What To Look For
A waxless ski has a fish-scale pattern in the middle third of the ski instead of kick wax, which is soft wax that grips snow on regular cross-country skis. Look for skis that are appropriate to your size, technique and terrain. If you ski in the classical technique, look for cross-country skis that leave the center section of the ski clear of the snow when your weight is evenly distributed across both pairs of skis. If you skate ski, select combination skis or specialized shorter skate skis; these will not have the fish scales. If you ski mostly on groomed trails, use long, narrow, light skis. If you ski in the backcountry, choose wider skis to help you stay on top of the snow, especially in deeper, powdery conditions.
Common Pitfalls
The most common mistake people make is believing that waxless skis are really waxless. Waxless skis are only waxless on the center section with the fish scales. The rest of the ski still requires glide wax. You apply glide wax to the front and back of the ski bottom. Choose wax that is designed for your skiing conditions.
Where To Buy
You can buy waxless cross-country skis at ski shops, at sporting goods stores and online. Especially if you are not an experienced skier, you might want to buy from a store where you can discuss your needs with an experienced salesperson.
Cost
Waxless cross-country skis range from $50 on sale to as much as $500, depending on the brand and where you buy the skis. For example, you can buy TRAK Aero Waxless Cross Country Skis for $80 from Amazon. You can buy the Madshus Eline MGV Ski for $160 from Sierra Nordic.
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