What to Wear | Cross Country Skiing - Gutsy Girls Recommended Gear

Have you been looking at our exciting cross country skiing trips and wondering what on earth to wear? Don’t worry we’ve got you!

We’ve put together some examples of the gear you’ll need to get you strapped to your skis and moving effectively along the tracks in comfort.

Remember to check with friends and family, they might have items you can borrow before investing in your own gear!

Please see these recommendations more as examples - there are plenty of options out there to suit every budget!

When we are cross country skiing we are very active and generating heat while out in the cold. In terms of body heat generation, it is like hiking at a good fast pace. While moving we get hot but then when we stop in the cold, we cool down quickly.

The mistake people often make is overdressing, getting too hot and sweaty whilst moving and then cooling off quickly and then feeling cold and damp at every stop. In addition, when we’re skiing with a group we may stop more frequently or for longer than you would if you were alone. Cross country skiing does NOT require
the same sort of clothing as down hill skiing. Cross country skiing generates much higher levels of body heat than downhill skiing and the warm, padded clothing for downhill skiing takes into account long stretches sitting still on chairlifts at the mercy of the weather - not needed whilst cross country skiing! Here we aim to give you suggestions to help you to be appropriately dressed for cross country skiing in Norway and therefore to be more comfortable.

Base Layers

Layers are vital for keeping warm and for regulating your temperature. The warmth comes from the air trapped between each layer, which heats up with your body heat and helps to keep you warm. The layers do not need to be thick, in fact a few thinner base layers work wonders under one thicker fleece or jumper (depending on how cold it is outside). Thinner layers also give you more control over your own temperature: If you get too hot, adjust the number of layers to the level of your physical effort and the weather. 

You need your base layer to be good at “wicking” - this means drawing the moisture (sweat!) away from your body to the fabric’s outer surface and drying rapidly so that your sweat doesn’t saturate the fabric.

Merino Wool:
The holy grail of layering material! Merino is excellent stuff – eco friendly, warm, antibacterial, lightweight, high wicking and breathable, so it makes an excellent choice for clothing whilst exercising in cold weather. Wool also keeps you warm even when it is wet (unlike cotton), so if you’re a bit sweaty, you’ll not chill off. It doesn’t come cheap though, unfortunately! Mountain Warehouse offer fairly good value or SportPursuit often have good quality merino in their sales.

Synthetic layers such as the Patagonia Women's Capilene Cool Trail Shirt is another great option. 

Stay away from cotton garments as cotton gets very cold when wet and takes a long time to dry!

Mountain Warehouse Base Layers

You will want to bring a choice of base layers which are quick drying and which wick moisture from your body; which you can layer on top of each other. This helps to keep your temperature regulated even if you’re sweaty while the air is cool outside.

If it is cold or you won’t be exerting yourself too much, a pair of base layer long johns; like those from Mountain Warehouse, will be needed too. The same goes for the base layers on your bottom half - they should be lightweight and great at wicking. 

Backpack

It is important to remember that even if it is chilly outside you will be working hard so try not to over-dress. Ensure you bring a daypack with you that has plenty of space for layers that you need to peel off and put away! We recommend a backpack of about 25 litres, not full when you start! You will always be able to stop to adjust your layers - it is important and can make a big difference to how much you enjoy your day. It is often beginners who over dress and yet frequently they are often working the hardest as their skiing hasn’t become efficient yet.

It is a really good idea to carry a couple of smaller, lightweight dry bags to keep the clothes in your backpack from getting wet.

Outer Layers

Avoid padded alpine ski jackets and trousers - these are designed to keep you warm while sitting on a chair lift and will be too hot! Look for a breathable shell jacket that protects from the weather conditions: wind, snow and cold.

Jacket

A windproof, waterproof, hiking shell type jacket is ideal, like this one from Cotswold Outdoor. A hood is very useful too - if it has armpit zips for extra breathability that’s even better! 

If it’s cold, you can layer your outer shell on top of a light insulated midlayer jacket.

Have a warm packable insulated jacket, made of down, or PrimaLoft synthetic down, in your backpack to put straight on when you take breaks or when you finish your session. This will help you keep from getting cold when you have stopped.

These padded jackets from Alpkit are excellent, or check out SportPursuit for discounts on other brands. Decathlon also sells good value down jackets.

Trousers

Outer trousers should be windproof, water repellent, breathable soft shell type fitted hiking or ski touring or specific nordic skiing trousers. Ideally these are a little loose so you can fit a warm base layer underneath.

We have found that the cross country skiing specific leggings can be too lightweight and not warm enough.

These touring specific trousers from Mammut are excellent and can sometimes be found on special offer from some online outlets. They are also perfect for our other winter activities like snowshoeing, so if you intend to do lots of winter trips we do recommend them.

Winter hiking trousers are also well suited - ensure they are wind- and water-proof like these from Decathlon.

Socks

You’ll need some good warm pairs of socks. These do not need to be too thick. We recommend thinnish socks reaching to mid-calf, made from wool, which is warm and breathable.  If you suffer from cold feet, loosen your laces on your boots a little to promote blood circulation.  

These socks from Glissshop are ideal, or a good, lightweight pair of calf length wool hiking socks would work fine too. Thin, wool, ski socks work well too. (Not thick ski socks though)

When packing for your holiday it may be worth bringing socks of different thickness to help you get the best fit in your hire boots. In case of sock or boot discomfort, do bring your favourite foot care product such as Compeed or moleskin for blisters, just in case you need them.

Sunscreen & Sunglasses

Even in the low light of a Norwegian winter we need to protect our eyes. The snow reflects the light from the sun making even a low light day surprisingly bright. Alpine ski goggles aren’t suitable for cross country skiing as they fog up, so make sure you bring a high quality pair of sunglasses to protect your eyes. 

Ensure you are using a high factor sunscreen on your face, and SPF lip protection is useful too.

Hat & Buff

These are essentials. We lose a lot of heat through our heads so wearing a hat keeps us warm and is also one of the quickest ways to regulate our temperature. 

Ears should be well protected. In warmer weather, a headband like a buff (other, cheaper, but just as good copies are also available!) keeps your ears covered and protected but limits overheating. 

A hat or a buff will stuff into a pocket so you can regulate your temperature without needing to take off your backpack.

Gloves or Mits

These are also essential kit. Specific cross country ski gloves work well as they are insulated and water resistant (be aware that they are sold for different seasons: winter and spring).  Lightweight alpine ski gloves would work too. If it is cold, normal ski gloves will be fine. Perhaps also bring some thinner gloves as an option because your hands may get very hot on less cold days.

If you suffer from cold hands you may prefer mittens rather than fingered gloves. 

Suffer from cold hands but don’t like mitts? A thin pair of merino glove liners like these ones from Icebreaker plus a pair of ‘lobster claw’ ski mitts are an excellent combination. 

Decathlon sell a variety of good value gloves designed for cross country skiing.

Carrying a second pair of gloves in your backpack is a good idea. Wet gloves / mitts can be cold so changing to a dry pair feels like a treat. 

Hand warmers (the thin disposable kind, right) are a good choice if you know your hands get cold. Decathlon sells these too