The first tour-skating outing has a high threshold for an independent start. That is not because the activity is technically difficult — the skating itself is straightforward, especially if you have a ski-trail background. But ice safety and self-rescue are skills you have to build before you set out alone, and an independent start without local knowledge is genuinely risky.

The clearly easiest way in is to join a group tour with Foreningen Turskøyting or a local DNT group. You hire kit, go out with experienced people who read the ice and can help if something goes wrong, and you quickly discover whether this is for you before you invest in equipment or in skills of your own.

For anyone new, the advice is simple: join a group tour before you do anything else. Take a fall-through practice evening and a theory course in the same season. After a season with 5–10 group tours you have the grounding to go out in company on your own. An independent solo outing is for later — and not always.

Choose the way in — a group tour is clearly easiest

For a typical first tour-skating outing:

Become a member of a local Facebook group — Turskøyting på Østlandet, Stålisgruppa Trøndelag, DNT Vansjø, or another local group. Membership is free and gives you access to ice reports and group-tour coordination.

Sign up for a group tour — typically through Foreningen Turskøyting (turskoyting.no), DNT Oslo, or a local group. Price from free (members’ tour) to NOK 200–400 (open tour for non-members).

Hire kit — many groups have a hire scheme for new members. Price typically NOK 200–400 per day for a complete set (skates, ice pole, ice claws, throw line, pack).

Turn up early — group tours often start with a kit check and an introduction before the outing itself.

Stay with the group — keep within the group, do not go out in front or fall behind on your own. Learn how experienced skaters read the ice, communicate, and keep a rhythm.

For anyone with experience of fjellski (backcountry skis): the kit overlaps (ski boots, BC bindings), so the threshold is low. The main thing to carry over is ice-reading and self-rescue.

Where and when — season and place

For a first outing:

Season: mid to late season (January–March) in your local area. Early season (November–December) is for the experienced — the ice is thinner and demands greater competence.

Place: a local lake or mountain tarn that a local group has assessed as safe. Classic ‘safe’ areas for a first outing:

Smaller mountain tarns with stable ice conditions and little exposure to current
A local lowland lake with confirmed load-bearing capacity (used for skating rinks or with documented ice)
Established tour-skating areas with ice reports and local infrastructure

Avoid the first time: large lakes with varied ice conditions (Mjøsa, Tyrifjorden in early season), areas exposed to current, fjords.

Weather: a clear, cold day is ideal. Wind or mild weather makes it demanding. Check the forecast and the local ice report before you set off.

For anyone who wants to plan ahead: the local Facebook group has daily ice reports. Active tour skaters share observations and route suggestions.

Kit — hire or buy?

For a first outing:

Hiring kit is clearly recommended. Advantages:

You discover what actually works for you without buying the wrong thing
Lower cost — NOK 200–400 vs. NOK 6,000–12,000
Lower threshold — no commitment to long-term use
You try different models before you buy

Where to hire:

Foreningen Turskøyting — hire for members
DNT Oslo og Omegn — hire in the Marka and around Oslo
Local skating groups — often informal, between members
Sports hire in mountain towns — rarer, but it occurs in Beitostølen, Geilo

Buying comes after:

5–10 outings in a season, so that you know the activity suits you
You have the grounding to judge which models suit you
You have practised at a fall-through practice evening and are confident with the system

For anyone who wants to buy after a first season: the second-hand market on Finn.no has good offers. A used complete set can cost NOK 3,000–6,000 — half the price of new.

Tour-skating kit goes through the choices in more detail.

Fall-through practice evening — practise self-rescue before you need it

A fall-through practice evening (plumpekveld) is a classic event where you practise breaking through and self-rescue under controlled conditions. Foreningen Turskøyting and DNT Oslo run this before each season.

Why you have to do it:

The cold-shock response means you panic the first time you fall into cold water
Self-rescue with ice claws requires muscle memory, not just knowledge
You discover whether your kit works before it becomes critical

What you practise:

A deliberate break-through with guidance
Using ice claws to pull yourself up
The seal-slide procedure before you stand up
A quick change of clothing from a waterproof bag
Buddy rescue with a throw line

Price: typically free for members, NOK 200–400 for non-members.

Timing: typically November–December before the start of the season.

For anyone new: this is not optional. A fall-through practice evening is the one investment that most directly makes tour skating safe.

Self-rescue and buddy rescue goes through the procedures in detail.

What to bring on your first outing

For a typical group tour, if you hire kit:

Hired kit:

Tour skates, ice pole, ice claws, throw line, pack

Your own kit:

Ski boots (or hired)
Winter-adapted clothing — base, mid and outer layers as for a ski tour
Hat, gloves or mittens
A complete dry change of clothing in a waterproof bag
A flask of a hot drink
Food/snacks
A minimal first-aid kit
A phone in a waterproof bag
A head torch with a spare battery

For anyone with ski-tour experience: the packing list overlaps a great deal. The main difference is the throw line, the ice claws, and the waterproof change of clothing as buoyancy aid.

What to do during the outing

Practical tips for a first group tour:

Arrive early — so you have time for a kit check and an introduction.

Listen to instructions — the group has local knowledge that you do not.

Stay with the group — do not go out in front or fall behind on your own. If you are tired, say so.

Listen to the sound of the ice — experienced skaters often comment on conditions along the way. You learn by listening.

Ask — trip leaders are used to explaining. About movement, ice-reading, kit.

Take breaks — if you get tired or cold, say so. Stops are normal, and the group adapts.

Change clothing if necessary — if you get wet or cold, change before you carry on.

For a typical first group tour: 2–4 hours, 10–25 km. Do not push yourself to longer outings — build up gradually.

After the first outing

If the first outing went well:

Join the next group tour — build a rhythm.
Take a fall-through practice evening if you have not already done so.
Take a theory course to build a solid foundation.
Become a member of Foreningen Turskøyting — it gives access to courses, resources, and community.

After 5–10 group tours in one season you have the grounding for:

Buying your own kit — you know what suits you
An independent outing in company — going out with friends who have similar experience
Longer outings — from 25 km to 50–100 km day trips

For anyone who did not find tour skating to be their thing: that is entirely fine. It is an activity with considerable thresholds (kit, knowledge, local conditions), and not everyone finds it interesting. A ski tour or a mountain hike are good alternatives.

If you go alone — after the first season

Foreningen Turskøyting advises against going alone on natural ice. If you are considering it after the first season:

Requirements:

Complete kit — ice claws, throw line, pack system, ice pole
A fall-through practice evening and a rescue course completed
Good local knowledge of the place and the season
A phone in a waterproof bag
Tell someone where you are going and when you are expected back

Restrictions:

Choose a safe area — known good ice, little exposure to current
Keep close to land
Short outings — not a 100 km day trip your first time alone
Stable weather — not a solo outing in mild weather or a storm

Never alone:

Early season with thin ice
Areas exposed to current
After mild weather
In a remote mountain tarn with no reception
When you are tired or distracted

For most tour skaters the rule is that longer outings or uncertain ice require company. Short outings on well-iced areas you know can be done alone with an appropriate margin.

Common questions

Do I need to be a strong skier? No. Tour skating requires endurance, but the technique is not difficult. You learn it in 1–2 outings.

Is it dangerous? With the right kit and knowledge it is among the safest winter outdoor activities. Without both it is genuinely dangerous.

What about a fear of heights? Not relevant. Tour skating takes place on flat ice.

What about poor balance? Tour skates are steadier than hockey or figure skates. Most people manage the rhythm on the first outing.

Do I need to be able to swim? Recommended. With complete kit (the pack as buoyancy aid, ice claws) a break-through is not serious even for moderate swimmers, but swimming ability gives extra calm.

How long does it take to become comfortable? After 5–10 group tours you are usually comfortable. After a whole season you have the grounding for independent practice.

Next steps

If tour skating is new to you: sign up for the next group tour through Foreningen Turskøyting or a local DNT group.

If you have done your first outing and want to go further: take a fall-through practice evening and a theory course. Build systematically through one season before you invest in your own kit.

For more guidance: ice safety goes through how to read the ice. Self-rescue and buddy rescue is the core of safety practice.

For classic outings: classic outings gives an overview of where the tour-skating community gathers.

Learn more

Text: Snuitide (2026).

Your first tour-skating outing