DISCLAIMER: The advice, opinions and recommendations that follow are my personal views. You will find excellent skiers who differ with me on just about everything. That's the way it is when people are real enthusiasts.
KINDS OF CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING
Just as "walking" can encompass everything from a stroll in the park to an ascent of Kilimanjaro, there are many kinds of cross-country skiing.
Touring Centers have miles of groomed trails, with tracks set in the snow by a machine that looks like a snowmobile with skis behind it. The tracks keep your skis from skittering sideways and let you concentrate on developing a good forward 'kick and glide'. The centers also rent gear, offer group lessons, and provide a warming hut or cafeteria for your lunch break. For your first couple of times out, go to a touring center; AMC leaders mostly prefer to be off in the woods, so you'll probably have to do this on your own or with a friend.
At touring centers, besides the traditional 'kick and glide' people, you'll see skaters. This technique is faster and a lot more aerobic; it's used mostly by racers, or people looking for a quick workout. Some of the trails at a touring center have a flat skating lane in the middle, between two sets of tracks.
What we offer in AMC is usually called "ski touring". Mostly, we prefer to go out in state parks or forests, often on old woods roads. This is sometimes called "off-track" skiing, since there are no set tracks. If the snow is fresh and no skiers have been out yet, we take turns being in the lead to break trail. The tours usually last all day; bring a foam pad to sit on at lunch-time.
Telemark skiing means skiing downhill using the Telemark turn, which was invented in the Telemark region of Norway towards the end of the 19th century, as a way for ski jumpers to stop. It fell into disuse, was rediscovered by Americans in the '80s, and re-exported to Norway in the '90s. It's a graceful turn, with a deep knee bend, requiring considerable strength and skill.
Telemark skiers are of two kinds. Lift served telemarking is done at downhill ski areas, using ski lifts to get uphill. The boots are very high, rigid and expensive, and the skis are wider, designed for downhill only. Back country telemarkers search for fresh snow on steep hills; they happily spend 50 minutes climbing uphill in order to spend 5 zooming back down. They too use wider skis and stiffer boots.
GETTING STARTED
In our area, skiing is an opportunistic sport. You have to be prepared to grab the snow while it's fresh. Snow that's lain around in warm weather, or in rain, is no fun to ski on. There won't be many trips to Touring Centers offered in our Schedule (most experienced AMC skiers would rather be off in the woods), so take advantage of any that are offered. Or visit a touring center by yourself or with friends; you'll be perfectly safe alone, provided you don't wander off the trails, since the center will sweep all trails at day's end.
If it snows, check the Message Board on the Chapter Web site www.amc-ny.org for skiers seeking company for a local outing.
If you really, really want to learn, consider taking a long weekend, or a mid-week break, and heading north to a good touring center. There are some recommendations below. Feel free to call me if you'd like to discuss them.
SKIS: A BRIEF HISTORY
Pictographs from 7th century Norway shows the cows wearing little round snowshoes and the people wearing eight foot wooden planks fastened to their feet with ropes of twisted grasses. Control must have been dicey, but at least it kept them from being stuck in their huts all winter.
Over the years, skis became shorter. What's the right length? It depends on your height, your weight, your strength and your technique. The center section of a ski is cambered (slightly arched). You want just enough camber that when you push down on one foot (the 'kick' phase), the ski flattens and grips the snow; but when but when you unweight and let it slide (the 'glide' phase), the center doesn't drag.
If you are of average weight for your height, and average strength, the tip of a traditional length ski will probably just reach your wrist when you extend your arm straight over your head.
Traditional length skis for adults usually come in the following sizes: 180 cm, 190, 195, 200, 205, 210. Sizes 170 and 215 are occasionally available. If you read a catalog, you will see besides the lengths, numbers like 59-54-57. This is the width, in millimeters: 59mm at the widest part of the tip, 54mm in the middle, and 57mm at the tail. For easy turning, the middle should be at least 5mm less than the front; this is called "sidecut". A 10mm sidecut is even better.
To fit into the machine set track at a touring center, the front should be under 60mm. For an AMC trip in the woods, you need to fit in the track set by the skier who's ahead of you breaking trail - probably no more than 65mm.
BINDINGS AND BOOTS
Tying skis on with ropes let those Norwegian peasants chase their cattle across the field. It doesn't work for making the skis turn on a twisting trail through the woods. You can probably still see the crash marks on the Hoeferlin trail in Wawayanda where I tried to ski out using leather laces as tie-ons after my plastic binding broke. (They don't make plastic ones any more, thank goodness).
The classic binding is called a 75mm 3-pin binding. Three pins in the foot plate slip into 3 holes in the sole of the boot, under your toes, and a "bail" on top latches to hold the boot in place. The 75mm in the name refers to the fact that the boot is 75mm wide at the tip.
Boots should be leather, if possible, though synthetic material is now used in most boots except so-called "black boots" for serious back-country skiers. The boot should come above the ankle, and offer good support; you cannot learn to ski with floppy ankles.
RECENT "IMPROVEMENTS" TO BINDINGS AND BOOTS
The 3-pin binding is sturdy, foolproof, and since the pin placement is standard they fit in any 3-pin boot. This interchangeability is important if you break a ski or a boot on a ski holiday and need to rent a replacement. It also allows you to swap skis with others your size. I've had fun borrowing a friend's skis after lunch, to see if I might want to buy that model. I've also swapped skis with a novice who was having a hard time keeping up on skis with poor grip. 3-pin bindings are inexpensive and last forever.
So naturally, someone had to "improve" our bindings. The new ones have a metal bar on the toe of the boot that slides into a hinged slot in the toeplate. There are several designs, the most common being Rotefella's NNN II (New Nordic Norm 2) and Salomon's Profil. They are non-interchangeable; if you buy Salomon bindings, you must use Salomon compatible boots (made either by Salomon or someone else).
There are a few pluses. The boots have rigid plastic soles, which means you get good torsional rigidity in a lighter boot. Being hinged at the toe, they avoid a problem some people have when their classic boot doesn't bend forwards comfortably.
I bought some NNN II, and kind of liked them until our trip up the back approach to Mt. Marcy. Turning around to come down, I took the skis off to remove my climbing skins and put on some ski wax. One ski iced up - the bar just wouldn't go back in the slot. Not a happy moment, several miles and 2000 feet above our wilderness cabin, at minus 5 degrees, with three hours of daylight left. I eventually melted the ice with the last of my hot tea. I'm told you can also heat something metal (a car key, a knife blade) with your matches or lighter, and use the hot metal to remove the ice. Seems simpler and safer just to stick to 3-pin!
Bar systems are also more expensive. However 3-pin boots are becoming hard to find, so you may to have to settle for bar-system. If so, I'd prefer the Rotefella NNN BC (BC means back country, i.e. sturdy) and I'd be sure to spray inside the binding once or twice a season with a silicone spray.
RECENT "IMPROVEMENTS" TO SKIS
Having sold us all new boots and bindings, the manufacturers moved on to "improve" our skis by making them shorter and wider. After the novelty of 150cm skis wore off, they seem to have settled on what are known as "mid length". These skis come typically in five-sizes-fits-all; which of course they don't.
It is true that shorter skis are easier to turn - less tip sticking out in front and getting in the way. If you are having trouble mastering the basic step and snowplow turns, you might want to switch to mid length skis temporarily. It is also true that wider skis are more stable for a beginner with wobbly ankles, but I'd suggest trying a more supportive boot rather than a wider ski.
The downside of shorter skis is that they are slower, so you would have to work harder to keep up on a typical AMC ski tour, where most skiers will be using traditional gear. Also if they are really wide, they won't fit in the set track at touring centers.
The newest buzzword is "cap" skis. So far it's only hit high end skis for racing or for extreme back country skiing, so you don't need to be concerned. For the curious, it means that instead of separate sidewalls, the top of the ski is extended down the sides; this gives greater torsional rigidity with less weight.
SKI POLES
Bamboo is the classic. It's good looking, but easily broken (a spiral wrap with transparent strapping tape helps). Probably only at garage sales these days. Fiberglass is the most common in beginner poles. It's stronger than bamboo, but like bamboo it delaminates if broken and is almost impossible to splint well enough to use for the rest of the day.
Aluminum is more expensive, and a bit heavier, but lasts forever. Look for a tapered shaft. To compare poles, hold them in the correct skiing position, angled backwards, and see how much effort is needed to keep the baskets off the ground. It's this so-called "swing weight" that counts. If aluminum poles do break, a pipe splint and hose clamps will make a solid repair. For back country trips, experienced skiers carry stuff to do field repairs to skis, bindings, poles and packs - so please don't tease them about the size of their pack; the gear they fix might be yours.
The wrist loop should be at least 3/4 inch wide. The length should adjust to fit well whether you're wearing thick mitts or thin gloves, and the adjustment mechanism should be secure. Unfortunately almost all bamboo and fiberglass poles have skimpy loops with an adjustment that sooner or later will pull loose (unless you prudently sew or safety pin the ends together).
Serious back country skiers use adjustable steel poles. In some models, the two poles fasten together to make an avalanche probe. Very fancy, quite expensive; a purchase you can postpone.
SNOW CONDITIONS
www.xcski.org is a well organized web site covering most every touring center in the Eastern USA. The touring centers vary in how frequently they report their snow levels. Be aware that a report more than two days old is worthless, and phone before you go to check snow depth, how many trails are open, and what the weather forecast is.
SKI RENTAL
EMS, Scarsdale 914-725-0024. Day rate $15, pick up and return Sat 10-7, or Sunday 12-5. Weekend $20, pickup Friday return Sunday, or pickup Sat. return Mon. $150 deposit. Reservations accepted.
Ramsay Outdoors, Rt 17 North, Paramus NJ 201-261-5000. $10 one day, $18 weekend. Pick up Fri after 6pm, return Monday 9-12 (closed Sunday due to Bergen County blue laws). However the ski manager, Fred DeBerg, is very friendly to AMC; if you ask nicely, and mention my name, he might let you pick up earlier (e.g. so you can make it to the Catskills that evening), or return Monday evening if you have to be at work by 9am. Please do not abuse this kindness; if you use the skis three days instead of two, pay. Note: boots $5/day, poles $2.
For skiing at Mohonk or Minnewaska:
Rock & Snow, New Paltz 845-255-1311. $16 a day, Sat
9-8, Sun 9-7, weekdays 10-6. No reservations.
Peak Performance, New Paltz 845-255-8200. $15.00 a day,
Sat 10-7, Sun 10-6, weekdays 10-6. Open till 8pm Fri evening for people
coming up for the weekend. Reservations accepted.
Central Park: If about a foot of snow is on the ground, Scandinavian Ski & Sport Shop on West 57th Street (212-757-8524) has some equipment for rent and use in the Park only.
TOURING CENTERS WITHIN DAY REACH OF NYC
High Point State Park, NW Corner of NJ, 1 1/2 hrs from GWB, 973-702-1222. At 1600 feet elevation, and with groomed tracks, it's often skiable when other places within day reach are not. Private concessionaire. Trail fee $13, ski rental $18, group lesson $15. www.xcsSkiHighPoint.com. (2002 prices)
Fahnestock Winter Park. In Putnam County NY, close to Cold Spring (if you have no car, you can take Metro North to Cold Spring and then a taxi). 914-225-3998. Trail fee $6, ski rental $15, group lessons available (reservation requested).
Mohonk Preserve, 914-255-1000. North of New Paltz. A large network of trails, from easy ones on the golf course to challenging loops. Park at Gatehouse. Trail fee. Limited number of passes, arrive early. Rent skis in New Paltz. www.MohonkPreserve.org
Minnewaska State Park, 845-255-0752. North-west of New Paltz. Another large trail network. Trail fee. Rent skis in New Paltz (see above).
News Flash: The storm of November, 2002 left many trails in Mohonk and Minnewaska closed by downed trees. If they are not able to clear the trails by first snow, they will not open for 2003.
Frost Valley YMCA. 845-985-2291 ext. 205. North-east of Liberty, Southern Catskills. Trail fee $7, equipment rental $13, instruction may be available at weekends. www.FrostValley.org
Mountain Trails, 518-589-5361. Just outside Tannersville,
in the Northern Catskills. Trail fee $13, ski rental $15, group lesson
$15. www.mtntrails.com
TOURING RESORTS FOR A WEEKEND OR LONGER
(Some may be willing to pick you up at the nearest bus stop; call to inquire)
Frost Valley YMCA, 845-985-2291 ext. 205. Various all-inclusive (bunk, meals, trail fee, equipment) packages offered, but space limited - call to inquire and book early.
AMC Catskills Workshops. See "AMC Outdoors", the Outdoor Workshops section. Also see the Catskills Workshops entry in the front of your chapter Winter Schedule. Trips for beginners, novices and intermediates. Weekend cost $235.
Garnet Hill Lodge, 518-251-2821. Central Adirondacks, near North Creek (& near Gore Mtn Alpine area). 5-nite package (room, dinner, breakfast, trail fee) is $367 double occ., 3-nite package $250. Adjoins Siamese Ponds Wilderness Area, which has great back country trails. "Snow belt" area of the Adirondacks, highly recommended. Non-drivers: they will meet the Adirondack Trailways bus in Warrensburg. Lessons, rentals, ski shop.
Van Hoevenburg Olympic Cross-Country Area, 518-523-2811. Near Lake Placid. I can recommend an inexpensive motel, or stay at Adirondack Mountain Club's Loj, 518-523-3441. Lodge price for bunk and breakfast, in large/small bunk room $36/$45. Dinner $14.00, book 24 hours ahead. A 3-night midweek package incl. all meals is $142/$164; 5-night package $236/$274. Members get a 10% discount except on packages.
Northern Vermont. Stowe, besides being a premier downhill area, has some great XC skiing, at Trapp Family Lodge and other touring centers. Bolton Valley, a short drive away, has some challenging XC trails that would be good training for back country.
Jackson, NH. The self-styled XC Capital of New England. Stay in luxury at one of the many quaint inns, or stay at AMC's Pinkham Notch Lodge, 603-466-2727, about 10 miles north of Jackson, $33 for bunk only, $46 with dinner & breakfast (book when reserving). Mostly 4-bunk rooms, some 2-bunk. Comfortable and very friendly, highly recommended. Besides the immense trail network at Jackson Touring Center, there are free trails out the front door at Pinkham, ranging from short novice loops to the most challenging back country tours in the northeast. On the AMC web site at www.outdoors.org click Lodging. Jackson's web site is www.jacksonxc.org
SKIING FREE
That is, away from touring centers. No equipment rentals, no warming huts, no groomed snow or set tracks - but also no trail fees, no crowds, just you and the beautiful snow filled woods. Aka "off-track skiing". In the back country in winter you should never go alone, find a friend or two to go with you - or call me.
By distance from NYC:
Your local park or golf course (stay off the greens!).
Rockefeller State Park (was Pocantico Hills). Just north of Tarrytown. Lots of easy skiing on carriage roads. If you lack a car, take the train to Tarrytown and then a taxi.
Ward Pound Ridge Reservation. Northeast Westchester, off I-684. Loops from two to five miles, good solid snow-plow necessary. 914-763-3493. Get trail map from Trailside Museum before driving to ski trail section. Parking fee.
Jockey Hollow. Near Morristown, NJ. Parking lot fills early if snow's good. Trail map at Park's Visitor Center. The long circular trail is easier if done counter-clockwise.
Lewis Morris County Park, also near Morristown.
Wawayanda State Park. Northwest NJ. If I am leading a trip there, I can meet up to 3 people off the bus at Greenwood Lake (transp. code 3C). Trail map from NY-NJ Trail Conference, the Park's map is very poor. Call ranger at 973-853-4462 for conditions. Park at Visitor Center, ask them to point out the "no snowmobiles" trails.
Black Rock Forest. 10 miles north of Bear Mountain. Much used on AMC "leaders choice" day trips. Some leaders might be willing to pick up one or two car-less skiers at Yonkers or Tarrytown RR station. Call Forest office, 914-534-4517 in business hours to ask how much snow they have - they seem to get and hold snow better than Harriman or Bear Mt., and the network of woods roads is skiable with as little as six inches of snow. Don't venture without a map in winter, it's easy to get lost here. Use the Trail Conference hiking map, or better, because it high-lights the woods roads rather than the hiking trails, get the Forest's own map. Call Forest office to find how to get one by mail, I think they are closed at the weekend.
Delaware Water Gap. Blue Mountain Lakes, a 15-min. drive from the Mohican Outdoor Center, has a network of easy roads (remains of a housing development that wasn't built), connecting to a skiable woods road that runs several miles north. At 1,000 feet elevation, so holds the snow. Suitable for beginners.
Catskills. I have skied up the following, others are doubtless
possible. Stay at the Cobblestone Motel in Phoenicia (914-688-7871) - very
friendly to hikers and XC skiers, they even have the Trail Conference's
Catskill trail map pinned to the office wall!
Mount Tremper
(near Phoenicia)
Balsam Lake,
in western Catskills
Graham, next
door to Balsam Lake
Hunter, from
the West Kill approach
Overlook,
from the northern approach
Central Adirondacks - the snow belt section. Ski the Siamese Ponds Wilderness, and other trails off Rts 28 & 28N. Get Tony Goodwin's book on Adirondack Ski Tours (Adirondack Mtn Club) or Dennis Conroy's " Adirondack Cross-Country Skiing" available at Campmor. Stay at Garnet Hill Lodge, or the Lone Birch Motel in Indian Lake. Llodging near Gore Mt. downhill ski area will be full weekends, you want to get west of North Creek.
Northern Adirondacks, based on ADK Loj (see above under Van Hoevenberg). Lots of challenging back country trails. The Avalanche Pass tour is one of the finest in the north-east. Call Adirondack Ski Touring Council, 518-523-1365 in business hours for recorded (or occasionally live) report by Tony Goodwin - who wrote the book.
Merck Forest. On the NY/VT border, near Rupert, VT. 802-394-7836. A farm centre plus forest - fun to ski, trails for all levels.
Vermont. Many good places, but hard for a flatlander to discover them. Try guidebooks, or the Catamount Trail. The best skiing is unfortunately the farthest away, around Stowe (hilly), and in the "Northeast Kingdom" around Craftsbury (flatter).
New Hampshire. A long haul but worth it. Look in "AMC Outdoors" for ski trips run by other AMC chapters who are lucky enough to live close to ski country. Or take a friend or two and stay at AMC's Pinkham Notch center.
If you discover other places, let me know, please, so I can add them to the next edition of this pamphlet.
LONG DISTANCE SKI ROUTES
The Jackrabbit Trail runs from Keene to Saranac Lake, mostly along the valley. Call the Adirondack Ski Touring Council (see above) to hear which sections are open.
The Catamount Trail lets you do "Vermont end-to-end on skis". Really; from the Massachusetts border to the Canadian border. Plenty of road crossings make the trail useful for day tours, but there are also Inn-To-Inn possibilities. 802-864-5794, www.catamounttrail.org
The Tenth Mountain Trail goes from Vail to Aspen in Colorado, staying at very attractive alpine huts. The trail and the huts are at elevations from ten to twelve thousand feet. A once in a lifetime experience; aiming to do it someday should inspire you to pick yourself out of yet another snowdrift, and keep working on that snowplow turn. I did it twice; happy to talk with you.
EQUIPMENT PURCHASES FOR NOVICES
The stores around NYC mostly don't stock the sturdy, reliable gear appropriate for joining AMC tours in the woods. The best quality and choice is found at stores up in ski country or at big ski touring centers. Look for end-of- season sales from February onwards.
What to look for:
1. Traditional length skis, not
"mid length". The latter are slower, you'll have trouble keeping up.
2. A front no more than 60 cm.
wide, so the ski fits in the tracks at touring centers.
3. A side-cut (the difference
between the front and the center) of at least 5 cm. More is better. The
sidecut is what helps you turn on twisty trails.
4. No-wax bottoms. Even if you
progress to waxable, you'll need a pair of decent no-wax skis for those
days around 32 degrees.
5. The correct camber for your
skiing weight (i.e. with ski clothes and day pack), strength and skill
level. A knowledgeable salesperson is your best bet. Remember it's your
weight, and how strong a 'kick' you have that counts; walk away from any
salesman who just asks your height.
Druthers (nice to have, but you may not be able to get it all at an affordable price):
1. Wood core is better than foam
(longer lasting, more responsive)
2. 3-pin bindings and boots.
The binding's no problem (you want the Rotefella telemark at about $45)
but finding an affordable 3-pin boot is a problem. Call or e-mail me, I
may be able to find someone selling the Merrell Skyline for around $100.
3. For women, a boot that comes
in a choice of mens' or womens' last.
I researched traditional length skis (I'm not up on the mid length ones) and the best values I could find on decent gear that you won't outgrow are:
LOCAL:
Campmor (Route 17 Northbound, Paramus NJ. 201-445-5000).
Fischer Country Crown
skis, traditional length, 60-52-57, $125. This ski has been around even
longer than I have, but it's still a good one, and the price is a bargain.
Rotefella NNN binding,
$40, with an Alpina boot at $105. (they have a cheaper Alpina at $70, but
it has no insulation, not recommended).
Excel fiberglass poles
at $18
Add 6% sales tax (but not for boots). 10% off for a package,
so the total price would be $260 plus $11 tax. Excellent value.
MAIL ORDER.
Rent at least once first to be sure of your size for boots, skis and poles.
L.L. Bean 1-800-221-4221 main number, 1-800-975-4552 for Ski Department
"Solitude" ski (made by Karhu, a well established brand), 60-53-57, wood core. Salomon binding, Venture boot, aluminum poles - package price $299. Plus shipping. Excellent value.
Akers Ski 1-207-392-4582. Akers is a small family run company up in Maine selling only skis; they are friendly, and will take time to talk with you.
Bargain: Karhu Mirage ski, wood core, 60-53-57, in lengths 190 thru 210, last years model, plus your choice of Profil or NNN boots/bindings, and fiberglass poles: package price $204.98 plus shipping, while they last.
From the regular catalog, the Madshus Rondane, wood core, 60-53-57, plus Salomon Profil boot/binding and Excel poles for $384 plus shipping. I have two pairs of Madshus, wax and no-wax, and like them a lot. www.akers-ski.com
WHAT TO WEAR
Dress in layers:
Bottom layer wicks sweat away (polypro,
Capilene; not cotton or silk)
Middle layer insulates (pile, wool)
Top layer keeps out wind and snow
(wind shell & wind pants).
If you want to keep out rain too (winter rain does happen around here), the outer layer needs to be Goretex or similar, at a vast increase in price. But if you hike, you have probably already made that investment. News flash: Marmot now sells a waterproof, breathable jacket for only $80. Field tested by friends on our Alaska trip this summer; sounds too good to be true, but they worked!
Top: wicking top (zipper turtleneck preferred) under wool
or pile sweater
Bottom: wicking long johns under any lightweight non-cotton
pants
Feet: liner sock (polypro or wool) under heavy wool sock
Head: wool or pile hat, plus a headband for when a hat's
too hot.
Hands: liner gloves (polypro or wool), wool or pile mitts,
overmitts
Gaiters are essential if you plan to ski off-track; also at touring centers if it's snowing as you ski. They keep the snow out of your boots.
No blue Jeans - "cotton kills" and denim kills fastest. No down parkas, except in pack for lunch break; you'll get heat-stroke if you ski in one.
This clothing is what you need for almost any cool weather outdoor activity - hiking, snowshoeing, paddling, backpacking. So it's an investment in your lifelong health (you wouldn't want to stay indoors from November till May?) Look through your closet to see what you already have, and fill the gaps.
ALSO BRING
Extra sweater or jacket for lunch break or other stops
Spare socks, spare gloves
Scarf or neck-gaiter
Water bottles (filled, 2 quarts), trail snacks
Sunglasses, sun-screen.
For waxless skis, an anti-icing wipe (Maxi-Glide or similar)
Lunch (at touring centers you might prefer to buy lunch
- indoors!)
Roomy day pack, to hold all of the above plus clothes
you shed as you warm up
To get the best fit in rental boots, bring several pairs of wool socks of different thickness. If your foot moves around inside the boot it's almost impossible to learn to ski.
Caution: the above list is for a beginner skiing at a touring center or on an easy club trip. It's not adequate for tours on difficult or remote terrain.
SKI AND POLE SIZE GUIDE
| Height |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Traditional Ski Length (cms) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Pole Length (cms) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Note on ski length:
If lighter/heavier than average, go one size shorter/longer
"Strong" skiers, with good technique or a strong kick
go longer, weaker skiers go shorter.
If you fall between two sizes, take the shorter
one
When you rent, ask what length the skis are, and remember
for next time. Skis won't glide? Try longer. Skis won't grip? Try
shorter.
And to the hundreds of 5'2" women out there who note from the chart that they need a 185 ski - lots of luck! They don't make many. Perhaps it's time to start lobbying for equality in outdoor gear choice. Use a 180 if you're 125 lbs or less, a 190 if you're heavier.
BOOT SIZES
Boots are usually sold in European shoe sizes:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Personally I find this conversion chart a bit off - but it's copied from official sources. Go try on some boots in a ski shop to be sure.
© Jill Arbuckle, December 2002. 973-890-9280