Cross-country skiing vet cautions Sask. residents to consult experts before buying online

Cross country skiing has become a perfect outdoor pastime to help fight off cabin fever during the COVID-19 pandemic, but one ski enthusiast in Saskatoon is cautioning about potentially sub-par equipment on the online market. 

Jan Sedgewick is the Ski in School co-ordinator for the Saskatoon Nordic Ski Club. She said that since the "feeding frenzy" on cross-country skis began, she's heard stories about people paying top dollar online for equipment that's decades out of date.

"There's a lot of people who have gone into their garage that have found equipment that's probably 30 to 40 years old, as far as the technology and the physics of how the equipment works," she said. "And people are uninformed, in a lot of cases, about what they're buying and what something is worth."

She said people may purchase equipment online only to realize later that companies no longer manufacture it and end up with sporting goods that can't be repaired and, therefore, can't be used.

With so many people wanting to get involved in the sport, she's worried people will jump at whatever is on offer.

Kevin Robinson, the owner of Eb's Source for Adventure in Saskatoon, said the demand for cross-country skis in the city started in the summer.

"We had so many people inquiring about skis, we decided to put skis out on the floor," he said. "This is the first time we've ever had skis out in August and it's sort of taken off from there.

He said the store sold seven ski packages on a single day in September and demand has just kept growing.

Robinson said the shop is essentially sold out of the equipment and noted orders set to arrive later in the season won't hit the shelves, as they've already been spoken for by customers.

"We have placed some orders with some ski factories in Finland and we're hopeful to have some more skis in the store for sale. Not until late January, early February though," he said. 

Sedgewick is continuing her crusade to ensure people have a good experience when purchasing cross-country skis, pointing them in the direction of their local ski shop for advice. She said the first experience is one of the most important.

Overall, the increased interest in the sport is a positive, she said. 

"It's just wonderful because it is a good sport," she said. "Once you've got your equipment, it's very inexpensive to do, so it's an opportunity for society, for our culture, to become more comfortable with winter."

Robinson encouraged those who are enjoying some of the city's trails at Kinsmen Park, Holiday Park Golf Course and Wildwood Golf Club to become a member of the Nordic Ski Club, as it's those volunteers who ensure the trails are ready to welcome skiers, both new and experienced.