Looking for BC XCd Ski Recommendations

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t-$
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Joined: Sat Dec 02, 2017 7:29 am

Re: Looking for BC XCd Ski Recommendations

Post by t-$ » Fri Jan 12, 2018 10:07 pm

fisheater wrote:
lilcliffy wrote:
lowangle al wrote: I think if more people skied waxable skis xcd would be more popular.
Hmmm.... :idea: :idea: :idea: :idea: :idea: :idea: :idea: :idea: :idea: :idea:
I think if waxbles were more common, there would be a lot more people skiing my local trails. I bet Nordic trail skiing would be way more popular, if retailers had been selling waxables, rather than pushing the easy button.

i think this is an interesting point that i am seeing that i feel differently than several of you (maybe?). i'm not sure i would equate the popularity of skiing to whether stores and the industry pushed waxable skis. maybe there is a marketing niche to selling a more complex system to people, but in the modern era people just want easy. especially younger people.

maybe you are saying that more alpine skiers would make a switch to xc or xcd? in which case i would say that those hardcore folks who know some sort of skiing already would find the waxables on their own and already know enough to go that route. but i just don't think that having wax skis will increase the popularity of xc skiing in any form. i might even suggest the opposite. i didn't know any better when i started so i thought all skis had to be waxed! sure i found out quick there were waxless but i already had skis and it was cheaper to buy wax. i also had people who knew what they were doing to ski with everyday, and not everyone who might expand the xc ski thing have that opportunity.

i dunno...i should be skiing :(

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lowangle al
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Location: Pocono Mts / Chugach Mts
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Re: Looking for BC XCd Ski Recommendations

Post by lowangle al » Sat Jan 13, 2018 12:13 pm

Judging by the no wax skis I have skied in the past the feel of a smooth based ski is so much better that I think more people would get hooked and sooner. Double camber no wax are the worst for turning and the kick is not as good in a lot of conditions.

I do like my Vector BCs though. but there not as nice as my smooth version.



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lilcliffy
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Location: Stanley, New Brunswick, Canada
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Re: Looking for BC XCd Ski Recommendations

Post by lilcliffy » Sat Jan 13, 2018 12:34 pm

lowangle al wrote:Judging by the no wax skis I have skied in the past the feel of a smooth based ski is so much better that I think more people would get hooked and sooner. Double camber no wax are the worst for turning and the kick is not as good in a lot of conditions.
This is a CRITICAL reference point in this discussion- IMO. The traction weakness of scales is specifically apparent on traditional Nordic touring skis (i.e. relatively narrow, stiff and cambered).
I do like my Vector BCs though. but there not as nice as my smooth version.
Case in point- the Vector has an "Alpine" single camber, and is wide underfoot- the scale section on the BC is also oriented to maximize grip- especially when climbing.

The Vector BC is an amazing "xcd" ski- and has amazing traction for a waxless-scaled ski. I have never tried its equal- in terms of waxless scales, the Vector BC has outclimbed every other scaled ski I have ever owned or tested (e.g. Annum/Guide; Epoch/10th Mtn; S112/98/88/78; E109; Eon; etc.)

But- a XC ski, the Vector ain't.

(Yeah- I keep getting paralyzed between the BC and the waxable versions of the Vector/Objective (still cannot decide between the Vector vs Objective either!)- sweet to have both. Al- how does the waxable Vector climb with grip wax- versus the BC version?)
Cross-country AND down-hill skiing in the backcountry.
Unashamed to be a "cross-country type" and love skiing down-hill.



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