Yoko might be a relatively new name in the cross-country ski scene but the brand will surely be visible as the U.S. Nordic season officially kicks off this week in West Yellowstone, Montana.
Long known for making some of the nicest ski gloves available, Yoko jumped into the hardgoods marketing several years ago with a complete line of ski poles known for their incredible value as well as their flashy colors. For 2013-14 Yoko has created a line of racing skis that will be sure to get some attention.
![Yoko Skis](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2013/12/Screen-Shot-2013-12-03-at-11.12.21-AM.png"){kind=small}
The top-end Yoko YXR Skate skis are available in both a cold-universal and a wet construction and feature the Wedge-Shaped Frame. Both major binding manufacturers have been creating wedges to mount under the bindings for several years, but Yoko has taken this a step further and built it directly into the frame of the skis. The Wedge-Shaped Frame does several things, but most notably gives the ski a faster feeling especially in the uphills and also assists the skier to apply pressure to a more precise point on the ski, giving better power transfer as well as better edge control.
The classics-style complement is the YXR Classic which feature an elastic frame camber that compresses easily during the kick, but release quickly to allow the ski to glide incredibly well. Like the YXR Skate, the core is made of Hexcell honeycomb which gives the skis excellent torsional stiffness while being lightweight.
Both Skate and Classic YXR skis along with Yoko’s world cup level 9100 poles will be available to demo Wednesday through Saturday at the Outdoor Demo area at the Rendezvous Trailhead.
![Yoko Skis - Finnsisu](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2013/12/Screen-Shot-2013-12-03-at-11.12.36-AM.png")
