With so many options, picking the perfect cross country ski clothing can be overwhelming. Here’s some helpful tips from our clothing expert, Gillian.
If you’re anything like me, you run cold. No matter what you seem to do to try to stay warm, you still somehow get cold when you are out cross country skiing. Lucky for you—I have done the trial and error and found the special formula for staying warm in cold weather!
My outfit usually starts with base layers. The Terramar Cloud 9 Pant (or Thermolator II Pant in men’s) uses Thermoregulation comfort technology, which keeps you feeling warm and dry in all conditions. For a top, my go-to is the Smartwool Intraknit 200. Merino Sport yarns and gender-specific body-mapped ventilation are perfectly placed to maximize thermoregulation and breathability. Read more about layering in our “What to Wear Skiing” article. For a sock, I like to use the Smartwool Performance Nordic Targeted Cushion.
What I like about these socks are that they are not bulky and do not take up too much room in your boots, yet they still keep your toes nice and warm. They feature mesh zones for ventilation, strategic cushioning in the toe and heel, and Indestructawool™ technology in high impact zones to increase their durability.
An equally important part of your outfit is your external layer. For me, the more insulated, water and wind resistant, the better. It is still very important, though, to find a jacket that offers plenty of breathability, because you do not want to overheat mid-ski. A jacket that I have found that features all these important attributes is the Swix Mayen Quilted Jacket (click here for the Men’s version). To complete your outfit, the Swix Cross Pant (click here for the Men’s version) has full wind resistance in the front and offers a stretchy, breathable panel in the back. These have been my favorite pant for not just cross country skiing, but also for all purpose winter wear.
No matter how you run- cold, hot, or average- you’ll find the XC Ski clothing you need at Cross Country Ski Headquarters. Our selection of hand-picked clothing designed specifically for XC Skiing is second to none, and you can trust that our crew of dedicated skiers constantly put our jackets, pants, layers and accessories to the test. As icing on the cake, our lineup of clothing is full of great colors and styles, so you can find pieces that are great-fitting AND great-looking. Click here peruse our selection online, or call 800-832-2663 to speak to a clothing expert!
