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Profiling Three Specialized Skimo Stores in North America

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Not long ago, all of North America was struggling to buy light ski mountaineering and ski touring gear. We were ordering online from Europe, dealing with language barriers, and hoping nothing breaks because the warranty process would be lengthy.
Another big issue was, getting our light weight bindings properly mounted once the gear arrived.
That has changed completely as today, there are three specialized light-weight ski mountaineering and touring shops in North America with both an online and brick-and-mortar presence:

Over the last couple of months, we visited all three and found that while they have lots of similarities they also have subtle differences that make them unique. All three stores are full of similar gear and have people that share a passion for moving fast in the mountains and having fun, the differences become apparent as soon as you walk inside.
We like all three and we encourage you to visit them in person when you get a chance.

Inside the Stores

Skimo.co

» Online store at http://skimo.co
Skimo.co founder, Jason Borro, comes from IT background which translates into his store’s look and vibe as being very organized and orderly. His obsession with technical and engineering detail means that the binding mounting bench is basically the centre of the store.
skimo-co-ski-wall
Skis on the ski wall are alphabetically ordered by brand and then width, in general kept under 100mm wide. The variety and abundance of choice of very light gear comes from his passion for efficiency, whether that be writing code or skiing in the mountains.

Eric Bunce, second in command, setting me up with Aski demo skis.
Eric Bunce, second in command, setting me up with Aski demo skis.
People that work in the store are as equally passionate about the same things as Jason. This is perhaps no coincidence. The overall vibe is calm yet enthusiasm for light & fast is high. The store’s technical expertise is phenomenal.

Cripple Creek Backcountry

» Online store at https://www.cripplecreekbc.com
When you visit Randy Young and Doug Stenclik’s store in Carbondale, CO you quickly realize that while passion for light gear is definitely there these guys took a more “cowboy” approach – coffee machine and beer on tab reflects their social and high energy personalities.
ccbc-store-2
Each product in their store has a little more room than at Skimo.co and the whole floor is more loosely organized. The mounting bench is at the back of the store yet still very present and busy – it’s integrated into the bar! If you are into fatter skis, specifically DPS, then this is your candy store.
ccbc-store-1
Last winter, Randy and Doug opened another store in Vail but we haven’t had a chance to visit yet so make sure you do.

SkiUphill.ca

» Online store at https://skiuphill.ca
This new kid on the block was founded only this year and is a child of Joel Desgreniers (avid racer) and Gavin Harmacy (ski mountaineering practitioner). As rumor has it, Skimo.co is an investor in this venture so expect close collaboration between the two as they will try to fulfill every customer’s expectation.
skiuphill-store-2
Their brick-and-mortar store is located in Canmore, Alberta. This town is more known for alpinism and ice climbing but is a home to plenty of fit and fast people searching for lighter gear to accomplish bigger and faster days in the mountains.
The vibe and overall feel of the store actually feels like a blend of their two older siblings in US – very organized but also relaxed with an espresso machine handily available.
skiuphill-store-1
The selection of gear is performance and light weight focused, and just like Skimo.co they offer plenty of choice from boutique European brands like Movement and Ski Trab for skis. They also carry a sizable stock of trail running gear including shoes, running vests and clothing.

Service Quality and Community Involvement

As the article title suggests, we are talking about these three stores because they understand the gear they sell as well as striving to provide the best service possible. People in each store have a unique touch in different areas but in the end they share passion for the outdoors and skiing.
Furthermore, all three stores are heavily involved in their communities and committed to provide entertainment and learning opportunities for local enthusiasts and passing by travelers.
Visit them whenever you can and support the community, together it will grow faster.

Gear Guide To Your First Skimo Racing Setup: Skis, Boots, Bindings, and more

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When it comes to shopping for your first-ever skimo racing setup there is no “fit-for-all” advice as each person’s goals, budget and athletic background are different. Some are new to skimo racing or even ski touring altogether while others have already achieved some athletic success in other endurance sports and want to give skimo a serious try from the start.
With all that in mind, I will do my best to provide the most useful and honest advice for everyone new to skimo, and point them to the right gear that is currently on the market.
Majority of the below mentioned gear can be purchased online or in person from our two favourite skimo specialized stores – Skimo.co in Salt Lake City and Cripple Creek Backcountry in Vail or Carbondale.

Boots

Don’t make the mistake focusing only on weight and price. Fit is very important when it comes to boots as it will determine how well you will be able to control the tiny race skis on descents as well as for how comfortable you will be training in them.

La Sportiva Syborg, Dynafit PDG, Scarpa Alien
La Sportiva Syborg, Dynafit PDG, Scarpa Alien
The most suitable entry level racing boots are the La Sportiva Syborg, Dynafit PDG and Scarpa Alien. All three are similar weight (800-850g/boot in size 27MP) and are priced around $750 USD (700 Euro, $1000 CAD) depending on the deal you find. Therefore, your decision should come down mostly to already mentioned fit and availability.
Only slightly heavier but more suitable for regular touring with bigger skis are the new Dynafit TLT7 Performance and Atomic Backland Carbon Light, both weighing just over 1kg/boot in size 27MP. Both are priced around $900 USD (850 Euro, $1200 CAD).
For those that are ambitious right from the start or can spend more money, you can try jumping straight into the Dynafit DyNA (basically a lighter PDG) or Scarpa Alien 1.0. Then the very top level boots, even more expensive, are the Pierre Gignoux Race 400, Dynafit DNA, La Sportiva Stratos (Cube and Hi-Cube), and Scarpa Alien 3.0.
Pierre Gignoux Race 400 (virtually the same as Dynafit DNA), La Sportiva Stratos Hi-Cube, Scarpa Alien 3.0
Pierre Gignoux Race 400 (Dynafit DNA is vitually the same), La Sportiva Stratos Hi-Cube, Scarpa Alien 3.0

Skis

There are many skimo race skis on the market so I won’t list them all but I will give you a couple of pointers and will mention only those with the best price-to-weight ratio.
The good news is that the “entry level” skimo skis are generally only about 100-150g heavier that the top line yet costing about 20-30% less.
For racing, there is a rule that men’s skis have to be at least 160cm long while women’s can be 10cm shorter. You should be looking for skis weighing less then 900-1000g/ski and not wider than about 68mm (ideally 64-66mm) since all racing skins are manufactured for those widths.
To get you on race skis without paying the top price you should check out Hagan Ascent, Dynafit PDG, Atomic Backland UL 65, Voile WSP, Movement Gold Fish-X, or older models of race skis from these brands that can be still found on sale. You will pay around $600-700 USD ($800-950 CAD, 570-670 Euro)  for all of the above new models.

From the top: Hagan Ascent, Dynafit PDG, Atomic Backland UL 65, Movement Gold Fish-X
From the top: Hagan Ascent, Dynafit PDG, Atomic Backland UL 65, Movement Gold Fish-X
Overall, it’s difficult to recommend specific skis for a specific skier because it depends on your weight, height and style of skiing – aggressive, careful, expert skier, intermediate skier, etc. But in general all of them will ski somewhat similarly – the first couple of times, it will feel like you need to learn to ski again 😉

Bindings

There are three important things when shopping for race bindings (even “entry level”):

  • With few exceptions, all models can be mounted only for one boot size as the heels have no adjust-ability!
  • Don’t mix-and-match toe and heel pieces from two different brands on your race skis. First, it’s race illegal, and second it could pose a safety issue.
  • Buy a model without the auto-lock feature – it’s forbidden by the sport’s rules. This means that when you step into the toe piece it won’t lock itself right into the touring (or locked-out) mode automatically but rather you have to nudge it to that position.

The good news is that all bindings listed will likely last you for many seasons. The only maintenance you will need to perform is changing the heel pins every 2-3 seasons (they are cheap).
Here are the models we recommend: Hagan ZR (optional mounting plates allow heel to move), Plum Race 150, Plum Race 170 (possible to adjust heel for 2-3 different boot sizes!), Dynafit Superlight 2.0, Kreuzspitze SCTT, ATK Race SLR World Cup.

Plum Race 150, Hagan ZR, Dynafit Superlite 2.0
Plum Race 170, Hagan ZR, Dynafit Superlite 2.0
Once shopping, expect to pay around $500-600 USD (470-570 Euro, $650-800 CAD) for the models mentioned above.

Skins

Thankfully, there is not much to contemplate about “entry level” skins. You can just buy any skins that fit your race skis and are preferably made of mohair (or similar fast gliding fiber). The width should be about 3-6mm narrower than the middle of your skis – in general, race skins are pre-cut to 58-62mm and are the same width in their full length.
With that, we recommend buying the skimo race skins: Pomoca Race and Race Pro 2.0 models, Colltext PDG, Dynafit Speedskin, Ski Trab World Cup, Hagan Mohair.
Some race skins can be bought in a roll or as an ready-to-go package with bungee cord tip attachments already in place. The cost for a pair of skins will be around $100-160 USD (90-150 Euro, $130-220 CAD).

Pack

There are many skimo race packs on the market and more-or-less all of them perform quite well but like with boots the fit is important, and that is the crux with almost all packs if you are either smaller or taller than an average male (175-185cm / 5′ 7″ to 6′). The best idea is to try some on first or buy the one that lets you adjust the sizing.
All of last season, we worked with Ultimate Direction to design two race packs that allow for size adjustments and even come in two different sizes – the first skimo packs to ever do this! Both of them borrow some features from their famous running vests that we seamlessly merged with the necessary skimo functionality. Check them out: UD Skimo 8 vest and UD Skimo 18 vest.
For a new skimo racing pack/vest, expect to pay about $100-160 USD (90-150 Euro, $130-220 CAD).

Ultimate Direction vests: Skimo 8 front, Skimo 8 back, Skimo 18 back
Ultimate Direction vests: Skimo 8 front, Skimo 8 back, Skimo 18 back

Helmet

With new regulations coming into effect this season, we recommend buying only helmets that are fully compatible with these new rules – we wrote a whole article about this a couple of weeks ago so there you can find all the right models.
Beyond that, even more than with boots and packs, the fit is very important! And if there is some space for a bandanna/buff to slide inside for those cold days then even better.
skimo-helmets-matchup

Skimo Race Suit & Clothing

novice-skimo-racing-clothingWhile skimo race suits are fine pieces of gear designed for the most efficient skins management and ventilation I don’t think a novice to the sport needs one for their first couple of races. As long as your clothing is well/slim fitting and your jacket has some nice pockets for skins then you will be just fine.
The middle ground between a full-on one piece race suit and just slim fitting touring clothing are some double-piece “suit” options. Perhaps buying just a jacket will give you most of what a one-piece suit can offer.
One-piece skimo racing suits cost around $250-350 USD (240-340 Euro, $340-470 CAD) while the two-piece solutions would come to about the same if you buy both the bottom and the top.

Ski Poles

Just like with the race suit, you don’t need specific skimo race poles for your first couple of events and most of your training. Light ski touring poles will do. In fact, even top racers use pretty much just shorter xc skiing poles as they work quite well.
To figure out the correct length for your ski poles see this article on how to do it – How to choose the right length (and kind) of skimo racing poles for you.
Prices will range from $80 to $180 USD.

Avalanche Gear & Training

Last but not least, let’s take a brief look at the avalanche gear you will need for racing and your training. On top of that, you should also take at least some basic avalanche courses to educate yourself how to use this gear the most effectively as well as to how to avoid avalanches altogether.
Avalanche beacon – choose a 3-antenna beacon from reputable brands like Pieps, Mammut, Backcountry Access, Ortovox. Prices will range from $300 to $500 USD.
Avalanche probe – for racing you only need a 240cm probe but if you are going to buy only one then we recommend 280cm or 320cm length. The extra length is beneficial should you find yourself in a real rescue. Carbon probes are lighter than aluminum but are also more expensive – we leave it up to you to choose. Prices will range from $50 to $150 USD.
Snow shovel – just like with a probe, to meet skimo racing regulations you only need a “kid’s toy” shovel like CAMP Crest but we recommend buying a more robust shovel that is actually usable in a rescue scenario. If you opt for something with a short handle but strong blade of decent size then you will be way more equiped. Prices will range from $50 to $100 USD.

Final thoughts

After reading the whole article it may seem that skimo racing is a super expensive sport but it is possible to be strategic with your spending. You can buy a lot of used gear (don’t do this with avalanche beacon) or using online sales and package deals from specialized shops like Skimo.co or Cripple Creek BC. Also, remember, that lots of this gear will last you for many years and will take you to place no expensive carbon bike can ever do.
If you would like to know more about race gear and even skimo training then check out our Manual For Ski Mountaineering Racing where we discuss specific how-to tricks.

New Ski Mountaineering and Skimo Racing Skis: La Sportiva, Fischer, Black Diamond, Dynafit, Salomon, Atomic, Hagan, Voile

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During my recent visit to Outdoor Retailer show I had a chance to touch, flex and discover new skimo racing and ski mountaineering skis that will be coming out in the fall of 2016.
My overall observation was that now most manufacturers, instead of just few, will have a light line of skis. And I do mean light, and I do mean a line of skis. This means that going forward, whether you will want a light pair of 80mm skis, or 90mm, or even wider, then you will have more choice than ever before.
» For current lightest skimo skis see our comparisons chart.

La Sportiva and Ski Trab skis

The most interesting finding while browsing the La Sportiva booth, and apart from the new Stratos Hi-Cube ski boots, was that starting next season Ski Trab is partnering with La Sportiva to bring their skimo racing and light touring models to North America.
Below you can see that they will be La Sportiva branded Ski Trab skis. On the left, it’s the Maestro LS (940g at 171cm, width 75mm) suitable for lots of spring ski mountaineering, and on the right, are the racing models Gara Aero LS for men and women (715g at 164cm, and 685g at 157cm).
la-sportiva-ski-trab-skis-2016
Here are some wider skis from La Sportiva, from left – Maximo LS men and women models (1310g at 178cm width 90mm, and 1205g at 164cm width 92mm)  that are intended for fun, light and fast ski touring. Then in contrast on the right you can see the new Vapor Float powder machines weighing only 1400g at 178cm while measuring 117mm in waist!
la-sportiva-skis-2016-fat

Fischer skis

Just like with the new great looking Travers Carbon ski boot, Fischer is disrupting the market with some light touring skis as well.
The photo below shows their full ski touring and skimo racing line. The first two from left are Hannibal 100 and Hannibal 94 (1500g at 180cm width 100mm, 1250g at 177cm width 94mm) for ski touring in powder and soft snow. Then I want to highlight the Transalp 80, in green and fifth from left, as highly suitable for any type of ski mountaineering whether that be steep faces, couloirs, or just enjoying corn in the spring, weighing only 950g at 163cm in width 80mm! The Ranger line is freeride oriented – wider, fun but still pretty light given the widths.
fischer-skis-line-2016
For ski mountaineering racing, Fischer is pushing the weight limits with their two models (photo below):

  • The VerticAlp (in black on the right) is a pure vertical race specialist – 580g in 161cm – and it features a substantial camber to mimic classic xc skis for improved kick, and almost no side-cut (82-64-72) to ensure the skis doesn’t glide sideways on any terrain. This is a great design given that modern vertical races are hosted mostly on groomed runs and roads.
  • The AlpAttack (in black on the left) is a super light skimo racing skis – 650g at 161cm – with what appears to be a stiff torsional construction, thus, it should ski well at high speed and in hard/icy conditions. The 99mm at the tip, in contrast with 65mm waist and 81mm tail, should make the ski float well in powder and crusty snow.

fischer-race-skis-2016

Black Diamond skis

While Black Diamond has been producing some light skis already, their new full Helio line is screaming ski mountaineering in all conditions. On top of that, Black Diamond has moved production of its skis from China to Austria which should result in greater durability than before.
All Helio models feature carbon reinforcements, ABS sidewalls and ultra-light balsa flax wood core. All skis feel very light yet strongly built, and are shaped and rockered exactly for the type of snow or skiing their widths predetermines them.

  • 116 model weighs 1550g in 176cm at 143-116-126 and features generous tip and tail rocker.
  • 105 model weighs 1450g in 175cm at 132-105-119 with slightly smaller rocker at both ends than the 116 model.
  • 95 model weighs 1250g in 173cm at 123-95-113 and slightly shorter rockers than 105.
  • 88 model is shaped a bit differently than any of the above. It seems to be built for spring, steep and hard snow ski mountaineering. Weighing 1200g in 168cm at 121-88-111 the ski feels torsionally stiff and has just enough rocker to make it a well rounded tool.

black-diamond-skis-2016

Dynafit skis

After liberating the world from heavy and clunky bindings in late 80s, Dynafit is now also known for its light skis in all kinds of widths and shapes. However, in last 2-3 seasons, the brand is poking into ever more into the freeride skiing. Here are couple of upcoming models from the photo below:

  • Third pair from left, the new Dhaulagiri, named after 8000m peak, appears to be suited for a variety of conditions but will mostly likely excel most in softer snow – weighing 1400g in 177cm with a side-cut of 130.5-99-114.
  • The purple Sphinx (1670g in 170cm at 124-96-114) is a woman-specific model while the green/yellow Meteorite (1820g in 177cm at 126-97-116) is for heavier or more aggressive skiers. Both versions should be suitable for higher speeds given their bigger mass.
  • The Chugach (1950g in 181cm at 107mm width) and Hokkaido (2100g in 182cm at 117mm width) models are big mountain skis and more traditional shape than other recent Dynafit models.

dynafit-skis-fat-2016
In skimo racing department, Dynafit is now using their flex tip technology and new side shaping (like in the above Denali and Dhaulagiri models) with different colours for let and right skis:

  • DNA model, the two skis on the left, is Dynafit’s lightest weighing 690g in 161cm with a side-cut of 99-65-80. 
  • PDG model, two skis in the middle, is a heavier version of the DNAs with the same side-cut and length but at 790g. Usually, also about half the price of the DNA.

dynafit-race-skis-2016

Salomon S-Lab Minim ski

With long tradition in ski edges, boots and bindings manufacturing, Salomon has only started to build their own full skis in around 1990.
I went to the Salomon ski booth to mostly check out their new light S-Lab Minim ski mountaineering ski as it was developed in collaboration with Kilian Jornet, who previously skied Atomics for a long time.
The Minim ski will weigh 720g in 160cm and is slightly wider than all other skimo racing skis – with a side-cut of 97-68.5-83 it is 3-4mm wider in the waist. It features Karuba woodcore and CFX Superfiber reinforcement.
Salomon-s-lab-minim-skis-2016

Atomic skis

Like Fischer, Atomic is an Austrian manufacturer and has been building skis for decades. Although they have couple of touring and freeride models I was mostly insterested in checking out their Backland Ultimate line (on the right side below) as they are the brand’s most suitable for light and fast ski mountaineering:

  • Backland UL 85 weighs only 1050g at 163cm with a 85mm waist
  • Backland UL 78 comes in 980g at 163cm with a 78mm waist
  • and Atomic’s skimo racing skis, the Backland UL 65, weighs only 680g at 162cm with waist of 65mm and a reshaped tip

atomic-skis-2016

Hagan and Voile skis

While Hagan has been manufacturing skimo racing skis for long time Voile entered the market only two years ago. However, both brands have a couple of lightweight models in various widths. I didn’t get any specifications for the below skis but both brands have improved their existing models and should not definitely not be overlooked when buying a new quiver next season.

Hagan's new racing models feel torsionally stiffer and tip's shape has been improved for skinning.
Hagan’s new racing models feel torsionally stiffer and tip’s shape has been improved for skinning.
All of the Hagan wider models feel very solid and lightweight.
All of the Hagan wider models feel very solid and lightweight.
Voile is a Salt Lake City manufacturer with reputation for well built yet lighter weight skis. Their skimo race skis have substantial rocker and can been clearly picked out in this photo.
voile-skis-2016

Why you don't need new very light gear right away, and my skimo gear progress

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In recent months I have received couple of questions about my ski mountaineering racing gear, specifically, how I lightened up over the years. To give you an idea, here are examples of the nature of those questions:

  • What gear did you start on?
  • When did you switch to the lightest?
  • Should I get product X, Y, Z if I want to start racing?

So in this post I want to share my thoughts on the need people feel about light weight ski mountaineering racing gear.  And at the same time offer advice on how they can go about their choices as they progress.

My skimo gear evolution

I have the exact same one. Picture borrowed from WildSnow.com archives.
I have the exact same one. Picture borrowed from WildSnow.com archives.
I did my first skimo race when I was about 15 years old. It was about 1500m of climbing and the whole thing was in pure backcountry. It took me well over three hours (winners were under two) and I did it on a pair of 180cm skis (about 75mm under foot and 1800g per ski). The bindings were well used legendary Silvretta 300 (about 800g per foot) and boots some kind of Dynafits. To super charge the kit I had normal ski poles, some kind of a backpack, and cycling clothing mostly.
At the time, that was my only ski touring setup and so I did everything on it. It was great, I enjoyed it very much but I sure noticed that all the folks in the front were on some weird pin based bindings which seemed very light and breakable (first Dynafits).
dynafit-tlt-3-bootsFew years later I got a brand new ski touring kit which was also much more suitable for racing. This consistent of one of the lightest boots at the time – the Dynafit TLT 3 skied like shit and was about 1500g per boot. On recommendations about durability my bindings became Dynafit TourLite Tech (later referred to as Classics) which were an astounding 340g per foot, and they were mounted on 178cm Dynastars (around 70mm wide and 1400g per ski). I placed 3rd at Slovak junior nationals on that gear.
For a comparison, the fast guys in men, junior and women categories in those times were mostly on the same boots as me but with lots of modifications. They had 165-175cm skis (about 950g per ski) mounted with either the same bindings as I or the Dynafit TLT toe piece coupled with random garage-manufactured heels (about 200g per foot).
I have ski toured and raced that same setup for couple of years until I broke the skis, in around 2004. Then I bought another pair of 178cm Dynastars but this time 65mm wide and about 1100g. Boots were Scarpa F1, and the binding was my old faithful Dynafit TLTs. At the time this was quite a light setup for the North American racing scene but I certainly wasn’t the fastest guy around. Greg Hill, Steve Romeo, Chris Kroger and others were kicking my ass by a lot.
Then for about two years I almost didn’t race at all as I was working and out of shape. However, I had my last light setup safely stored in the basement just in case.
Fast-forward to early 2008 and the “just in case” happened – I raced couple of times and organized one race, helping with others. By this time, people caught up and you could see all the front guys on short skinny skis and almost everyone was on Scarpa F1s, some even wore spandex. (This is referring to NA scene.)
I still rocked the same setup for the early 2009 season but this time with more training (and no full time job) I was able to finally get on some podiums. Then during that season I got a light pair of 164cm at 900g skis and combined the well-used Dynafit toe pieces with ATK heels, which gave me a setup of about 1100g per ski. Still on my old F1s for boots.
I continued to race that same setup over the 2010 season and did Skimo World Champs and Pierra Menta on it. By this time the Euros were racing on way lighter gear (720g skis, 115g bindings, 700g carbon boots) and North Americans on about the same weight as me.
My all time favourite pair of skis I ever had, the white Dynastar Pierra Menta at 164cm.
My all time favourite pair of skis I ever had, the white Dynastar Pierra Menta at 164cm. The blue/green model is their predecessor which I had in 178cm. I keep them as reminders of great memories.
Before the 2011 season it dawned on me that if I wanted to stay competitive not only more training was needed but the lightest gear will be an absolute must even for challenging any Canadian podium. And as the season rolled around the corner we were all on-pair with the Euros in terms of gear weight.
I ended up racing on second-hand Pierre Gignoux (fitted with my 5 years old F1 liners) and a pair of 870g skis (including bindings) till the end of 2013 season.
As of now, like many of you, I am looking for a new setup. The options are plenty but also pricey.

My advice for “racing” gear

Unless you have too much money to spare then I believe your skimo gear selection should be based on priorities and goals.
Today’s marketplace offers much better choices in terms of going light yet compromise very little in terms of gear performance. Ten years ago, if you wanted to go very light you were stuck with strictly racing gear. It was good for that but not much for anything else.
These days, you can have a 75mm ski that is even below 1kg that is great for lots of other skiing than just running up mountains.
But back to priorities and goals – let’s define some situations you might be finding yourself in right now.

1) Doing your first races

I assure you you can do your first couple of races on whatever you have at the moment and still have fun and see whether it’s something you will enjoy for longer.
If you think it’s way too heavy then perhaps you can pick up a new or a used pair of Dynafit Broad Peak skis (74mm and about 1200g) or Dynafit Cho Oyu (87mm and about 1100g), TLT 5 or TLT 6 boots (1050g) and whatever tech style bindings you want. Or an equivalent of those pieces of gear.
Such a setup will allow you to have gear that is light yet much more usable for other things than just racing, such as steep or spring skiing, or occasional ski resort days. And the boots will be usable with your big skis as well.
At this stage of your development you are trying a new activity and I bet you didn’t buy a $12,000 Pinarello when you were learning to bike 😉

2) You enjoy the racing and you want to progress

It’s great to be in this position as by now you figured out you absolutely love it and want to give yourself a chance to see how much better you can be. The spoiler is that more race specific gear will help you but training really is key.
But I assume you are hooked and are keeping fit so it might be time to step up to something lighter. From what is currently on the market, I think a wise choice to start is to lighten up your boots first. That will usually also bring a better ankle movement which results in a more efficient stride.
Again, you can buy new or used from any of these two without going wrong – Dynafit PDG boots (800g) and Scarpa Alien (850g).
Whether you get a pair of any of the two or you are happy with your current boots you should take a look at some lighter skis. Good choices will be anything around 800-1000g in just over 160cm for men and 150cm for women (due to ISMF rules on lengths). Some great options that will do for anything fast are:

  • Dynafit PDG skis (65mm wide)
  • Dynastar Pierra Menta Rocker skis (65mm)
  • SkiTrab Maestro (76mm)
  • various Movement skis – Random-X, Bond-X, Response-X (76-89mm)
  • Hagan  Cirrus (75mm)
  • Dynafit Nanga Parbat (79mm)

For bindings, you can go lighter than say Dynafit TLT Speed Radical (340g per foot) but then you are looking at investing in racing specific bindings for quite a bit more money.

3) You are fit as a horse and you want to challenge the best

If you belong to this category, whether through years of progress in skimo or coming from outside, then I advise you take a look at Skintrack’s lightest gear comparison pages. Here they are:

You will need the combination of all three to be as light as possible to have a chance for a podium at most North American rando races.

What is the gear you have and what are your goals?

If you are having hard time to figure out your setup based on your goals and priorities drop me a line in comments below and I will try to navigate you towards the best option. Or anyone feel free to ask anything regarding this topic.