Up until this winter, the only skiing I had done was downhill (alpine), which requires a completely different set of gear than cross-country skiing. Since cross-country skiing is new to me, I have spent a fair bit of time researching and learning about how to buy cross-country ski equipment. I found several helpful websites but checked in with a local ski shop as well to make sure I was on the right track. Through my research I determined that to get the right gear for me I would have to consider the type of cross-country skiing I panned to do, what level of skier I was and my height and weight. 

There are three types of cross-country skiing: classic, skate and backcountry. Classic cross-country skis are the most recognizable of the three and are longer and slimmer than the other two. Classic skis are meant to be used in the tracks of groomed trails or on packed trails. Skate skis are shorter and have a lower tip than classic skis to support the quick and agile movements of pushing off their edges. Skate skiing is faster and for most people more of a workout than classic. And finally, backcountry skis are designed more for more off-track exploration of the hills and forest away from the trails. Backcountry skis are also shorter like skate skis but are wider than both classic and skate skis and usually have a metal edge, similar to alpine skis. To learn more about the different type of cross-country ski you can visit this website. 

To keep things simple, I decided to stick to classic style cross-country skiing. Once I decided on the classic style, I was able to find out exactly what length my skis and poles should be based on my height using the below equations: 

For skis: body size (cm) + 20-30 cm = ski length 

For poles: body size (cm) x 0.85 = pole length 

You can read more about this here. 

Because I was trying cross-country skiing for the first time and had no idea what to expect, I really wanted to find used equipment so that if it was not something I really enjoyed or saw myself doing very much, it was not a huge investment. I am lucky enough to have access to an amazing used/consignment outdoor store not too far away from me and was able to find a pair of boots that were my size and skis with poles that, although were a bit on the long end for my weight and height, seemed to work ok. Overall, I have been really happy with how my gear has worked out so far and was able to start a new hobby for very a very affordable price.