excuse my english - swedish skates info needed

[wdavidse]

sorry about the english - as a Dutchman my Swedish is limited! Thanks

I am looking to take part in Vikingarännet 2005 and I would like to buy Swedish style skates for this. I currently have dutch style speed skates but gather these are as comfortable to skate a long tour over rough ice as Swedish skates.

The shoe I intend to buy is a Xcross country ski shoe with a removable blade. However there is so much choice in boots.... for instance http://www.almgrens.nl has a long list of different boots Salomon Pro Combi, Salomon Racing Skate 9 Model 2005, Salomon Racing Skate 9 Model 2005, Salomon X-Adventure etc...
Can anyone give me any tips on this? What about using either fixed / flexible blades where the heel comes up?
I have never Xcross countru skied before but do intend to do this so I would use the shoes for skiing as well at some stage.

Any help greatly appreciated -
also I am keen to hear any stories about where to skate in the Stockholm area (Norvikken?)

 

[Bertil]

Matter of taste

Hi Wout,

Are your speedskates free heel or fixed model? Free heel have become very popular the last years in the cross country skating business, most of us who have converted to free heel like it better than fixed, it takes some time to get used to it but then it´s a nice comfortable feeling, especially when you are carrying a rucksack.

Plus and minus Free heel
************************
+ Keeps the blade in contact with the ice longer and delivers more power per stride
+ Good for backpack skating (carrying load) longer ice contact for stand upright skating
+ "Forgiving" if you have bad techique (same as speedskates)
- Not good for beginners who want to learn the right skate technique
- Not all ski boots are suitable for free heel skating

Fixed heel
**********
+ Steady feeling, even on rough sea ice
+ Good for lerning right skate technique
+ Reliable mechanical construction
+ Easy to find suitable boots
- More knee bending for same speed as free heel
- Slow for skaters with insufficient skate techique

Another important detail, do you side adjust your speed skates? (blade-foot relationship) If you do, I suggest you check this when you are about to buy your new "långfärdsskridskor"

links
http://www.sssk.se/english/index.htm
http://lexin.nada.kth.se/swe-eng.shtml

Good luck and C U on the ice // Bertil

 

[thureb]

The shoes are more important.

I would recommend Salomon SNS-bindings and a skate where you can adjust the blade sideways for instance the Skyllermark blue skate. http://www.skyllermarks.com/english/index.htm

Salomon SNS Pilot bindings has a mechanism which returns the blade back to the heel firmer than just the sole of the shoe. A drawback on those shoes are the sole which can be very slippery for walking.

You can use a shockcord on an ordinary SNS binding which has the same effect.

See Bertils homepage for some photos. Maybe you can read and understand some of the swedish text too.


http://hem.bredband.net/skateside/sida1.jpg
http://hem.bredband.net/skateside/front.jpg
http://hem.bredband.net/skateside/stangt.jpg
http://hem.bredband.net/skateside/snoddfaste.jpg

You should also visit Krister Valtonens freeheel homepage.

http://w1.131.telia.com/~u13106411/langfard/loshal/

Good luck Thure