Salomon Sport Pilot) or the performance bindings (Salomon Pilot Skate) can work. Inexpensive touring bindings are not recommended as they use less expensive plastics that will crack under continual rollerski use.
Boots and Poles
Many newer skiers and rollerskiers may use the same boots and poles for both rollerskiing and snow skiing. The nature of rollerskiing makes it very hard on equipment, however, so most serious skiers will eventually dedicate a second set of equipment specifically to rollerskiing. In any case, poles should have their snow baskets replaced with a set of carbide rollerski ferrules. Also notable: ski boots can be very warm to wear during the summer, so some boot companies sell more breathable rollerski versions of their boots.
Safety Equipment
Finally, it is vital to wear some safety equipment to protect yourself in the event of a crash. The most important of these is a helmet. Most rollerskiers use a standard bike helmet, though any similar helmet will work. In any case, you should always wear some sort of head protection when you are snapped into your rollerski’s bindings.
Rollerski gloves are also used to protect hands from abrasions and blisters. Gear West carries rollerski gloves from Bjorn Daehlie, Toko, and Lill Sport. Finally, knee pads can be added for even more protection, although generally knees won’t hit the ground even if you do fall. Wrist guards should not be worn because mobile wrists are needed to rollerski.
Safety Advice
With practice and care, rollerskiing can be a low risk, high reward method of exercise. It is very low impact and can be done for hours at a time without beating up your body. It is important, however, to acknowledge that like with all things worth doing, there ARE risks. Crashes are a possibility and you must respect that and keep your safety in mind at all times. To help you stay safe, keep the following advice in mind as you begin rollerskiing.
Wear appropriate protective gear with respect to your coordination, fitness and terrain. ALWAYS wear a helmet.
To start, choose a location that is flat, clean of debris and has minimal car traffic
Learn how to stop on rollerskis and practice this skill. You can view our Rollerski Basics video for instructions on stopping.
Use good equipment. Start with new rollerskis. Old, worn wheels can be less stable and older bearings may not run as smoothly as they should. Also, old rollerskis may have been damaged in a way that affected the alignment of the wheels.
Use boots which provide good stability. For example, do not use touring boots for classic skiing as the sole is too soft and will twist under pressure. Similarly, low-end combi boots for skating won’t provide you the stability needed for balance. Ankles will wobble and you will risk falling.
Regularly sharpen roller ferrules so pole tips will give you good purchase into the asphalt. This is particularly important on cold/hard pavement.
Get coaching. Learn good habits before you have to unlearn bad ones.
Watch this video to learn the movements you are trying to perfect.
Wonder what Gear West staffers talk about before the store opens in the the morning? Wonder no more. Hang out with us as we dive into ski racing, touring, the minutia of ski waxing, and run fitness strategies. So far we’ve covered the Birkie, Mora Vasaloppet, Minnesota State Nordic Ski Meet, and the skiing on the North Shore of Lake Superior. As we get into spring, we will get into trail and road running along with a good dose of ski chat– ‘cause that’s what we do.
June 27 – July 4 ~ for Masters, Seniors and Juniors
Join coach and World Cup athlete Matt Liebsch for a week of hiking and summer skiing on Haig Glacier in the Canadian Rockies.
•This has been a great camp the last 4 summers… summary and pictures can be found here… We’ve had athletes ages 16-70.
•The daily routine includes: early breakfast, hike 45 minutes up to the glacier, ski on fresh piston-bulley tracks until noon. Hike back down for lunch, stretch, take a nap, read, short (optional) hike or strength, eat dinner, review ski technique video from the morning, go to bed, get up, repeat.
•The camp fees include grooming, helicopter transport of your gear up the mountain, 3 hearty meals prepared by camp staff and snacks, bunk beds with separate sleep areas for men and women.
•The ski program emphasizes easy distance altitude skiing. Technique coaching will take place some mornings and will include video analysis. Most of the mornings will be for easy distance skate and classic skiing. This camp is physically challenging due to the alpine environment, changing weather conditions, long distances, and moderately high altitude.
•This is a back-country camp manned with seasonal staff, radiophone and satellite communications with ranger station and helicopter support teams down below (no cell phone reception on the glacier). There are hot showers, TV w/movies, full kitchen, bunk house, and strength area. Limited Wi-Fi dependant on weather
Haig Glacier–Summer XC Ski Camp w World Cup skier Matt Liebsch June 27 – July 4 ~ for Masters, Seniors and Juniors ~
The Haig Glacier Ski Camp, also known as The Beckie Scott High Altitude Training Center, is a seasonal Nordic ski camp used by clubs and teams from across north America. The Haig Glacier is located south of Canmore Alberta in Peter Lougheed Provincial Park.
Fees: $1400 before May 31th, $1475 after (for groups of 4 or morecontact Matt Liebsch for team/club/group rates)
– Helicopter transport of your gear up to camp and the glacier
– All food and lodging while up at the camp
– 7 possible days of groomed morning snow skiing, easy distance emphasis with some techniqueinstruction and video analysis. (Depending on the local mountain weather skiing conditions may vary)
– Supervised 3+ hr group hike into and out the camp
Extra Fees Required:
– Transportation to Canmore, AL. Last year we offered ground transport from Minneapolis or Duluth. That is still an option, please contact Matt Liebsch for details. Most will be flying into Calgary and sharing rental car for the week. Airfare is around $500 currently. Mileage tickets are 29.5k on Delta.
– Food money while in transit
– Emergency funds of $250 in the instance where the hike in may be closed due to bear activity. If thepark rangers close the trail we pay for a helicopter ride up to camp.
– All athletes will need passports!
– !! Lodging on the front and backside of camp is not covered. In the past we have had a mix of people camping in Canmore or hotel on Sunday night before we start camp on Monday 6/27. On the backside of camp, Monday night July 4th, those flying home usually stay at a Calgary airport hotel and fly home Tuesday morning and those driving home start Monday afternoon. Also, rental car/transport to the Canmore area from the Calgary airport is needed. We have done a great job in the past of pairing up people to share rental car costs or carpool pickup from those driving personal vehicles and hotel/camping costs. Some people also enjoy coming early or staying late to this trip to allow time to check out Banff and the Canadian Rockies.
Skier Selection for Trip:
– The athlete must be in good physical condition and able to hike 3+ hours at a moderate pace, and be
able to ski at altitudes near 8500’. Fun is the goal on this trip • Contact and additional details:
– Coach Matt Liebsch 952-473-0377 liebsch@gearwest.com Please contact me for additional information. If you have any level of interest, I would be happy to answer any questions.
– We will attend backcountry training at 9am on Monday morning the at the Canmore Nordic Center before hiking into the Haig later that morning. Those flying in should arrive Sunday. Those driving will leave Saturday morning, stop in MT, then finish the drive Sunday midday. For departure, we leave the Haig Monday morning the 4th. Those driving will leave Monday afternoon and arrive back to the Midwest Tuesday evening. Those flying should schedule flights out of Calgary either late Monday or Tuesday.
Training for a Cross Country Ski Marathon is hard enough. Save time and reduce stress by having your skis precision glide waxed by the best in the business! Race wax service is available for the 2016 American Birkebeiner. The service includes an LF base layer, HF race layer, 100% Fluoro top-coat, and hand structuring. Testing and waxing will be done on site to ensure the best possible skis for you.
The service is available for both classical and skate skis. It is important to note, however, that for classical skis only binder wax will be applied to the kick pocket. We will provide recommendations for kick and an area to apply wax at ski pickup, but due to the wide variance in the amount of kick preferred, we do NOT APPLY KICK WAX for you.
Please note for the American Birkebeiner. All skis will be picked up at the Birkie Start Line. This provides the allotted time for the best possible wax service for you.
We highly recommended that if you are not dropping off your skis at Gear West the week before the Birkie, that you ship your skis to Gear West ahead of time. See shipping address below.
If you drop your skis off Friday at the Birkie Expo, you will be charged a Friday Drop Off Charge: $104.99 for skating & $114.99 for classic. Again, we recommend shipping your skis ahead of time to Gear West.
Further information about the 2016 Marathon Race Services is available HERE. If you have any questions, please call us at 877-473-4327 or email wax@gearwest.com.
Ship your skis ahead of time to this address:
Gear West Cross Country Ski & Run
Attn: Birkie Wax Service
1786 W Wayzata Blvd, Suite B, Long Lake, MN 55356
Gear West is looking for an Ecommerce Sales Associate/Graphic Designer to update our website, load product to our website, and also design graphics for branding and ads. This person must also be willing to take on multiple roles as this business is fairly seasonal. The other roles may involve answering the phone to take orders, or going out on to the sales floor and be willing to be a sales associate from time to time. The candidate for this position must be interested in outdoor activities such as nordic skiing, biking, or running. Compensation for position will depend on experience.
Preferred Qualifications:
– 4 yr degree
– html and CSS code experience
– Show interest in outdoor sports
– Able to handle a schedule that varies with seasons
– Ecommerce / Online Sales experience
To apply for the job please send resume and graphic design portfolio to mattn@gearwest.com
Next week, Matt Liebsch, of Gear West, will be heading east to the U.S. distribution center for Fischer Skis in search of the very best race skis. Matt will be taking our Flex Tester to facilitate our ski-picking. Matt will be picking through thousands of skis. At the race level, skis are still built by hand, one at a time. This means a lot of variance within a batch and even within a pair. Thoroughly checking each pair with multiple tools is key to finding the best quality. Matt will use his hands, eyes, and our flex tester to triple check each pair he brings home, ensuring he returns with the best skis.
The Flex Tester
Four years ago, Gear West began development with Segla Engineering on our Signature Flex Tester. Our goal was to “unlock the ‘black box’ mystery of cross country ski flex analysis”. Ever year since we have upgraded software and hardware to continue to improve our testing capabilities. We have spent literally 1,000s of hours with the machine learning how the best skis perform, act and look based on their flex data. Matching this data to on-snow performance and to our experience picking with our hands, eyes and flex board gives us the confidence to find the best ski for you.
Read detailed description of our Flex Tester in this 2013 blog entry
We use on-snow testing, experienced hands, and the Gear West signature flex tester to give us accurate, nuanced, repeatable metrics to identify the fastest skis. From your universal, “do-everything” race ski to that last niche ski that fills the hole in your fleet, the best way to get what you require is to get on our summer ski selection list. Here’s how you get the fastest skis in summer:
WE TALK WITH YOU ABOUT HOW YOU SKI and under what conditions you plan to use your new skis. You may be looking for a ski that will perform well in a wide range of conditions. Or you may want skis to fill a specific niche in your quiver: one for very cold hard conditions or a universal ski that will handle warming conditions during a marathon. Whatever your ski-lemma, allowing us to hand-pick your skis directly from the manufacturer’s entire inventory is the surest way to get a ski to fit your specific needs.
WE GO TO WHERE QUALITY SKIS ARE
We pull your new skis from Salomon’s, Fischer’s, and Rossignol’s race ski centers. It’s a ski racer’s nirvana with rows and rows of top-end race skis as far as the eye can see. We take a big breath, set up shop, and start evaluating and sorting hundreds of pairs per day. The absolute highest quality skis are set aside; everything else is left behind. Once we’ve narrowed down our options, we then select skis for each special order customer based on flex and characteristics to match their needs. 2014 marked the first time we brought our flex tester with us to test each ski with an unparalleled amount of detail, and it was so successful we’re doing it again to ensure you get exactly what you asked for.
WE MATCH YOU WITH YOUR DREAM SKI
Even after filtering out all the skis that don’t meet our rigorous standards, we go through each ski again, taking further note of its specific performance characteristics. What is its fit range? What kind of conditions will it excel most in? What skiing styles might it mesh well or clash with? We take the time to learn each ski and then compare those characteristics to the detailed notes we keep about your request. Using our flex tester, we can and often do compare several skis side-by-side to find the subtle differences between pairs that can make a huge difference in final performance. Once we finally find the perfect match, we mark the ski with your name and an order reference, then store them in a VIP storage area that only Gear West signature ski fitters can access.
WE MAKE SURE YOU GET THE MOST OUT OF YOUR SKIS
Finally, after we’ve found your new ski and safely stored it, we contact you one last time to finalize your order and answer any questions you may have about them. Many customers take this opportunity to further refine and prepare their new skis, often by adding on one of our World Cup stone grinds. Most will at least add with a hot box treatment to ensure their new bases are optimally saturated. In any case, we like to maintain an open line of communication with our customers to ensure they are getting the most value possible from their skis. We welcome wax and maintenance questions as well as comments and feedback about the skis all season long. RESERVE YOUR NEW FAVORITE SKI TODAY
There is no charge for our Race Ski Selection Service, but to ensure the highest quality service we can only accept a limited number of applicants. We operate on a first-come-first-serve basis, so act fast.
Get outfitted with the best roller skis on the market. Swenor Roller Skis, famous for their on-snow feel, have built a reputation as the leading roller ski brand for performance, quality, and value. Competitive ski racers will appreciate the real ski feel of the Skate Elite, Carbonfiber and Fiberglass Classic skis while junior racers and recreational skiers will find amazing value and performance in the aluminum bodied Skate ski.
Gear West is offering our lowest prices ever on Swenor Rollerskis. Aluminum skate starting at $199 and composite skate or classic starting at $289. Limited time only.
Skis getting slower? Bases scratched up? Not taking or holding wax? We are offering free ski base analyses that can help determine if your skis need a stone grind. Nearly all skis can be improved by a fresh stone grind, even if they have been ground previously. Our ski base analysis can help you determine just how much difference a new grind can make.
The reason that grinding and routine base maintenance are so important lies in their material properties. Due to its ideal material characteristics, ski bases are made from UHMWP, Visit Wikipedia Article. One of the few drawbacks of UHMWP, however, is its relatively low melting point of 130C. For reference, the vast majority of glide waxes have melting points higher than this; only yellow waxes really fall much below the 130C melting point. Because of this discrepancy, any use of high melt point waxes (fluoros and green parafins) is almost certainly going to result in some amount of “seal/burn” occur on your bases. The damage is generally very minor for one or two applications, but can add up over the course of even a single season. Skis that are sealed do not accept wax and will simply not be as fast.
In ski-mad Norway, most master ski racers have their entire ski fleet ground yearly to maintain top performance and extend the life of the ski. At the World Cup level, skis are reground multiple times a season. Importantly, a well maintained ski requires much less base material to be removed during the grinding process, which means that ironically the more frequently a ski is ground, the more times it can be ground before the base material is exhausted. Extremely well cared for skis have been known to be ground as many as 40 times, though such longevity requires ideal circumstances and is rare.
At Gear West, we have the tools to look at base material and show you if your base is sealed or not. Contrary to popular belief, metal brushing will not “open” sealed base material. The only thing you can do to remove the burned layer of sealed base material is steel scraping or stone grinding. Steel scraping, even when done by a skilled technician, leaves no structure behind and thus results in a suboptimal running surface for nearly all conditions. A reliable and race-proven structure from a dedicated Nordic grinding machine will not only open the base, but tune your skis to optimally balance wet and dry friction for whatever conditions you ski in. Below is an example of “open” base material that will be fast and accept wax and “sealed” base material. There are subtle differences but notice the healthy base has a higher density of pores that look more 3D while the sealed base has a mashed/flatter look with less visible pores.
At Gear West we provide the best in stone grinding service. We offer simple yet proven World Cup structures that offer high speed in a wide range of conditions. Our new Tazzari machine cuts precisely, to the level of 1/1000mm. Worried you’ll need to “ski your skis in”? Jan Guenther and Matt Liebsch both raced to 10th place at the 2015 Birkie on brand new stone grinds with absolutely zero kms on them.
Your skis will be precision glide waxed with the ideal LF under-layer, HF race-layer, and 100% Fluoro top-coat then finished with the race ready hand structure. At the American Birkiebeiner you can even have your skis delivered to you in the Start Area. If you have classic skis for waxing there will be an additional $10.00/Race charged. A classic ski service will include the standard glide wax application, plus a base binder in the kick zone. Gear West technicians will not apply kick wax, but will have a kick recommendation and kick wax available on race morning.
Sleep well, confident that your skis will be Fast.
Enjoy your friends while avoiding make-shift hotel wax rooms.
Leave the heavy iron and wax box at home.
No need to purchase new waxes (exceeding $79.99) for a single event.
Do not worry about unfamiliar snow conditions.
Pick up your skis at the Race Start area race morning.(Birkie ONLY!)
Enjoy your fast skis and the race.
Birkie Race Wax Service will be capped at 450 pairs.
Please note for the American Birkebeiner, there is no longer an option for Friday Pickup. All skis will be picked up at the Birkie Race Start Area. This allows us to have the alotted time to provide you with the best possible service for your skis.
To ensure the fastest skis your waxing service will be done in the Gear West Wax Room or on-site in the Gear West Mobile Wax Room, which is the most advanced waxing vehicle this side of the World Cup. Our techs will be testing wax and structure on the trails up to the last moment to provide you the fastest skis possible.
Birkebeiner Race Wax Service Schedule
Date
Time
Location
Mon, 2/16
8PM
Online Registration Ends
Tues, 2/17
NOON
Gear West
In-store Drop Off Ends
Thurs, 2/19
NOON – 9PM
Hayward
On site registration & ski drop off
Fri, 2/20
9AM – 4PM
Hayward
Any skis dropped off on Friday will be charged a Friday Drop Off charge: $104.99 for Skate & $114.99 for Classic. IMPORTANT: NO FRIDAY PICKUP
Sat, 2/21
5:30AM – 10AM
Birkie Start Area
Race Day Ski Pickup
You spent the last 364 days preparing and anticipating.
We spent the last 364 days waxing.
Let us wax your skis so you can have
your most enjoyable Marathon Season ever!
Spots are limited Register here now or call 877.473.4327
to guarantee you have your fastest skis ever, stress free.
Grab your camera (or phone) shoot a race, your favorite trail, tell a story, make it funny or serious – just keep it to 20 seconds. Then load it to YouTube and enter the contest.
Grab your camera (or phone) and make a really cool 20-second video. Shoot your friends, shoot a race, your favorite trail, tell a story, make it funny or serious.
HOW IT WORKS
1. Shoot your 20 second video
2. Upload to YouTube
3. Send your YouTube link to info@gearwest.com to enter contest
4. Share your link with the world – video with the most views is the winner.
SPECS.
Please add a title frame. Include video name + your name. (not included in the 20 seconds)
Add a final frame “The End”
CONTEST DATES
Contest runs December 8 through January 15
Entries will be accepted any time during the contest
AWARDS
First prizes (two awarded)
(you choose)
1. 2015 Birkie entry or
2. $100 Swix gift certificate
One for most YouTube views
One for best video (selected by our team of judges)
Last prize
One pair of ugly socks go to the worst video (selected by our team of judges)
Gear West will be at Yellowstone Ski Festival providing stone grind service drop off, race ski flex testing and ski demos. Matt Liebsch will give ski tech talk and be a guest coach for a five day race camp.
Enjoy good brews, better company, and the best training with Matt Liebsch and Fischer.
Birkie Trail, Seeley WI
Join Matt Liebsch from October 24-26 for a weekend of relaxation and ski specific training in Seeley, WI, brought to you by Fischer and Gear West. Workouts will include individualized coaching and technique analysis, while beverages will be provided for “recovery” between sessions. It’s the perfect way to get fired up for the coming season!
Friday 10/24
5:00 – 6:00 pm: Optional Pole Hike/Trail Run – Mosquito Brook trail crossing. We will run north if you wish to arrive later and meet up on the trail
7:30 pm: Dinner at Coop’s Pizza – included with registration
Saturday 10/25
9:00 – 11:30 am: Dryland workout and Skate/Classic video technique – Seeley Trailhead(?)
12:00 pm: Lunch at Sawmill Saloon – included with registration
2:00 – 4:00 pm: Easy roller ski, additional technique work
6:00 pm: Optional dinner at Rivers Eatery – cost NOT included with registration
8:00 pm: Bonfire at host cabin – beer, snacks, and good times provided
Sunday 10/26
9:00 am – 12:00pm: Over distance roller ski – Seeley Trailhead(?)
12:15 pm: Optional Lunch/coffee at Sawmill before leaving – cost NOT included
Bring ski equipment (some demo rollerskis may be available) and come prepared to learn, train, and have fun!
Cost: $100.00 per person
Includes coaching, two meals, and beers.
Lodging is not included. For lodging options, visit:
Gear West purchased a Tazzari RP23 to bring our stone grind service to the World Cup level. Matt Liebsch has successfully used Tazzari stone grinding on the majority of his race skis over the past 4 seasons with great results. The Tazzari RP23 machine is a big advance over previous models and allows for the cleanest cut structure on the market and a race-ready finish on a base, right off the machine. With RP23, there is no longer a need for fibertex, multiple waxing or “skiing” in the new grind.
Who uses this type grinder, and how many in North America?
Nearly all top level racers use Tazzari for preparation of their racing skis but in Norway and other “Nordic” countries, many citizen and junior racers have their skis prepared with Tazzari stonegrinding for the fastest possible finish. In North America, many of the top teams and competitive college teams have their skis prepared with Tazzari machines.
What makes this grinder different from others?
The biggest difference between a Tazzari RP23 and anything else on the market is that the Tazzari machine was designed specifically for Nordic skis. Every other ski grinding machine was designed for Alpine skis and then modified to work OK with Nordic. The Tazzari diamonds used to dress the cutting stone as well as the stone itself are precisely designed for exclusive use on the delicate bases of Nordic skis. Another key component of the RP23 is the emulsion cooling system. This refrigerant system keeps the emulsion (cutting solution) at a constant cold temperature. This is critical because if you prepare Nordic bases with emulsion that is at or above room temperate, you run a very high risk of smearing the base structure while grinding the ski.
Who is Lars Svensson?
Lars Svensson is the man behind the machine and has been “the guy” in Nordic stone grinding for the past 3 decades. He worked with the Norwegian National Team when Daehlie, Ulvang and Alsgaard were at the height of their careers and stone grinding was becoming the norm at the world level. Lars led Tazzari’s Nordic stone grinding R&D and he personally designed the stone and diamond dressing tools, which are the most critical component of quality grind work. He has prepared over 150 gold medal winning skis during his service career.
What are some of the key points learned from training with Lars here in Minnesota?
The key take away from working with Lars is simplicity and quality. The machine, waxing methods, base preparation methods, everything service-
wise can be broken down into very simple methods. Lars does not speak any “voodoo” but keeps things very simple. Even though the RP23 machine is a complex system capable of creating very multifaceted compounding structures, most often simple is the best solution. The difference from other machines is that they simply cannot produce this same top level quality work.
Typically, how often are skis stone ground (won’t the base be ground away)?
World Cup level skiers are getting their skis reground multiple times per season and a more recent trend is regrinding after each per fluoro application. The temperatures required for application with some of the new waxes are 165-200+C. At these temperatures the amorphous zones (AKA pores) of the ski can close up with the application process. The end structure of the grind takes a back seat to having “open” base material, hence the reason why skis are being reground after every important race that requires powder application.
At the citizen level, a fresh grind every season is important to the health and flatness of the base. A fresh grind will be the fastest especially coming off a Tazzari machine. Regrinding every season as opposed to every 2-3 seasons actually increases the longevity of the ski because chasing flatness and deep burn out of the base after 2-3 seasons of use may require extensive base removal. A standard ski base has roughly 2.0-2.2mm of workable base. If the skis are in good condition, only a maximum of a tenth of a millimeter would need to be removed during a quality grind. Lars mentioned he had ground one world cup athlete’s favorite ski 42 times without going through the base material. Lars also mentioned many citizen racers in Norway are grinding their skis at the beginning of the season and again right before their “A” race. With the quality coming off the RP23 and the advances in hotbox and base prep, the skis can be race ready from service the night before.
What are some of the basic benefits of stone grinding?
The most critical component of stone grinding is removal of burnt or “closed” base material. This closed material cannot hold wax hence the bases turn white quickly and cannot hold wax to lubricate the gliding surface. The secondary benefits include getting the structure matched to the snow type and a flatter base.
How many grind patterns are available?
The number of potential patterns produced by a Tazzari RP23 is unlimited. The machine can control the diamond dressing tool down to .001mm and is full CNC. This being said, simple quality is still the best. Most World Cup skiers might have 4-8 different structures in their fleet. The Swedish National team only uses 5 different structures. In the Midwest our snow is generally quite cold and a citizen racer here might only need 2-3 patterns plus a hand structure tool. But “openness” of the base is more critical compared to having the exact correct structure.
You are looking for the best possible pair of skis.
You want one of those hard to find top quality skis with a perfect smooth and lively camber. A ski that is fast and fun to ski. At Gear West we will use our expertise and leverage all relationships with ski manufacturers to match you with your next favorite ski.
All race skis are not created equal
Within a brand and model (like Fischer RCS Carbonlite) There can be a meaningful difference in quality of flex from one ski to the next. Manufacturers would like consumers to believe that one race ski is equal to another ski of same brand and model. Unfortunately this is not the case and each ski has to be tested by a race ski expert. These variables are caused by manufacturing variations in temperature, humidity, press settings and differences in the curing process. The difference of a ski with high quality flex to an average ski is not just a preference – a really good ski is easier to ski on and goes faster. We spend considerable time and money searching and maintaining the largest high quality ski selection in North America. Our goal is to get you on the best possible ski.
How Gear West finds you the best ski
Because we buy more skis, manufacturers help us secure the best skis. We work closely with European ski selection experts for each brand. These experts understand the nuances of quality race skis. They have tested thousands of skis and, in their hands, can feel what we are seeking in a quality race ski, a soft smooth initial camber with a firm and lively secondary camber. Sighting down the edge of the ski they look for a camber with a fluid curve without hinges. From years of on-snow testing they know these characteristics translate to fast skis.
These hand selected race skis are shipped under Gear West’s name to the manufacturers U.S. warehouses. Gear West ski selection experts travel to these warehouses to select skis for our Race Ski Selection customers and for our Race Ski inventory. Last year Matt and Sven spent days sifting through skis at FischerUSA, AtomicUSA, SalomonUSA and RossignolUSA using the same criteria as their European counterparts to select the smoothest and liveliest skis, matching the weight and skills of each customers. Matt and Gear West are committed to finding each customer’s new favorite ski.
Get your new favorite skis
Now that you know how we locate the best skis possible you can sign up for your own. Fill out our ski request form, below, and we will track down your next favorite skis. Skis can be shipped to customers or, Race Ski Selection customers can come to Gear West to get fitted on the flex bench and even bring in their other race skis to check their flex/fit and get help determining best race conditions for each.
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Who is Lars Svensson?
Typically, how often are skis stone ground (won’t the base be ground away)?
What are some of the basic benefits of stone grinding?