what's here

 - Basics -- What kind of skier are you? 
 - Waxable versus waxless?  Width of skis? 
 - How to purchase Classic skis 

 - Checkpoint 1 
 - Checkpoint 2 
 - Checkpoint 3 

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My story 

I never thought much about the fit of Classic skis.  Most of my experience over the years was with purchasing and using skis for downhill turns in the backcountry -- with issues and questions very different from skis for striding on groomed tracks. 

I had seen the 2-step paper test and 2-step Fischer machine test used, but I didn't pay much attention to the details, or why it might or might not be a good idea. 

Then I got serious about getting good grip, and worked through many exercises and technique ideas to solve the problems I was having -- without me or anybody else raising the possibility that perhaps my skis just did not fit me. 

That's why the fit thing started feeling like a "secret" to me. 

Then I saw some controversy on the rec.skiing.nordic discussion group about the 2-step versus the 3-step fit methods, and whether the "paper test" or different specialized ski-fit machines are effective. 

And it occurred to me that none of the methods or machines I had seen was directly measuring what really matters for ski performance:  the distribution of pressure along the length of the ski under different magnitudes and positions of down-force through the binding.  (A special puzzle for me was why the fact that the bottom of the ski was pressed down close enough to a hard surface to trap a piece of paper or metal slider -- why that should be taken as proving that the ski could apply significant grip-force against snow.) 

Then I actually bought a new pair of Classic racing skis, from the best dealer using the best fit machines and methods I knew about.  Yet two weeks later I saw a comment on rec.skiing.nordic which made me think I'd bought them too stiff. 

So what started out as something obvious ("Get skis that fit"), had become for me a mysterious "secret". 

What I'm offering below is not the "right" answer for ski fit.  All it is is a collection of the best methods I've been exposed to so far -- together with some concepts and physics analysis which might explain why each one is helpful for decision-making.  I do not know all the "right" fit methods, but at least I can try to point out some mistakes to avoid. 

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Importance of Fit  

  • If my skis are fit wrong for my body and my skiing style, it can be tough to do well in Classic striding. 

The reason is that a Classic ski is trying to switch between two contradictory modes (grip and glide) while pointing in one straight direction -- and without using a mechanical switch (to keep it light and simple).  

Making this mode "switch without a switch" requires clever use of body weight and pressure changes.  The first depends on my body and the second on my skiing style -- that's why the classic ski I'm using has to be a reasonable fit to both. 

No ski can a perfect match for me in all conditions -- but if I've got a major mis-match, I have to use a lot of cleverness and effort to compensate.  

So how can I (and you) avoid skis that fit wrong? 

Below is what I've found out so far about fitting skis . . . 

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Advice 

I didn't feel right saying "good ski fit is important" without referring to some place that gave some detail of an approach for how to get a good fit -- or at least avoid a bad fit.  But so far I haven't found that approach yet on the Web or in one of the popular English-language books.  So here's an attempt to write down what I've found out from various sources . . . 

Basics 

Shuffler -- You enjoy getting out on the cross country ski tracks, and you have no interest in working on a new technique.  You already know how to walk -- and you want to just use that motion on the snow, and get some enjoyable exercise on a winter day. 

Strider -- You want to get some rhythm and glide in your striding on the snow, and go a little faster than just walking.  You already know how -- or you're interested in working on learning the technique. 

Racer -- You want to push your limit on speed and efficiency.  If this requires learning extra special techniques, or doing special off-season exercises, that's your game. 

Skater -- You want to skate on snow with skis.  (That's a whole different kind of cross-country skiing, and uses a whole different kind of skis, with a whole different approach to proper fit.  This page isn't for you.)  

If you are a "Shuffler", then you should almost always get waxless skis.  

The two reasons are that a Shuffler will usually do best on a rather soft ski -- and if this ski were waxable, then the wax would quickly wear off.  Second, a skier who cannot be bothered to learn technique probably cannot be bothered with waxing. 

If you are a "Strider", then your first pair of Classic striding skis should probably be waxless, unless you live in an area that normally has temperatures which remain consistently below freezing during the months you like to ski.  

The reason is that it's messy to use special grip substances to handle temperatures warmer than freezing; and tricky to handle temperatures in transition between below and above freezing. 

If you are a "Strider", and you live in an area which usually has some stretches of temperature days consistently below freezing, then it might make sense for your second pair of skis to be waxable -- if you like the feel of gliding faster and longer. 

If you are a "Racer", then you doubtless already know that serious racers almost always use waxable skis, and endure whatever trickiness and messiness this requires -- in the name of speed. 

But if you are a Racer in an area that frequently goes above freezing, you still might want to have a pair of waxless skis for convenience on training days. 

  • Width of skis 

If you know you're only going to do your Classic striding in groomed set tracks, or you are a "Racer", you can get your skis fairly narrow, like less than 50 mm wide at their widest point. 

If you want to feel free to make your own tracks in ungroomed snow on some days -- like ski on a golf course -- then you'll likely be happier if you buy your skis a little wider, so you don't sink so deeply down into the snow.  I've usually been happy with skis in the range of 55-65 mm at their widest point for this purpose, and found I could also use those skis in groomed set tracks. 

If you want to use your skis mainly for exploring ungroomed backcountry trails, you may find that you want them even wider than 65 mm -- to get more surface area, and thus more "flotation" in the soft snow. 

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How to purchase skis 

  • How to purchase a pair of Classic skis that fit you and your skiing style

The ideas on this page are not a complete guide to selecting a pair of skis that fit you. 

What you really need is a good cross country ski shop: with a person there knowledgeable and experienced in ski selection and fit -- and skis of the kind you want in several different sizes and/or flexes. 

The ideas in this page can help supplement the advice of the person at the shop, and they might help warn you away from an un-helpful shop or person, but they cannot substitute for the advice of an experienced ski technician who can work closely with you on your specific style and learning path, your needs and hopes, and about specific models and pairs of skis.  

  • For Classic skis, we definitely recommend checking out the actual skis yourself physically on location at the store before selecting and purchasing them.  

It's theoretically possible to get a good fit over the phone or Web, but we recommend doing it on-location in a store because: 

(a) Variations in manufacturing -- Even if some manual says it's the right ski flex and size for your weight and style, there are variations in the manufacturing process.  So you've got better odds if you check out the ski yourself with the help of a knowledgeable local ski technician. 

(b) Context of the store's stock -- If you can see that the store has several different sizes or flexes of the kind of ski you want, then you can check out two or three of them -- and you do not have the danger that the dealer over the phone or the Web has only one size remaining (and you cannot know that) -- and that dealer might be tempted to push that on you even though it's not really right. 

(c) Measurements -- Since it's very helpful to have some measurements (see below) of ski flex and fit -- for adjusting your technique and tuning your ski performance later -- you might as well take those measurements right there in the store.  So bring two pieces of paper and a pencil and a tape measure and an indelible marking pen along with you, and insist that the store representative help you take the measurements. 

Better yet, bring a second person along with you -- to help you with the measurements, and help you not to forget any key steps in the fit - selection process. 

If you end up purchasing the skis, before you take them home, have the store technician draw the measurement marks on both sides of each ski (and also on the top of each ski, since the marks on the side end up getting worn off or cleaned off). 

Preliminaries 

  • Are skis fitted by how tall you are, or by how high you can reach? 

The answer is that the ski has no way of "feeling" how tall you are.  So for fitting Classic skis the main thing that matters is your weight and how the ski flexes in response to your weight and skiing style. 

But often a ski shop technician will start by asking you to reach up with your hand, or ask how tall you are.  The traditional reason for this was to avoid embarrassing their customer by asking them their weight. 

So if this happens, you can tell them that you want to have your skis fit according to your weight and flex response.  

If the store technician persists that his "reach" or "height" approach is correct, that's Strike One against him. 

  • If you see that the store has a special ski fitting device, that's a good sign.  

Do not be surprised if the store technician does not mention it -- but then say that you've heard that it's a good idea to use it. 

If the store technician does not know how to use it, or insists that there's no need to use it, that's Strike Two against him.  Actually it is not unusual for some store technicians to not know -- I'd suggest requesting another technician, since most stores with a nice ski fitting device also have one person around who knows how to use it. 

Different kinds of fit devices: 

The Fischer device I've seen in three reputable shops seems to me like an easier more reliable way to do the "paper test" and its measurements.  

Flex-test device:  I've heard there's also another flex-test machine that can apply well-measured forces on the ski other than the skier's full body weight (or half of that).  I've never seen it, but it does seem to me that having the additional control and numerical measurement of down-force is a more helpful and reliable way to select ski fit.  Unfortunately it seems that few shops have such a device -- so most of the procedures given on this page are for the Fischer device and the paper test. [ see discussion ] 

In case you do find one of these flex-test devices that can measure down-force, I recall an article in The Master Skier magazine by Peter Hale, who suggested something like this: 

- - seeing the ski base close to the floor under a down-force of 65-80% of the skier's body weight is a good flex for dry snow.

- - seeing it "close" under a down-force of 75-95% is a good flex for hard snow.  

But that magazine is targeted for racers, so perhaps "normal" skiers should tend toward the low end of those ranges. [ see discussion ] 

If the store has no special fitting device, you can still get some useful fit-selection information by doing the "paper test" on a hard flat floor. 

If the store technician insists that the "paper test" and measurements be done on a carpet, or on a floor which is clearly not flat, that's Strike Three -- since it's rather tricky to interpret the observations on a carpet. 

  • Once you've found one ski whose size and flex is close to your ideal fit, also check out another ski that might "bracket" your best fit. 

So if you find one ski which is OK but a bit toward the stiff side, try your second ski shorter or softer.  If you find one ski which is OK but a bit toward the soft side, try your second ski longer or stiffer. 

  • Problems with fit devices and test procedures 

The fundamental problem with the fit devices and paper test procedures that I know about so far is that they do not directly measure what's really important for ski performance (especially grip friction) -- namely the pressure distribution on the base of the ski under different magnitudes and positions of down-force. 

It's really not enough to know which sections of the ski are in contact with the floor (or close enough to stop a piece of paper).  What we really want to know is how "firm" is the contact, how forceful the contact at different points.  To really measure that, I think we would need a bare minimum of five separate pressure sensors at different points along the base of the ski, and nine sensors would be much better. 

So instead the fit devices and paper test measure what's easy -- and from that we make inferences about the pressure distribution.  That's part of what makes the discussion below complicated. 

Another problem is that while the fit devices and paper test do provide a somewhat plausible simulation for what happens with the ski on hard snow, they do not simulate soft snow -- so that's another aspect of ski performance about which we have to make inferences. 

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Basic fit checkpoints and measurements 

  • These are only ideas and possible checkpoints.  

Each manufacturer has different guidelines for the correct fit of their skis. 

The approach described here is often called the "paper test", and it is frequently used.  There may be other tests using other devices -- and possibly those might be more accurate and helpful for you. 

The physical measurement that really matters is the distribution of pressure along the base of the ski under different weight distributions and force magnitudes applied by the skier.  The "paper test" approach described here is only a simplified way to make some inferences about the pressure distribution.  

Anything you can measure or check on dry land inside a ski store or on your kitchen floor is at best a rough approximation of what you might measure on a ski in motion on varying snow under constantly changing forces and twists from the skier. 

  • Checkpoints versus Measurements? 

If you are a "Shuffler", then all that matters is the checkpoints -- no need to bother taking measurements. 

If you are a "Strider" fitting waxless skis, then actual measurements are interesting and helpful, but not critical. 

If you are a "Strider" selecting waxable skis for purchase, then actual measurements will be helpful for your future waxing procedures -- like which sections of the base to put grip wax, how thick to put it on. 

If you already own the waxable skis, then you have the option of simply marking the endpoints of the "zone" from each checkpoint procedure on each ski (on the top as well as the sides), and recording the exact measurement numbers is less important. 

If you are a "Racer", then actual measurements or markings are very useful in selecting skis and fine-tuning waxing for race day. 

  • What you need for the "paper test" 

A partner to help. 

A "normal-thickness" sheet of paper, like from a writing pad or computer printing.  Cut off a piece about 2 inches by 4 inches (or 5 cm by 10 cm).  This is why it's called the "paper test". 

A tape measure (if you're taking measurements). 

A way to write down the measurements. 

Optional: 

- - a pencil to make visible marks 

- - for waxable skis, an indelible pen which can write on the ski (to mark the grip zone) 

  • If you don't have a special ski test device, you need a hard floor which is flat. 

It is not unreasonable to think that measurements and checks of ski flex done on a hard floor are correlated with the flex of the ski on hard snow.  

But a ski plowing through soft snow is much trickier, so we do not attempt to find a dry land test environment which directly correlates to that situation. 

  • For best use of the measurements, you must identify the midpoint of the ski. 

But if you mostly just want to do the checkpoints, this is less important.  For waxless skis, the measurements are less important.  

The "midpoint" could be either a special manufacturer's mark; or it could be the balance point of the ski, or it could be "chord center" -- the measured halfway point between tip and tail.  

But if you're marking the zones directly on your own skis, then you don't need to have a special midpoint mark. 

Which of these definitions you use is not critical, as long as you get an identifiable point which is visible (mark it with masking tape?) and near where the toe of the binding would be mounted, and one which you could find later on another day. 

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Checkpoint 1 

  • Procedure for Checkpoint 1 

(1) Place both skis down on the ski test device, or on a hard flat floor. 

If you identified the midpoint of the ski, position the skis so that the midpoint of at least one of the skis is right next to a visible mark on the floor (or put a piece of tape down?)  

(2) You stand on both skis comfortably erect with toes near the mid-point, with your weight evenly distributed between the two skis, and with your weight roughly centered over both the heel and toe of each foot. 

Find that "normal-thickness" piece of paper about 2 inches by 4 inches (or 5 cm by 10 cm).  Do not fold it. 

(3) Your partner puts the paper under one of the skis, starting somewhere underneath your foot.  

Your partner slides the piece of paper forward as far as it will go until it gets stopped by the ski base touching the ground.  Note the point reached by the forward edge of the paper.  Measure the distance from the mark on the floor and write it down. 

(4) Next your partner slides the piece of paper backward as far as it will go until it gets stopped by the ski base touching the ground.  Note the point reached by the backward edge of the paper.  Measure the distance from the midpoint mark on the floor and write it down. 

(5) Add up the two measurements to get the total length of this "zone".  (If you did not have a mid-point mark, you can just measure once, between the farthest forward edge and the farthest backward edge of the paper.) 

  • Interpreting Checkpoint 1 

If you are a "Shuffler" and you are fitting waxless skis: 

then the key thing to notice is the range between the forward-backward paper moves versus the range of the ridged waxless pattern on the bottom of the ski.  If the paper-move range is larger, that might indicate that the skis are too stiff for easy shuffling. 

If the range of the ridged waxless pattern is longer than the paper-move pattern, that's usually good for shuffling.  Indeed for the very easiest grip when shuffling, the longer the ridged waxless pattern the better -- it could perhaps even cover the whole length of the ski.  Often this won't let you glide so fast, but perhaps you didn't want that anyway. 

You can also notice the measured length of the paper-move range.  If it's more than 21.5 inches (or 55 cm) or more than 30% of the length of the ski, that might indicate that the skis are too stiff for easy shuffling. 

If you are a "Strider" and you are fitting waxless skis: 

then the key thing to notice is the range between the forward-backward paper moves versus the range of the ridged waxless pattern on the bottom of the ski.  If the paper-move range is exactly the same as the waxless pattern range, that's often a good sign. 

If the paper-move range is much larger, that might indicate that the skis are too stiff, or that the waxless pattern is more designed for racers.  

If the range of the ridged waxless pattern is longer than the paper-move pattern, then part of the pattern will always be in contact with the ground when you are gliding, so often you won't glide as fast.  This could be good or bad, on your goals.  But good Classic striding technique does include a glide phase, so if learning that glide is one of your goals then you probably don't want skis whose fit is skewed too far this way. 

If you are a "Strider" and you are fitting waxable skis: 

then the actual measurement of the range between the forward and backward paper moves is worth thinking about.  The reason is that it is not unreasonable to think that any part of base outside this range will always be in contact with the snow surface whenever the ski is on hard snow.  So any grip wax you put outside this range is likely to get rubbed off pretty quickly.  (Actually even some of the base inside this range is going to sliding on the snow pretty frequently, so on abrasive snow your long-term reliable grip zone is even smaller). 

Wax pocket -- This range between the forward-backward paper moves is a good first approximation of your "wax pocket" -- your normal zone for applying grip wax (where it won't get rubbed off quickly) for firm or hard snow conditions.  If you own the skis, you can mark the two boundaries right on the ski with an indelible marker (on the top as well as the sides) and then use them later as your main guideline for waxing. 

Therefore you do not want this zone to be too small, since normally the larger proportion of the ski which has grip wax, the better grip you get.   Some measurements I've seen or heard of for racing skis are in the 19.5-23.5 inches (50-60 cm).  A hard-snow grip wax zone smaller than that could be a sign that this pair of waxable skis is not a good fit for you -- because too much of your grip wax is going to rub off. 

A guideline I saw in a magazine article was that the this wax pocket should extend back to about 4-5 cm behind the heel of the boot, and forward toward the tip of the ski from your toe about the same length as your boot. 

If the grip wax zone is too large, that could be a sign that the tip and tail are going to dig deeply into soft snow, which could make handling downhill turns difficult. 

Compare the forward measurement and the backward measurement:  Are they about the same, or is one much larger?  Is the grip wax zone centered around the midpoint and the toe of your binding, or is the center more forward or backward? 

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Checkpoint 2 

  • Procedure for Checkpoint 2 

Leave both skis down on the ski test device, or on a hard flat floor, as for Checkpoint 1. 

(1) You stand with all your weight on one ski,  comfortably erect with toes near the mid-point, the weight roughly centered between the heel and toe of the foot.  You probably need to touch something (often your measuring partner) with your hand for balance -- but keep the touch soft so it doesn't affect your weight distribution. 

Use that same "normal-thickness" piece of paper about 2 inches by 4 inches (or 5 cm by 10 cm).  Do not fold it. 

(2) Your partner puts the paper under one of the skis, starting somewhere underneath your foot.  If this is not possible, then step up off the ski so your partner can get it underneath, then step back on and get back into balance on the one ski. 

Your partner slides the piece of paper forward as far as it will go until it gets stopped by the ski base touching the ground.  Note the point reached by the forward edge of the paper.  Measure the distance from the mark on the floor and write it down. 

(3) Next your partner slides the piece of paper backward as far as it will go until it gets stopped by the ski base touching the ground.  Note the point reached by the backward edge of the paper.  Measure the distance from the midpoint mark on the floor and write it down. 

(4) Add up the two measurements.  (If you did not have a mid-point mark, you can just measure once, between the farthest forward edge and the farthest backward edge of the paper.) 

  • Interpreting Checkpoint 2 

If you are a "Shuffler" and you are fitting waxless skis: 

then if your partner could even fit the piece of paper underneath the ski at all, it's pretty likely that these skis are too stiff for easy shuffling.  It's pretty likely you're going to have to learn some "technique" to use them effectively. 

If you are a "Strider": 

then the range between the forward-backward paper moves should be pretty small.  The usual guideline for non-racers is that this single-ski paper-move range should be zero -- the paper should just be stuck under your foot.  So if you're seeing any movement of the paper, there's a good chance these skis are too stiff for you -- and if these skis are mainly for soft snow, then it's more than a good chance. 

You might be tempted to think that as long as the grip zone is mostly touching the hard snow, then that's good enough.  But that's not how friction works.  It's not enough to be barely touching -- you only get good grip if you're getting lots of weight and force through to the ground -- lots more than just enough to barely stop a piece of paper.  So if your grip zone is just barely touching, then the additional force is going to have to be supplied by your own extra work -- every single time you want to push with that ski. 

If you are a "Strider" and you are fitting waxable skis: 

then start with the general interpretation for "Striders" above. 

If you're going to allow some non-zero paper-move range on this checkpoint, it's likely because you really like fast glide, you've got strong poling capability, and you've got precise striding and hill-climbing technique.  And perhaps you already own a pair of softer skis. 

If you got a non-zero paper-move range, compare the forward measurement and the backward measurement:  Are they about the same, or is one much larger?  Is the grip wax zone centered around the midpoint and the toe of your binding, or is the center more forward or backward? 

Sometimes a skier likes to put a softer grip wax on just a small portion of the grip wax zone.  Knowing the location and size of this paper-move range might help you decide where to apply some softer wax where it would less frequently slide on the snow.  

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Checkpoint 3 

  • Procedure for Checkpoint 3 

Leave both skis down on the ski test device, or on a hard flat floor, as for Checkpoint 1. 

Actually there's two versions of this Checkpoint: 

3(a) -- If your result for Checkpoint 2 was zero (the paper was stuck), then do everything just like Checkpoint 2, but try to focus all your weight through the heel of your foot. 

3(b) -- If your result for Checkpoint 2 was positive (the paper could be moved), then do everything just like Checkpoint 2, but try to focus all your weight through the toe of your foot. 

  • Interpreting Checkpoint 3 

If you are a "Shuffler" and you are fitting waxless skis: 

then presumably you did version 3(a).  If the paper was stuck again, with a paper-move range of zero, that's likely a good sign for shuffling.  If the paper can move a little, that could be a sign that these skis are bit too stiff for happy shuffling -- but it might be OK if you're an "aggressive" Shuffler. 

If you are a "Strider": 

If you did version 3(a), then it's not so clear how to interpret the result.  It might help you decide which way you want to err, on the soft side or the stiff side. 

If you did version 3(b), and you still got some non-zero movement of the paper, then this pair of skis is definitely too stiff for you (unless you are a strong and sophisticated racer). 

Key info for controlling grip versus glide: 

It can help your technique with this ski to know what weight distribution puts the most pressure on the wax pocket. 

Whichever version of Checkpoint 3 you did already, now do the other version, so you the have the results from both 3(a) and 3(b), as well as Checkpoint 2.  

So now you have tried three weight distributions:  spread over your whole foot, focused on the heel, and focused on the toe.  

- - Which distribution had the largest paper-move range?  That's the one you can use when you want the best glide or you want to reduce the rubbing off of grip wax. 

- - Which distribution had the smallest paper-move range?  That's the one you can use when you want the best grip. 

For more on this grip-versus-glide control, see the page on wax pocket.  

If you are fitting waxable skis: 

If you got a non-zero paper-move range, this could be helpful for waxing. Sometimes a skier likes to put a softer grip wax on just a small portion of the grip wax zone.  Knowing the location and size of this paper-move range might help you decide where to apply some softer wax where it would less frequently slide on the snow. 

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and More . . . 

For most skiers, whether they get slower glide or faster glide, they just get used to it and learn to enjoy whatever it is.  Unless they ski a lot right next to other skiers who are getting different glide (like racers). 

But when most skiers are not getting good grip, they immediately notice it and find it pretty frustrating. 

You might be tempted to think that as long as the grip zone is touching the hard snow, then that's good enough.  But that's not how friction works.  It's not enough to be barely touching -- you only get good grip if you're getting lots of weight and force through to the ground -- lots more than just enough to barely stop a piece of paper.  So if your grip zone is just barely touching, then the additional force is going to have to be supplied by your own extra work -- every single time you want to push with that ski. 

And if it is only barely touching on hard snow, there's likely even less of your grip zone touching when it's soft snow -- because some of your weight and force down onto the grip zone gets diverted into compressing the snow instead of the ski, but the uncompressed snow doesn't help your grip zone because it's always first getting plowed down by the tip of your ski. 

  • Why do these checkpoints and measurements on skis you already own? 

Doing these measurements is a mild hassle, and actually most skiers do not do them. 

So why is it worth it to do these measurements? 

  • Because if your skis really do not fit you and your normal style, you want to know about it. 

1 - so you can know if some skiing problem you are having is due to your technique or due to your equipment. 

2 - so you can either sell or give your skis to somebody else, or else save those skis for some special conditions. 

3 - because even if the skis are not the best fit for you, if you do the measurements you will have some ideas about how to compensate so they're at least not so bad (e.g. put extra grip wax on skis that are a little stiff -- or less grip wax on skis a little soft).  

  • Because even if your skis are a reasonable fit for you, it's still worth knowing whether they're on the soft side or on the stiff side for you:  

1 - since that could help you tweak your technique or your waxing for different conditions. 

2 - so if you ever buy another pair of Classic skis, you know which gap you want them to fill. 

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