Clothing

A light wool or Lycra hat works best for Nordic skiing. Heavy wool hats lead to skiers quickly overheating and, in our experience, taking their hats off. This increases the probability of frostbite.

Make sure to wear a hat that can be pulled down over your ears.  If you get cold ears, wearing a slim pair of earmuffs under a hat will help.

A Nordic ski buff is a relatively light piece of clothing worn  around the neck. It can be pulled up to cover the mouth and nose on cold days and to cover the ears when temps are really cold.

It is important for all skiers to have good quality Nordic ski gloves or mittens. Alpine ski gloves are far too warm and bulky.  A glove made for purposes other than Nordic skiing will not last long, because there is a considerable friction between the glove and pole grip while skiing.

• • Nordic ski gloves: Purchase these if you have warm hands in the winter. Remember we ski down to -4 degrees F. These gloves range from having very little insulation to being quite warm.
• • Nordic ski Lobster mitts: For those who are in-between, Pearl Izumi and other manufacturers make gloves called “Lobster mitts” that are a cross between a glove and a mitten.
• • Nordic ski mittens: If you are a person whose hands get cold easily, do yourself a favor and get a pair of mittens instead of gloves.

In addition, get a pair of Polypro glove liners. They will extend the comfort range of your gloves by 7-10 degrees. 

When racing, skiers will wear only a Lycra racing suit with thermal underwear underneath. This is fine for most days. When it’s cold AND windy, briefs with windstopper fabric are a must, unless you want to place duct tape over the front of your underwear for wind protection.

Thermal underwear is important, because it keeps you warm and wicks away moisture from your body so you don’t get chilled.

It is available in a variety of different thicknesses. For most people, the lightweight type is fine for Nordic skiing. If you get cold easily, the mid-weight will probably be best for you. It also works best if you purchase a top with a zippered turtleneck. 

Thermal underwear is manufactured by many companies including Craft, Patagonia, Lifa, SmartWool, and more. They all work well. The most important factor is fit and that the material is hydrophobic (repels moisture). 

A turtleneck shirt helps keep you warm on colder days. Avoid cotton as it loses most of its ability to retain heat when it gets wet. 

A light polar fleece top is great to have on extremely cold days. 

A wind-proof zippered jacket and pair of warm-up pants are essential for Nordic skiing. This clothing DOES NOT have to be expensive. Gear that is used for winter running, purchased at Target or Kohl's for a very reasonable price, works great as long as the skier's underlayers are appropriate.

While it is possible to wear sweats on warm days, they are not wind resistant and become quite cold if you fall and get them wet.

Medium-weight wool blend socks work best for Nordic skiing. For people who have very cold feet, a light thermal liner sock made of material similar to the thermal underwear noted above can be used.

Do not wear cotton socks, because they trap moisture next to the skin. Wet feet equal cold feet, which can lead to frostbite.