Tour-skating gear

Tour-skating gear is a composite — not just skates, but a complete safety system meant to work both on good ice and if you go through. The main rule is simple: everything comes along, every trip. Missing kit is not saving money — it is risk. But once the system is in place, tour skating is one of the safest winter outdoor activities there is, because going through is usually not serious if you are prepared.

For the newcomer, the most common beginner’s mistake is to invest in gear based on what you think you need without having skated a season first. Classic: buying a complete package for 12,000 kr, then discovering after 2–3 trips that you would rather skate with a club, or that the winter is too mild that year. Smarter: hire gear from Foreningen Turskøyting or a local DNT chapter for your first season, and buy once you know what you actually want.

Complete gear list

For a typical tour-skating trip you need:

1. Tour skates — long, low skate blades (around 40–50 cm) fixed to backcountry/cross-country ski boots. Steadier than hockey/figure skates.

2. Ski boots — ordinary BC backcountry ski boots work.

3. Bindings — NNN-BC (Rottefella) is dominant; also 75 mm 3-pin.

4. Ice pole (isstav) — heavier than a ski pole, with a steel point. The most important piece of safety equipment.

5. Ice claws (ispigger) round the neck with a whistle — for self-rescue.

6. Throw line (kasteline) 20–25 m in a throw bag — for companion rescue.

7. Waterproof bag with a full change of clothes in the rucksack — gives buoyancy and secures a dry change.

8. Rucksack with crotch strap and chest strap — 30–50 l, with attachment points.

9. Helmet — recommended against falls.

10. Knee and elbow guards — recommended.

11. Outdoor clothing — layered, wool next to the skin, windproof outer shell, gloves, hat.

12. Whistle — round the neck together with the claws.

13. Phone in a waterproof bag.

Total cost for a complete new package: 6,000–12,000 kr. The second-hand market is good value — tour-skating gear is durable.

Skates — types and makers

Tour skates differ fundamentally from hockey and figure skates:

Length and height — tour skates are long (45–55 cm) and low. This gives stability and glide over long distances. Hockey skates are short and high for quick turns; figure skates are short and high for jumps and rotation — both are wrong for touring.

Blade profile — flatter than sports skates. Less rocker, more contact with the ice for steadier glide.

Mounting system — the skates are not part of a boot; they fix to ordinary backcountry ski boots via a binding.

Classic makers:

Alfa Outdoor (Norwegian) — the Alfa Turskøyte is the classic Norwegian model. NNN-BC binding. New price: 3,500–5,000 kr.

Lundhags (Swedish) — the Lundhags T-Skate. A classic Swedish tour skate with a long history. New price: 4,000–6,000 kr.

Zandstra (Dutch) — Zandstra skates are popular for classic tour skating. New price: 3,000–5,000 kr.

Isvidda Flex (Swedish) — a modern flexible model.

For the newcomer: all of these makers deliver good quality. The main difference is blade profile and price. The second-hand market on Finn.no often has good offers.

Bindings and boots

NNN-BC (Rottefella) is the dominant binding for tour skates in Norway. The same system as for backcountry cross-country skis (fjellski) with a BC binding — which means that if you already have fjellski gear, you can use the same boots.

75 mm 3-pin is the older standard. Still popular among traditionalists and for those who want to use the same boots for both fjellski and tour skates.

Ski boots — ordinary BC backcountry ski boots (Crispi, Alfa, Madshus) work. They need steady enough support around the ankle to give control on the skate. Price: 1,500–3,500 kr new.

For those who already have fjellski gear: the threshold is very low. You only need to buy the skates themselves and the rest of the safety equipment.

Ice pole

The ice pole (isstav) is the most important piece of safety equipment. Different from a ski pole in several ways:

Thicker shaft — heavier construction to withstand blows against the ice.

Steel point at the end — a sharp point that can ‘jab’ a hole in the ice to read its thickness.

Length — typically 130–160 cm, longer than an ordinary ski pole.

Home-made alternatives — a chisel from the hardware shop mounted on a broom handle works. A traditional Norwegian DIY solution that many experienced tour skaters have made themselves.

New price: 600–1,200 kr. Classic maker: Lundhags. DIY versions often cost under 200 kr in materials.

To use it: strike hard against the ice in front of you. If the ice does not break on one or two blows, you can normally go on. If the pole goes through, note what type of ice it was and how thick it was.

Ice claws and throw line

Ice claws (ispigger) are small sharp points on a short handle, fastened round the neck with a whistle. Used to pull yourself up onto the edge of the ice when going through.

How: hold the claws in front of you, drive them into the ice, and use them like ‘claws’ to pull yourself forward onto stronger ice. Without ice claws it is nearly impossible to get up onto bare ice — they are life-saving.

New price: 200–400 kr. Home-made versions with sharp nails also work.

A throw line (kasteline) is a line of 20–25 metres, packed in a throw bag with a throwing weight at the end. Used for companion rescue.

How: if someone in the group goes through, you throw the line so they can grab hold. The line is already attached to the person in the water via the chest strap on the rucksack, so when you pull, you pull them up.

New price: 400–800 kr.

For those who want to build skill in using it: take a plumpekveld or a rescue course through Foreningen Turskøyting. Throwing with precision under stress is a skill that takes practice.

The rucksack system — buoyancy aid in the water

The rucksack with a waterproof change of clothes is not just for warm clothing — it is your buoyancy aid when you are in the water.

Why it works: a waterproof bag of clothes gives buoyancy. When you have the rucksack on your back and fall through the ice, the rucksack helps keep you afloat while you get yourself out with ice claws.

Requirements for the rucksack:

30–50 litres capacity
Chest strap that stops the rucksack sliding over your head in the water
Hip belt to keep the rucksack steady
Crotch strap — many specialised tour-skating rucksacks have this for extra security

Waterproof bag inside the rucksack:

Canoe bag or dry bag of heavy PVC/nylon
Complete change of clothes — underwear, mid layer, outer layer, socks
Spare hat and gloves

Packing strategy: pack the change of clothes tightly so the bag is full of air (gives more buoyancy). Pack so that you can change quickly once you are back up on safe ice.

For the newcomer: this is not an optional comfort detail — it is life insurance. The rucksack with a waterproof change of clothes is the difference between a minor mishap and a life-threatening situation.

Protection — helmet, knees, elbows

Falls on hard ice can be serious. Classic protection:

Helmet — recommended, especially on hard ice and in steep-terrain areas. A ski helmet or climbing helmet works; the classic choice for tour skating is a simple, light ski helmet. Price: 600–1,200 kr.

Knee guards — for forward falls. Price: 200–500 kr.

Elbow guards — for falls to the side. Price: 200–500 kr.

For the newcomer: most falls in tour skating happen when getting on and off the ice, not during the glide. Protection is recommended all the same, because the consequences of a fall on hard ice can be greater than on snow.

Clothing

For tour skating:

Base layer — wool or synthetic underwear. Not cotton.

Mid layer — fleece jacket or light down jacket. A light warming layer that copes with movement.

Outer layer — windproof shell, preferably waterproof too.

Gloves or mittens — winter-suited. Fingers are vulnerable, especially if you fall in the water.

Hat and neck gaiter — for head and neck.

Ski boots with warm socks — especially on long days.

Spare change of clothes in a waterproof bag — as described above.

For longer trips: a flask of hot drink is underrated. You sit still in cold air temperatures for many hours.

Used vs new

Used tour-skating gear is usually a good choice:

Safe to buy used — skates (check for cracks), ice pole, throw line (check for wear), protection, rucksack.

Consider carefully — bindings (check they work well), ice claws (check that the points are sharp).

Second-hand market:

Finn.no — the classic
Foreningen Turskøyting’s Facebook group — adverts from members
Local skating groups — often sales or loans between members
DNT chapters — some hire out gear to members

For the newcomer: hire first, buy after your first season. Many Foreningen Turskøyting groups and DNT Oslo have a hire system for new skaters.

Maintenance

Tour-skating gear needs maintenance to last:

Skates — sharpen the blades regularly (or have a workshop do it). Blunt blades give poor glide and poorer control.

Bindings — check for wear. Replace every 5–10 seasons depending on use.

Ice pole — check that the point is sharp. Sharpen or replace if necessary.

Ice claws — sharp and working. Replace after rust or a poorly working clip.

Rucksack — check the waterproofing of the bag. Closures, seams, attachment points.

Helmet — replace after one serious fall, or after 10 years.

For those who do a lot of tour skating: invest in regular maintenance. It is the difference between gear that lasts 5 years and gear that lasts 15.

Next steps

If tour skating is new to you: hire gear through Foreningen Turskøyting or a local DNT chapter for your first season. You discover what you need without committing yourself.

If you have skated a season and want to buy: invest in basic quality — skates, ice pole, ice claws, throw line, rucksack. Knee/elbow guards and a helmet can come later.

To build skill with the gear: take a plumpekveld or a rescue course. You learn how to use each part under stress. Self-rescue and companion rescue goes through the procedures.

For more practical guidance: ice safety goes through how to use the ice pole to read ice.

Learn more

Text: Snuitide (2026).