Classic or skate skiing? The differences in technique, equipment and waxing

There are two ways to go cross-country skiing: classic or skate. It is not just a different movement, as the skis, boots, poles and their preparation differ too. This overview will help you decide. If you are looking for where to go around Vrchlabí, our trail tips are in a separate article.

Classic: in the tracks, stride by stride

Classic skiing takes place in set tracks, two parallel grooves in the snow. The basics are the diagonal stride, where you push off alternately with your legs and poles, and double poling, where you push with both poles at once. Uphill you take short steps or use the herringbone. Rossignol compares classic skiing for beginners to walking in snowshoes and suggests starting on flat or gently rolling terrain.

To stop the ski slipping back when you push off, it needs grip underfoot. Wax maker Swix describes it like this: the middle of the ski, under the binding, is the grip zone, while the tip and tail should glide well. Grip in that zone comes from grip wax, fishscales or skins, which we look at below.

Skating: pushing off the edge on a wide trail

When skating, you push off alternately from each ski, much as on ice skates, and help yourself along with your poles. You ski on the wide groomed lane beside the tracks, since skating does not need the tracks themselves. There are several variations of the skating step. Skating first appeared in the World Cup in the 1980/81 season.

Skate skis have no grip zone and only get glide wax, according to Swix. Fischer says they are stiffer than classic skis, and they are usually shorter too. Not every trail has a lane groomed for skating, so check before you set off. At the Vejsplachy trails in Vrchlabí, a grooming report on nabezky.cz from 14 January 2026 said the artificial-snow trails were ready for both techniques; the current state is posted there too.

Who is classic for, and who is skating for?

• Classic suits you if you are a beginner, skiing with children or planning a longer, relaxed trip in the tracks. The technique is close to walking and the tracks keep you on course.
• Skating is more dynamic, but it takes balance and technique. For beginners, Rossignol recommends softer and shorter skate skis, which make the technique easier to learn.
• If you cannot decide, try both. You can rent a classic set from us one day and a skate set another.

Ski and pole length: manufacturers' guidelines

Classic skis are usually longer than skate skis, while classic poles are shorter than skating poles. Manufacturers give these rough ranges:

• classic skis: Fischer suggests your height plus 20 to 30 cm, with beginners at the shorter end; Rossignol about your height plus 15 cm for sport and touring models, less for recreational ones
• skate skis: Fischer suggests your height plus 10 to 15 cm; for skate skis, Rossignol considers your weight the most important factor
• classic poles: Fischer suggests your height times 0.85, roughly to your shoulder; Rossignol your height times 0.84 or your height minus 30 cm
• skating poles: Fischer suggests your height times 0.90, roughly to your chin; Rossignol your height times 0.89 or your height minus 15 to 20 cm

For someone 170 cm tall, that works out at poles of about 143 to 145 cm for classic and 151 to 153 cm for skating. In classic skiing, weight matters a lot too. According to Fischer, grip depends on how the skier's weight presses the grip zone down, and Rossignol adds that softer skis give lighter skiers, and skiers on soft snow, better grip on the push-off, while stiffer skis suit heavier skiers and hard snow. That is why we ask for both height and weight in the booking.

Boots: softer for classic, firmer for skating

Classic boots have no rigid shell above the ankle, so your foot can flex freely as you push off. Skate boots have a stiffer shell and sole that support the ankle during the push, Rossignol explains. Boots and bindings must be compatible: according to Salomon, the NNN, Prolink and Turnamic systems are interchangeable, while SNS only works with SNS. That is worth knowing if you buy your own gear one day.

Grip wax, fishscales or skins

In classic skiing, there are three ways to give the ski grip underfoot:

• Grip wax: applied to the grip zone and chosen according to the temperature and snow on the day, Swix says. Klister is used for wet snow above freezing. According to Rossignol, a waxed ski glides better, but choosing and applying the right wax takes experience.
• Fishscales: a grip pattern in the base under the boot. Rossignol says fishscale skis need very little maintenance, which makes them a good choice for beginners and anyone who likes things simple.
• Skins: a strip of hairy material, such as mohair, in the grip zone. According to Swix, they give good grip without grip wax, but you still need to look after the glide and treat the skins regularly so they do not soak up water and ice up.

Skate skis have no grip zone, so they only get glide wax. Glide wax also goes on the tip and tail of a classic ski so that it glides well there.

What you can rent from us in Vrchlabí

We rent cross-country sets for classic and for skating. A set consists of skis, boots and poles, and we wax the skis to suit the current snow. If you ski often, you can also take the gear for the whole winter with our season rental. In your booking, tell us:

• whether you want classic or skate,
• your height and weight,
• your shoe size,
• your experience, whether you are new to cross-country skiing or already ski.

Cross-country ski rental: classic and skate

Our rental is in Vrchlabí on the main road to Špindlerův Mlýn, with parking right in front. Online bookings need to reach us no later than the day before. Without a booking, we choose from whatever is available at the time.

Book cross-country skis online