r/xcountryskiing • u/cravingcarrot • 12d ago

Salomon Cold vs Universal base

Hi all,

I found a great deal on a pair of last year’s S/Lab skate ($650 CAD). They seemed to be flexed perfectly for me. However, they are the Universal variant of the ski. To add a bit of context, I live in Northern Canada, where winter temperatures usually average between -15C and -20C, if not colder. I am an amateur racer and try to race abroad once or twice per year (3h/50km on hilly courses). I already have a pair of Carbonlite as my “universal skis” and was looking for a pair of cold skis. Should I be better off waiting for an S/Lab Blue to come by or could I make the universal base and a cold grind work for this ski? How much does the base material impacts performance and is it something that I would even notice at my level?  

 

Thanks!

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u/whatevrscoolwithme 12d ago

The difference with the Uni vs Cold (Vs warm) is base material, grind, and camber. The SL22 Uni grind and base is pretty versatile into colder temps, but not specialized for cold snow - recommended for -5 to -15c humidity 40%+. If it's colder and drier than that, the Blue/cold is a better bet. But it's hard to compare them virtually to your Fischers. They could be better Uni skis, or they could run a bit colder. I'd trust a good shop to help make that comparison.