lack of grip undermines the entire performance of an XCD ski

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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

lack of grip undermines the entire performance of an XCD ski

Post by lilcliffy » Thu Feb 14, 2019 6:49 pm

I really and truly wanted to use my 195cm Annums today.
We got a good 40cm of fresh stuff in yesterdays storm and I really felt like using a ski that offers more float than my
Combat Nato.
I was thinking of going out with my Storetind with my Ski March boot, but I was determined to put my new Alfa Guard Advance through its initial paces before my next serious tour on Saturday...

So- I pulled out my Annums- they are glide-waxed.
The snow conditions were perfect Swix Blue kick wax.

The Annums sucked- I just could not get adequate grip to even XC ski- let alone break trail- let alone climb a bump.
Simply had to turn around about 150m out and come back for my Combat Natos.

The Combat Nato certainly rode deeper in the snow column than the Annum, but the grip and glide was soooooo much better! I had my Polar base with Swix Green underfoot.
I would like a waxable Annum...Or perhaps a Rabb 68 mounted to NNNBC...

I have decided to strip the glide wax from my Annums and try grip waxing the base.
Today would have been excellent for the Annum but the snow was just too cold for those Omnitrack scales. Miserable.

In deep snow, I keep reaching for my Combat Nato/Ingstad BC or Storetind over my Annum- but, I realize this has as much to do with a lack of grip issue than anything else...
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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lowangle al
Posts: 2731
Joined: Sat Jan 11, 2014 3:36 pm
Location: Pocono Mts / Chugach Mts
Ski style: BC with focus on downhill perfection
Favorite Skis: powder skis
Favorite boots: Scarpa T4
Occupation: Retired cement mason. Current job is to take my recreation as serious as I did my past employment.

Re: lack of grip undermines the entire performance of an XCD ski

Post by lowangle al » Thu Feb 14, 2019 6:59 pm

LC, are you sure it was the cold snow that the omnitrack didn't like? 40 cm seems like it could be deep enough that the snow wouldn't pack firmly enough under your skis to give enough resistance to push off of. I was going to suggest a little wax of the day on the tips and tails.



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bgregoire
Posts: 1511
Joined: Fri Aug 22, 2014 9:31 am
Ski style: Nordic backcountry touring with lots of turns
Favorite Skis: Fisher E99 & Boundless (98), Åsnes Ingstad, K2 Wayback 88
Favorite boots: Crispi Sydpolen, Alico Teletour & Alfa Polar

Re: lack of grip undermines the entire performance of an XCD ski

Post by bgregoire » Thu Feb 14, 2019 8:45 pm

Those are the words of a northern skier fully and truly weaned from scales. The sound of music to my ears!
I live for the Telemark arc....The feeeeeeel.....I ski miles to get to a place where there is guaranteed snow to do the deal....TM



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HBS
Posts: 54
Joined: Sun Jan 31, 2016 7:25 pm

Re: lack of grip undermines the entire performance of an XCD ski

Post by HBS » Fri Feb 15, 2019 11:36 am

Have had the same experience with scales on cold powder in CO many times too. Probably better off with a thin full length skin.



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Cannatonic
Posts: 983
Joined: Thu Nov 27, 2014 9:07 pm

Re: lack of grip undermines the entire performance of an XCD ski

Post by Cannatonic » Fri Feb 15, 2019 12:10 pm

take two of these and call me in the morning. :lol:

https://www.asnes.com/produkt/kongsvold-jaktski/
"All wisdom is to be gained through suffering"
-Will Lange (quoting Inuit chieftan)



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: lack of grip undermines the entire performance of an XCD ski

Post by lilcliffy » Fri Feb 15, 2019 1:49 pm

That Kongsvold...
Me want.
Almost bought it this year.
96-66-85mm
200cm wow
Cross-country AND down-hill skiing in the backcountry.
Unashamed to be a "cross-country type" and love skiing down-hill.



User avatar
lowangle al
Posts: 2731
Joined: Sat Jan 11, 2014 3:36 pm
Location: Pocono Mts / Chugach Mts
Ski style: BC with focus on downhill perfection
Favorite Skis: powder skis
Favorite boots: Scarpa T4
Occupation: Retired cement mason. Current job is to take my recreation as serious as I did my past employment.

Re: lack of grip undermines the entire performance of an XCD ski

Post by lowangle al » Fri Feb 15, 2019 2:13 pm

lilcliffy wrote:That Kongsvold...
Me want.
Almost bought it this year.
96-66-85mm
200cm wow
I thought that ski would be a good addition to the quiver but I couldn't spend a lot of money on a ski with a dog on it.



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Cannatonic
Posts: 983
Joined: Thu Nov 27, 2014 9:07 pm

Re: lack of grip undermines the entire performance of an XCD ski

Post by Cannatonic » Sat Feb 16, 2019 12:28 pm

no dogs, what are you waiting for a ski with cats on it or something? :lol:

I see Neptune is holding a pair of 200cm Kongsvolds, might be worth checking w/ them in March to see if they go on sale, a little too wide for me.....

https://www.neptunemountaineering.com/a ... ski-540286
"All wisdom is to be gained through suffering"
-Will Lange (quoting Inuit chieftan)



User avatar
lowangle al
Posts: 2731
Joined: Sat Jan 11, 2014 3:36 pm
Location: Pocono Mts / Chugach Mts
Ski style: BC with focus on downhill perfection
Favorite Skis: powder skis
Favorite boots: Scarpa T4
Occupation: Retired cement mason. Current job is to take my recreation as serious as I did my past employment.

Re: lack of grip undermines the entire performance of an XCD ski

Post by lowangle al » Sat Feb 16, 2019 1:25 pm

Well Canna, a ski with a dog on it would make me seem less threatening when I ask," Are you going to pick that up?"



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