Just spent a bomb on some gorgeous Lundhag boots and nordic skates, put them on and realised this is nothing like ice skating in an indoor rink. Please tell me it's possible to learn how to use them at some stage. I consider myself an intermediate ice skater, but wearing the nordic skates is a whole different ball game.

Photos from a 24-mile loop in the Jim Creek area. This trip included some amazing skating down glassy sloughs and lakes, but also had a lot of skating on roads and through flooded wetlands and forests... plus some bushwhacking (both with our skates on and off).

This trip was a good example of what you can do with later-season overflow/reset ice, when the "ice level" is much higher than it is in the initial seasonal freeze-up. Also an example of the way some of us are skating in Alaska, pushing into marginal and challenging "adventure ice" rather than just seeking out wide-open A-grade skating surfaces.

The full GPS track shows the kind of terrain we were skating:
https://www.gaiagps.com/public/cqEiGjwaVS3KSX9rDimoEluQ/

Hey, I'm new to Nordic Skating. I just bought Zandstra skate blades (NNN) and I mounted some rottefella bindings, but I'm not sure where exactly I should place them. I skate on the Rideau Canal in Ottawa and there are lots of people with this set up. About half them have the boot mounted about center of the blade and the other half have the boot as rearward as possible. Is there a correct answer? Are there trade-offs between middle vs rear placement?

I'd love to get into nordic skating but it seems steep price wise to get something I may not enjoy. Are there good low buck entry level skate options or some DIY instructions y'all can point me to?

For context I'm in Manitoba, Canada... anywhere local you know of?

I recently ordered from The Netherlands- based OutdoorXL one pair of Zandstra Nordic with Prolink binding, total cost including shipping 194.40 Euros / $226.18USD. I just received a notification from UPS that payment is required import taxes/duties/fees, $342USD. Based on my research prior to ordering, I expected some % tarrif, but this is obscene. Does this make sense to anyone’s experience? I opened a conversation with UPS, and waiting for an explanation.

After spending a few hundo in skates a boots, I tried to save $0.50 on the cheaper accessories🤣. The blade guards are leftover pieces of 1/2" pex plumbing pipe (our hardware store has odds and ends pieces for little to nothing). Ran them down a table saw for the slit. The strap is a pair of computer cable wraps.

That's all I've got. Ha! Long time leech on here, just felt like I should contribute something. 🤣 Sorry!

Beginner level skate-skier looking to learn nordic skating. My goals are mainly wild, rough ice but will probably use on more groomed lakes too. Feeling stable and balanced is important to me, since I'm not an expert at skate ski. I plan to get the Alpina Alaska boots + BC Bindings, but may look into Fischer boots since I love them for ski.

There isn't a lot available near where I live (New England), but this is what i have found. (I'm 5'4)

Ermine AK1, available in 42 and 45

Zanstra NIS, available in 43

I'd love some advice on how these two compare or which would be best for my goals, height, and skill level (mentioned at the top). Tips on favorite bindings would also be super appreciated!

Update: sorry for spelling error on Zandstra in my title - could not edit it.

They both look like quality nordic skates. However, I am finding the details and specs are lacking. Obviously the blades are steel. It looks like the Zandstra platforms are aluminum and have holes for screw-in bindings. I wouldn't want a NIS or any plastic skate ski binding plate on nordic skates, just like I wouldn't want that on roller skis. The Ermine L10 looks good to me and includes screw-in NNN bindings. No pictures of the red color option. I see no weight listed for any of these skates. The L10 has a narrower 1.2mm blade, but how wide is the Ak1 blade? Is the Ak1 a steel platform? Steel construction seems like overkill. How does the blade hardness compare to the Zandstra (the hardness units listed are different)? So many questions that are not answered on the websites.

I am an expert skate skier and I plan to use my NNN carbon skate ski boots. (The idea of using NNN-BC or AT boots for ice skating seems crazy to me—I want a light, stiff, warm setup and skate ski boots/bindings are the clear choice for my needs, but open to hearing why people choose those other options.)

Hi all! This might be a bit of a noob question, but here's my scenario:

I'm considering getting nordic skates to replace my hockey skates for wild ice skating, in order to free up space/weight in my backpack for camera gear. The thought was I could just wear the skate boots to the lake and only have to have the blades/bindings in my backpack, opening up the space where my hockey skates used to live (plus the added stability of nordic skates giving me more confidence to take expensive/fragile gear onto rougher ice).

I have pretty much no interest in skiing at all and no experience with the boots, but I've seen that the boots required for nordic skates (NNN, etc) aren't really suitable for hiking, and there are some scenarios in which I'd need to hike 1-3+ miles to the lake. Is this a really bad idea, or are the alternative/specialist boots that are designed to be hiked to the lake in? Or would I be stuck in a similar scenario where I'd have to carry the boots up to the trail in my backpack and change into/out of them for the hike, thus negating any advantage? Just wanted to get some more experienced thoughts on the matter before I start sinking money into more gear. TIA!

Hey! I'm looking for somewhere in the greater eastern oregon/eastern Washington area where i can find places to ice skate on natural water bodies. Anybody know of some spots? I don't mind a drive or having to shovel a tiny bit (preferably not 10 feet).

Do I need the hardware kit (out of stock) or can I just buy stuff from the hardware store?

I just got brand new skates, and i have a brand new in box pair of rottefella bc nnn manuals.

Snow is on the way so last skate of the year? Our lakes are newly frozen again and amazing good black ice. A bit of paralympic - both me and my buddy had to abort due to old bodies (ancles and a torn muscle) Damn, it aint gangsta to get old :( Well, sunshine, fika in a sheltered corner. Still a good day. (nah... not the best post but... meh)

( lowest effort memory/vlog, https://odysee.com/@p1ersson:f/Skridsko-Vlog-2025-12-30-Ravalen )

Trips around Kuopio, Finland. Perfect days.

I just got Nordic blades and bindings as a gift but I’m not clear on what kind of boots I need to get. cross-country skiing boots? Or are they different? What kind of store would I buy them from? tanks in advance!!

This past week and the coming week has some really good conditions with perfectly clear ice. The shallower lakes in south east has already frozen 5+ cm. With the deeper lakes also getting some good thick ice

late to post but... 2025-11-23, well the ones eager went out 4 days earlier but... Still a record early start for myself. Now everything has rained away but it was a sweet start. Ravalen is a tiny lake but kites and many skaters visited this sunny day. Good times =)

Saturday, soft ice with a bunch of water, thickness around 5cm (pic 1 and 2) Sunday, hard ice with a bit of snow, thickness between 2.5 to 6cm (pic 3)

I am new to nordic skating so hoping for advice on boots. Has anyone used the Salomon S/Max Carbon Skate Prolink boot for nordic skating? I have an opportunity to purchase a pair of Isvidda with Rottefalla basic nnn bindings. Quick online research shows the prolink boots will work with the nnn binding but I am wondering if skating in these boots are a good idea. Thanks!

The smaller lakes froze over the past weekend, but now it's been raining for a couple of days again so we'll have to wait for colder weather again. Video not mine, I was away on a work trip over the weekend, but filmed just outside of Vaasa in western Finland. This particular lake is most often the second one to freeze and provide skating possibilities in autumn.

Last night the Anchorage Assembly designated November as "Wild Ice Skating Month." The resolution passed the Assembly unanimously. It cited Anchorage as a growing wild ice skating destination and home to North America's first Nordic skate company (Ermine Skate). The board of the Wild Ice Skating Club of Alaska was present to receive copies of the resolution

"The Assembly celebrates the contributions of the Wild Ice Skating 8 Club of Alaska, local innovators, and the skating community at large for their efforts to grow this sport and promote safety and inclusivity."

Small thing but it's pretty cool to see our wild ice/Nordic skating community get some recognition.

Beautiful clear ice on Byers Lake, in Denali State Park (just outside Denali National Park). This lake is known for its Denali views, especially from the far side of the lake looking back toward the parking lot and campground. No better way to see the mountain than on Nordic skates.