Category: Product News

With the holidays practically upon us it’s time to get serious about shopping for the ski enthusiasts on your list. If you’ve put off this dreaded task for as long as we have, the good news is that shopping for skiers is pretty easy. There are so many products and pieces that go into the whole production, all you have to do is cast around and pick one (or five). And if all else fails, remember: one can never have enough socks.

We’ve broken up our gift guide into five budgetary segments: Under $20, $20-$50, $50-$100, $100-$200 and $200-and-over. Happy shopping!

10. Wax Box ($7). At a certain point one accrues too many corks and cannisters of kick wax to contain in the pouch of a drink belt. Enter the beginner’s wax box, also known as your average handyman’s tool box. If ever you graduate to more sophisticated organization systems, this one will always good to hold the practice kick. Available at Home Depot.

9. Ski ties. ($5 – $8 per pair). You can never have enough of ‘em. No matter how many you start the season with, by April your entire supply could have migrated to Alaska. We suggest tagging yours liberally with Sharpie and/or glitter paint to make sure you can spot the thief. Available at your local ski shop or at Gear West, Skinnyskis, BNS or Ski Rack.

8. Wax Scraper ($5 – $7). A good scraper is another one of those things you can never have enough of. They come in 3 mm, 4 mm and 5 mm versions and are absolutely necessary for, well, waxing skis of any kind. BNS, Gearwest, Skinnyskis and Ski Rack carry a full range of sizes and brands, and Caldwell Sport just introduced a 3 mm from Red Creek with Peter Johansson’s signature on it. Kikkan Randall’s wax tech-approved!

7. Honey Stinger Energy Waffle ($15 for sixteen). A good choice for those who just couldn’t stomach the idea of another bar or gel. Just make sure to unwrap it stealthily, as your teammates are likely to want one, too. Available from Amazon.

6. Reflective Vest ($8 to $20). It’s no longer rollerski season (we hope), but it’s never a bad time to think about safety on the roads. There is no excuse not to have one. Brooks makes an excellent vest available at L.L. Bean.

5. Holmenkol Natural Wax ($18 liquid or paraffin, $15 solid). Holmenkol’s biodegradable wax line reduces environmental impact while still keeping your skis fast. Guilt-free wax, what’s better than that? Available online in solid, liquid, and paraffin from BNS.

4. Klister Kover ($19). For the super-lazy athlete that doesn’t want to clean their kick zone right after the race. This piece of fabric velcros around the middle of your skis to prevent, as the website says, klister from “oozing out on your car, ski bag, other skis or anywhere else you don’t want it.” Available at Motoring Guard.

3. Wax Apron ($19). Aprons will keep you from accidentally waxing the front of your outfit, and have handy pockets for scrapers and brushes to boot. Available from Swix ($24) or Holmenkol, they’ll keep your clothes clean (thought we can’t say the same for the tops of your shoes).

2. Smartwool Socks ($19). Cold feet are the worst, and can ruin an otherwise perfect day on skis. Smartwool has a full line of wool socks to keep your feet warm and dry all winter long. Available a a variety of colors and styles in men’s and women’s sizes.

1. Holmenkol snow/air thermometer ($15). For everyone’s inner wax guru, Holmenkol has equipment to better test snow conditions and determine which waxes might run well on a given day. This thermometer measures both snow and air temperature. Available at BNS.

With the holidays practically upon us it’s time to get serious about shopping for the ski enthusiasts on your list. If you’ve put off this dreaded task for as long as we have, the good news is that shopping for skiers is pretty easy. There are so many products and pieces that go into the whole production, all you have to do is cast around and pick one (or five). And if all else fails, remember: one can never have enough socks.

We’ve broken up our gift guide into five budgetary segments: Under $20, $20-$50, $50-$100, $100-$200 and $200-and-over. Happy shopping!

10. Bliz Sunglasses (~ $75). Unique and designed specifically for nordic snow sports, Bliz products stand out for their style and durability. Emil Jönsson wears them so you know they’re cool. Available at Nordic Marksman.

6. Black Diamond sprinter headlamp ($70). This running headlamp is designed to light up the trail at your feet for evening workouts. Who doesn’t want to be able to squeeze in an extra workout in the wee hours of the day? Available at REI.

8. French Press Coffee Maker ($70). For some people a morning coffee is a must-have on race day. Certain venues can be pretty remote, so make sure you never get stuck without your caffeine fix again with a travel-size French press. It’s better than drip coffee, so you may end up using it all the time. We like this one from Bodum.

7. Pole Tube ($60). For the serious racer with seriously expensive poles to protect. Particularly when flying with equipment, a pole tupe is a worthwhile investment. This one from OneWay can hold three pairs. Available at Gear West.

6. Holmenkol Scraper Sharpener ($70). “Pricey, but worth it,” reads the BNS description. We have to agree — nothing we’ve tried has ever sharpened scrapers better. If you (ahem – or your loved one) is waxing a lot of skis, this will quickly and easily bring dull scrapers back to life. Plus, it comes with a clamp to lock it onto your wax bench. Available at BNS.

5. Ibex Woolies ($80). One of our favorite choices in long underwear. Nothing wicks like merino wool, and this Ibex shirt is thin but super-warm. It also doesn’t retain stink the way most exercise apparel seems to. Available in several colors from Ibex.

4. SkiGo Long/Fine Steel Brush ($50). A crucial tool for removing wax from every nook and cranny of your bases when you’re preparing them for something new. SkiGo’s fine steel brush has longer bristles than most so it can remove wax from deeper within the pores of your ski. Available at BNS.

3. Neos Overboots ($88). Neos generally caters to the fishing and hunting crowd, but their overboots have become wildly popular with ski coaches in recent years. They pack well and can go directly over your ski boots. Something about that extra layer of material between your feet and the snow makes them the warmest option out there for spectating, coaching and general fun in the snow. Available at Amazon.

2. Stone Grinding ($60 – $75). Available from the good people at Caldwell Sport, BNS, Gear West and Nordic Ultratune, the right grind for the right conditions can make all the difference on race day and in general enjoyment of your ski experience. Given the thin state of snow conditions in North America thus far, chances are some of your skis will be due for a mid-season regrind pretty soon.

1. Patagonia Yerba Pack ($70). A small backpack is indispensable for weekend getaways or for gathering up all your gear in the lodge. Patagonia’s Yerba pack is a colorful option with all the necessary bangles and compartments. Available at Patagonia.

With the holidays practically upon us it’s time to get serious about shopping for the ski enthusiasts on your list. If you’ve put off this dreaded task for as long as we have, the good news is that shopping for skiers is pretty easy. There are so many products and pieces that go into the whole production, all you have to do is cast around and pick one (or five). And if all else fails, remember: one can never have enough socks.

We’ve broken up our gift guide into five budgetary segments: Under $20, $20-$50, $50-$100, $100-$200 and $200-and-over. Happy shopping!

10. Fischer ten ski bag ($110). Lugging ski fleet around can be a huge pain if you don’t have the right storage system. Fischer’s large, ten-ski bag ensures that you’ll have room enough to bring whatever you need on race day. Available at BNS and Gear West.

9. Holmenkol Digital Wax Iron ($195). The high-end iron is making its second gift guide appearance because its just that good. Its precise and even heating makes it the iron of choice for professional servicemen everywhere. Available at BNS.

8. Brush Set ($107). Gear West’s brush set is great for those who are setting up a new wax room or have simply left their brushes face-down on the wax table a few too many times. This package offers great value (six brushes) for anyone looking to expand their brushing tool set. Don’t need the whole set? Get them separately from Gear West, BNS, Skinny Skis and Ski Rack.

7. SporTube Hard Ski Case ($130). Sometimes a regular ski bag isn’t enough. SporTube’s hard shell ski carrier eliminates the worry of  damage to your skis in baggage handling so you can focus on more important things during your travels. Two pairs of skis fit in the $130 version; five to six fit in the larger $180 size. Available online from BNS.

6. Casco Nordic Shield ($145). Look like Petter Northug, Jr. himself with one of the best face shields out there. Best used in warmish, snowy conditions — it won’t fog up when nearly everything else will. Available at Gear West and BNS.

5. Craft PXC High Performance Pant ($124). As with many things in nordic skiing, a little efficiency goes a long way. Take these pants. Full zippers down each leg means you don’t have to step out of your skis to strip down to your race suit. Windbreak in the front and breathable in the back, the PXC is a go-to choice. They even have suspenders. How quaint. Available at Gear West and BNS.

4. Camelbak Powderbak ($100). Have you ever wished that you had a water bottle that was actually a vest? That’s exactly what the Powderbak system is. Camelbak’s newest body-hugging water carrier is available for men and women on their website. This is a great option for marathoners.

3.  Scott Eride Grip 2 trail shoe  ($110). Scott’s rugged and highly visible eride shoes are reminiscent of Salomon’s trail running series. Scott’s durable shoes hold up during all weather conditions for those wet trail runs. Available online in men’s and women’s sizes.

2. Swix Star XC Jacket ($160). This isn’t such a popular team jacket for nothing. The warm but breathable design keeps your body at the perfect temperature on the trail. Available in men’s and women’s sizes from REI.

1. Patagonia Down Sweater Vest ($150). Patagonia’s Down Sweater Vest and it’s younger brother the Nano Puff Vest keep your core warm in all weather conditions. Paired with a cozy flannel and you’ll have the perfect après ski look. Available from Patagonia in men’s and women’s sizes.

With the holidays practically upon us it’s time to get serious about shopping for the ski enthusiasts on your list. If you’ve put off this dreaded task for as long as we have, the good news is that shopping for skiers is pretty easy. There are so many products and pieces that go into the whole production, all you have to do is cast around and pick one (or five). And if all else fails, remember: one can never have enough socks.

We’ve broken up our gift guide into five budgetary segments: Under $20, $20-$50, $50-$100, $100-$200 and $200-and-over. Happy shopping!

10. Madshus Voss Backcountry Skis ($210). It would be easy, in this limitless budget category, to list a bunch of fancy skis made out of fancy materials. These backcountry skis let you get back to basics. No grooming or kick wax required — just take them outside and play anywhere with snow. Available at BNS, Gear West, Skinny Skis and Ski Rack.

9. Woodskis World Wax Table (Starting at $449): Made of aluminum, stainless steel and baltic birch plywood, Woodskis has thought of everything with their new table. A side basket holds your iron and tools while you work, the detachable ski rack can hold up to eight pairs of skis at a time and it even has snow feet that can be attached to each leg to prevent it from sinking down in deep snow. Available at Woodskis.

8. Suunto Quest ($252). There are cheaper monitors out there, but the Suunto Quest both well designed and nice to look at. Create and download training programs, get real time feedback on intensity and speed, analyze data with accompanying software…all the usual things you’d want in a heart rate monitor. Available at Moosejaw.

7. Inca Runners trip ($2,950): This isn’t your typical Peru tourist experience. Discover Machu Picchu, Choquequirao and Sacsahuaman on one of these all-inclusive running and hiking tour of the Andes. By the end, Inca Runners promises you’ll know what it was like for the Incas themselves to cross the mountains!

7. Concept2 SkiErg (starting at $730). From the company that makes the ubiquitous rowing machines comes the upright version for skiers. Work on your upper body all through the summer with this well-made ergometer. Whether you’re an elite skier looking to improve your poling power, a weekend enthusiast wanting to get into shape for the ski season, or just someone looking for a great workout, the SkiErg will help you achieve your goals. Available from Concept2.

6. Ercolina Poling Machine ($975). The same idea as the SkiErg, but more compact. The stainless steel body mounts easily on the wall and resistance can be set individually on each arm. Perfect if you don’t have room in your house for a bigger machine. Available at BNS.

5. Canon EOS Rebel t4i ($899.99). Nordic skiing is a beautiful sport, and a DSLR can help you capture that beauty in still imagery. We happen to like this model from Canon, but there are many other options out there.

4. Enter the Canadian Ski Marathon ($285 and under). On February 9 and 10, you could go on an epic overnight ski adventure from Lachute to Gatineau, Québec. It’s the longest and oldest ski race in North America. 160 kilometers in two days! Do it, just because. Register online.

3. See the 2013 World Championships in Val di Fiemme, Italy. (price varies). The biggest world-class ski event of the year is in one of the most picturesque settings imaginable. Cheer yourself hoarse for your favorite athletes in the morning then enjoy the mountain town by night.

2. A Sauna ($4,800 and up). How could you say no to this fantastic pre-fab sauna from Finn Sisu? “Made in Finnish style exclusively of fine grained Nordic White Spruce” with “a subtle hint of deep Finnish forests.” Treat yourself!

1. PoleCat Snow Maker (price on request). This hot new nordic accessory comes in kid, standard and super sizes. Snow hasn’t come to your town in two years? No problem! Set one of these up in your backyard and be skiing circles around your house in no time. Groomer, water, and solution to climate change not included. Available from SMI Snowmakers.