Karhu 10th Mountain Tour; the "Catamount Class" design profile; and the quest for a mile-crushing deep snow ski

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Woodserson
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Re: Karhu 10th Mountain Tour; the "Catamount Class" design profile; and the quest for a mile-crushing deep snow ski

Post by Woodserson » Fri Dec 28, 2018 12:25 pm

lilcliffy wrote:The Fischer 88 is also a profile that could be taken much further than it has been.
I would already own one if I could get one longer than 189cm and even better with a waxable base!
Fischer 88 in a 205cm length- with Nordic-rockered tip, stable supportive flex- in both waxable and Off-Track Crown bases- and both with the Easy-Skin attachment. PLEASE.
.......................
It is very strange to me that Pinnah classifies the 88/Outtabound as a "Classic AT" ski- when it is clearly a XC ski and fits best in his "Catamount Class" as far as his classification goes.
.........................
I have never tested the current 88 with its rockered tip. Is the flex of this ski stable- or does it have a soft tip?
........................
It has a very nice firm tip, and good amounts of nordic rocker, light. I actually like the 88 far and above to the 98. It has a great poppy almost double-camber and good nordic rocker. It makes sense as a long distance hut-to-hut ski. It breaks trail. It turns OK for what it is compared to the rest of Asnes stuff. The 88 is a classic. Tried and true. And now, in a 199 and all with EZ Skin. The Fischer Excursion 88 is as good as we're going to get outside of Asnes.

Pinnah is not necessarily incorrect IMO. Obviously there is pretty good overlap between the categories but as far as I see it, the classic AT/Tele ski that busted on the scene in the late 80's and 90's is the (XX)-(XX-20)-(XX-10) dimensioned ski-- the Outtabound/SB88/etc. The Nansen falls into this category too. Makes sense doesn't it with the weird reports we get about it?

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lilcliffy
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Re: Karhu 10th Mountain Tour; the "Catamount Class" design profile; and the quest for a mile-crushing deep snow ski

Post by lilcliffy » Fri Dec 28, 2018 12:43 pm

Cool. Good to hear about the current 88. I have hand-flexed it in the shop and it felt stable to me.

Are you sure about the 199cm 88? It was posted on their website at 199cm- early in the season- but, I have not been able to find one for sale, and the current site lists the maximum length at 189cm...
https://www.fischersports.com/us_en/exc ... n/skin-333

As far as classification- I tend to think about skis in at least 3 dimensions- and despite the sidecut of the Fischer 88- its flex and camber has never fit the classification of AT ski to me...

If I could find an 88 in a 199cm- at a decent price- I might have to get one!
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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Johnny
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Re: Karhu 10th Mountain Tour; the "Catamount Class" design profile; and the quest for a mile-crushing deep snow ski

Post by Johnny » Fri Dec 28, 2018 12:51 pm

Build your own 300cm birch ski in only 3 days:
https://northhouse.org/courses/craft-of ... ur-own-set
/...\ Peace, Love, Telemark and Tofu /...\
"And if you like to risk your neck, we'll boom down Sutton in old Quebec..."



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lilcliffy
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Re: Karhu 10th Mountain Tour; the "Catamount Class" design profile; and the quest for a mile-crushing deep snow ski

Post by lilcliffy » Fri Dec 28, 2018 1:24 pm

Wow.
I need to include this in my future plans!!
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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Woodserson
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Re: Karhu 10th Mountain Tour; the "Catamount Class" design profile; and the quest for a mile-crushing deep snow ski

Post by Woodserson » Fri Dec 28, 2018 1:51 pm

lilcliffy wrote:Cool. Good to hear about the current 88. I have hand-flexed it in the shop and it felt stable to me.

Are you sure about the 199cm 88? It was posted on their website at 199cm- early in the season- but, I have not been able to find one for sale, and the current site lists the maximum length at 189cm...
https://www.fischersports.com/us_en/exc ... n/skin-333

As far as classification- I tend to think about skis in at least 3 dimensions- and despite the sidecut of the Fischer 88- its flex and camber has never fit the classification of AT ski to me...

If I could find an 88 in a 199cm- at a decent price- I might have to get one!
I swear I saw one in northern New Hampshire, but I just called and the longest length they have now is a 179, so it either sold or did not exist. Memories can lead us astray. I should have taken a picture. I remember picking up the 199 78 and I thought there was a 199 88 next to it.

You are right, the Outtabound/88 doesn't have the flex of a downhill specific AT ski, but I always figured his AT class designations were for free-heeling touring fun, and as such, necessary of such camber.

Regardless, with all the advances lately I'm surprised we're still using Pinnah's page as reference. I love classic skis, but Asnes has kicked a lot of this to the curb now, IMO.



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Woodserson
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Re: Karhu 10th Mountain Tour; the "Catamount Class" design profile; and the quest for a mile-crushing deep snow ski

Post by Woodserson » Fri Dec 28, 2018 1:52 pm

Johnny wrote:Build your own 300cm birch ski in only 3 days:
https://northhouse.org/courses/craft-of ... ur-own-set
This course is often sold out. HMMMmmMMMmmmMMMMMmm



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Verskis
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Re: Karhu 10th Mountain Tour; the "Catamount Class" design profile; and the quest for a mile-crushing deep snow ski

Post by Verskis » Fri Dec 28, 2018 3:51 pm

lilcliffy wrote: In the meantime-
I memory serves- our Finnish friend Verskis said he might be able to look after getting a set of Finnish backcountry touring skis shipped to NA...
Sounded like it might be pricey...
In the meantime- until I can create the space and time to build a pair- perhaps I should start saving for a shipment of these skis from Finland...
Yes, I looked for different shipping options, but none were very affordable. I can't remember the prices right now, but I think it was about as much as the skis itself.



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lilcliffy
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Re: Karhu 10th Mountain Tour; the "Catamount Class" design profile; and the quest for a mile-crushing deep snow ski

Post by lilcliffy » Fri Dec 28, 2018 5:05 pm

Verskis wrote:
lilcliffy wrote: Yes, I looked for different shipping options, but none were very affordable. I can't remember the prices right now, but I think it was about as much as the skis itself.
Well this is okay.
And it might be lower per ski if we group ordered a bunch of them?
I will be in touch, my friend!
........................................
In the meantime-
If someone can find me a decent pair of 200+cm Karhu Tour 10th Mtn (84-68-74mm) with a wood core and a sintered waxable base I will eagerly offer a finders fee...say $50CAN?
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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lilcliffy
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Re: Karhu 10th Mountain Tour; the "Catamount Class" design profile; and the quest for a mile-crushing deep snow ski

Post by lilcliffy » Fri Dec 28, 2018 6:03 pm

Woodserson wrote:
Johnny wrote:Build your own 300cm birch ski in only 3 days:
https://northhouse.org/courses/craft-of ... ur-own-set
This course is often sold out. HMMMmmMMMmmmMMMMMmm
I would need to plan at least 6 months in advance to pull-off getting away for this...
But I have a supportive partner that would be supportive of me going to this with enough time to plan around it...
Cross-country AND down-hill skiing in the backcountry.
Unashamed to be a "cross-country type" and love skiing down-hill.



User avatar
lilcliffy
Posts: 4112
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 2015 6:20 pm
Location: Stanley, New Brunswick, Canada
Ski style: backcountry Nordic ski touring
Favorite Skis: Asnes Ingstad, Combat Nato, Amundsen, Rabb 68; Altai Kom
Favorite boots: Alpina Alaska BC; Lundhags Expedition; Alfa Skaget XP; Scarpa T4
Occupation: Forestry Professional
Instructor at Maritime College of Forest Technology
Husband, father, farmer and logger

Re: Karhu 10th Mountain Tour; the "Catamount Class" design profile; and the quest for a mile-crushing deep snow ski

Post by lilcliffy » Fri Dec 28, 2018 6:13 pm

Woodserson wrote: I swear I saw one in northern New Hampshire, but I just called and the longest length they have now is a 179, so it either sold or did not exist. Memories can lead us astray. I should have taken a picture. I remember picking up the 199 78 and I thought there was a 199 88 next to it.
I KNOW that I saw 199cm posted on the Fischer website in the fall. I know I did.
Perhaps they only made a few and then pulled it down after they sold out? Don't know.
Regardless- the 88 has a lot of potential to be further developed.
Regardless, with all the advances lately I'm surprised we're still using Pinnah's page as reference. I love classic skis, but Asnes has kicked a lot of this to the curb now, IMO.
Agreed and agree!
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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