The top skate ski brands are Atomic, Fischer, Rossignol, Madshus and Salomon. Each brand offers a "World Cup" level model that is the same as their top racers use. Typically these skis cost $550-650. Backcountry.com does not carry any of these models. You can get a ski that is very close to World Cup performance at the second price point, usually $300-450. Think of it as Dura-Ace vs. Ultegra in road bike terms.