It took me a while.
I’ve been looking for what I would consider the winter version of biking, and I finally found it after quite a few weeks of pondering, debate, and research.
My problem is that I have trouble staying active in winter. I’m not a big daily walker, and I like to have something extra going on to propel me forward. That’s why I’m such an avid cyclist. In summer months, I’m known to bike everyday and take a ride up to my local cafe. (Yes, I like to combine exercise with coffee or food.) I’m also not a big runner, and I hate the gym.
That’s why the Salomon Snowscape Poligrip Nordic Skis are such a good fit for me. Several times this winter, I would start out cross-country skiing on one side of a lake in my town, and then set a goal to end up at a cafe in my town. I knew that some scrambled eggs and toast were waiting for me on the other side. That was all the motivation I needed.
I loved using the Snowscape Posigrip Nordic Skis. For starters, they seem to offer the right amount of grip on snow that worked well for me. They didn’t feel too slick and yet they also didn’t grip the snow so much that I felt like I couldn’t glide. To be honest, I’m not that great at cross-country skiing and sometimes feel like I could take a spill into the snow quite easily. Not so much with these skis, which helped me feel more secure. In fact, I would glide right over the surface and push myself off with both poles like I was in the Olympics.
I liked everything about this product. I tested the Salomon Escape Plus Prolink boots, which felt warm even in sub-zero temps. Snapping into the skis could not be any easier. They clicked right into place without much effort. Modern technology has improved to the point where you barely have to think about it — no latches or springs to worry about. Disconnecting is just as straightforward — with a simple push of the pole I was free and clear.
I loved how light the skis are — only 4-pounds for both (minus bindings). That reminded me, once again, of a lightweight bike that doesn’t add any extra bulk or make the sport harder to get into. The skis, for me, just disappeared entirely and I was mostly focused on my heading.
The poles helped a ton. I used the Salomon Escape Nordic Poles, which are so light I barely even noticed them in my hands. At just over seven ounces each, they really made the experience much more enjoyable and stayed secure in my hands.
Look, I don’t claim to be an expert on this sport, and I think that’s why I came away so impressed. I don’t really know what I’m doing on skis, but this is a product that is so simple to use and well-designed that you don’t really need to know a lot about skiing. And yet, for those who are old pros at this sport, there’s also a lot to like. The skis and poles are super light, and the grip for me was just perfect on a winter lake and also at a park by my house.
If the product required actual expertise, I’d be worried. I wanted the sport to be just as simple and fun as biking in the summer months, and that’s exactly what I experienced. I’m hooked for good, mostly because it doesn’t take any work to learn how to ski, to use the product, or to get a good workout. I didn’t even feel like I was working. And the eggs were outstanding.
