Cross-country skiing boots: Classics, Combi, Skating…

Let’s talk about the cross-country skiing boot characteristics. Some tips from Bruno, explaining how, when and why use them.

Classic cross-country skiing boots

They have a soft sole but don’t have the cuff, these characteristics provide the best sensibility during the kick phase (foot movement).

Skating cross-country skiing boots

Their chassis reaches up to the malleolus and are provided with a robust cuff in order to stabilize the ankle.

The skating boots have a rigid sole to minimize the torsions while skating.

Combi cross-country skiing boots

This kind of boot is a hybrid. The combi boots have a soft sole (as with the classic boots) while the chassis and cuff is similar to the skating boots.

This is probably the best choice for a double-poling race.

On races with long climbs it is better to remove the cuff because it can hinder the ankle movement while doing the Herringbone technique.

Here comes a video explaining the differences between these three kind of boots, english subtitles available.