Choosing the Most Important Item in XC Skiing

Choosing the Most Important Item in XC Skiing

Training & Outfitting
The most important piece of skiing equipment is actually boots. Surprised? Well, consider this: the wrong skis might slow you down, but won't give you foot cramps or frozen toes; a broken pole, although a big nuisance, can be replaced on the racetrack. The first thought that comes to your head when you look at the prices of the xc ski boots is probably: “wow, that's some very expensive stuff”. Well, they are expensive. In fact, top ski boots are more expensive that top skis. The fact of the matter is, almost all mid-level and top ski boots are still designed and crafted in good old Europe, and the price reflects their manufacturing costs. Another reason they are so expensive is because they are remarkable pieces of engineering. The top…
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Nordic Skiing in the US: Explosive Growth of Popularity

Nordic Skiing in the US: Explosive Growth of Popularity

Newsfeed, Travel & Mass Sport
Nordic skiing is among the fastest growing in popularity outdoor activities in the United States, along with stand-up paddling and BMX biking. These findings are part of the massive Outdoor Recreation Participation Topline Report, just released by the Outdoor Foundation, a US nonprofit. Nordic skiing has shown a very impressive steady annual growth averaging 13 % during the last 3 years. In 2016, some 4,640,000 Americans hit the cross country ski trail compared to only 3,400,000 in 2013 – a rather whopping hike of 40.3%! Notably, the increase in cross country skiing participation is happening against a backdrop of less snowy winters: a recent Scientific American report declares that “55 percent of the stations showed a decrease in winter precipitation falling as snow", with Oregon, Iowa and New Hampshire being…
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