Ski recommendation

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Larshaha
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Ski recommendation

Post by Larshaha » Wed Apr 07, 2021 10:11 am

Hi all, my first post here, been reading a lot on this forum the last days as Ive been looking into getting my own telemark gear. I do have quite a lot of experience with telemark, am an avid cross country skiier and also do ski touring. My family has a cabin which is in the Norwegian mountains (Rondane) where it is usually a quite long approach (about 10 k one way) followed by about 1000 meter accent.

Crispi and Alfa doesnt fit me very well and based on recommendations from the forum I bought the Andrew Zenith boots (75mm). Now Im looking for a recommendation on skis to match.

My idea is that I want skis that are good downhill and can be used for both long approaches and also longer multi day trips into the wilderness (without ski tracks). If the mountain is very steep or short approach I will be using my ski touring gear. I am also thinking that I would want another ski-pair at some point, so buying one now and one at a later stage that are complementary would be ideal.

I have been looking a bit at the Falketind or Ingstad skis, but I have understood there are other good options out there. Any specific recommendations to skis? Potentially for a ski-couple that complement each other.

Thanks a lot for any advice.

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CwmRaider
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Location: Subarctic Scandinavian Taiga
Ski style: XC-(D) tinkerer
Favorite Skis: Åsnes FT62 XP, Børge Ousland
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Re: Ski recommendation

Post by CwmRaider » Fri Apr 09, 2021 12:42 pm

Larshaha wrote:
Wed Apr 07, 2021 10:11 am

My idea is that I want skis that are good downhill and can be used for both long approaches and also longer multi day trips into the wilderness (without ski tracks).
If such skis existed I would love them too, instead I have three different pairs at the moment.

IMO the Falketinds are great if the snow is right but they are less ideal on longer distances and their soft camber can cause you to sink through in the middle, losing any form of efficiency on distances.

Although I have never tried them, I would say Åsnes Ingstad or perhaps, the new Åsnes Otto Sverdrup when it comes out (but because it is an upcoming ski model no one I know has tried it yet).
"good downhill" depends on your level of expectations and skill level :)



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Musk Ox
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Re: Ski recommendation

Post by Musk Ox » Fri Apr 09, 2021 1:02 pm

Roelant wrote:
Fri Apr 09, 2021 12:42 pm
Although I have never tried them, I would say Åsnes Ingstad or perhaps, the new Åsnes Otto Sverdrup when it comes out (but because it is an upcoming ski model no one I know has tried it yet).
"good downhill" depends on your level of expectations and skill level :)
I've never tried them either, but I rather suspect Le P'tit Cliff will be along in a minute to recommend Combat NATO as well.
Last edited by Musk Ox on Fri Apr 09, 2021 1:05 pm, edited 1 time in total.



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lowangle al
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Location: Pocono Mts / Chugach Mts
Ski style: BC with focus on downhill perfection
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Re: Ski recommendation

Post by lowangle al » Fri Apr 09, 2021 1:03 pm

I haven't skied them but I've been thinking about the Rabb 68 or the Nosi 76 for a ski that can go the distance and still have fun on the down when I get there.



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Musk Ox
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Re: Ski recommendation

Post by Musk Ox » Fri Apr 09, 2021 1:11 pm

Roelant wrote:
Fri Apr 09, 2021 12:42 pm
Although I have never tried them, I would say Åsnes Ingstad or perhaps, the new Åsnes Otto Sverdrup when it comes out
Musk Ox wrote:
Fri Apr 09, 2021 1:02 pm
I've never tried them either, but I rather suspect Le P'tit Cliff will be along in a minute to recommend Combat NATO as well.
lowangle al wrote:
Fri Apr 09, 2021 1:03 pm
I haven't skied them but I've been thinking about the Rabb 68 or the Nosi 76 for a ski that can go the distance and still have fun on the down when I get there.

Well, I have never been skiing in my life and in fact do not own any skis whatsoever.



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lowangle al
Posts: 2732
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Location: Pocono Mts / Chugach Mts
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Occupation: Retired cement mason. Current job is to take my recreation as serious as I did my past employment.

Re: Ski recommendation

Post by lowangle al » Fri Apr 09, 2021 1:28 pm

[quote=


Well, I have never been skiing in my life and in fact do not own any skis whatsoever.
[/quote]

I suspected that, I figured you ended up here trying to learn how to be a telemarketer. :lol:



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CwmRaider
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Re: Ski recommendation

Post by CwmRaider » Fri Apr 09, 2021 1:31 pm

Musk Ox wrote:
Fri Apr 09, 2021 1:11 pm
Roelant wrote:
Fri Apr 09, 2021 12:42 pm
Although I have never tried them, I would say Åsnes Ingstad or perhaps, the new Åsnes Otto Sverdrup when it comes out
Musk Ox wrote:
Fri Apr 09, 2021 1:02 pm
I've never tried them either, but I rather suspect Le P'tit Cliff will be along in a minute to recommend Combat NATO as well.
lowangle al wrote:
Fri Apr 09, 2021 1:03 pm
I haven't skied them but I've been thinking about the Rabb 68 or the Nosi 76 for a ski that can go the distance and still have fun on the down when I get there.

Well, I have never been skiing in my life and in fact do not own any skis whatsoever.
:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

That is funny.
I do own falketinds. Actually they may be fine for the use you describe. Rondane has not so much snow usually from memory.
I have the Combat Nato and Nansen as well.
Combat Nato is the most distance oriented of my skis. Followed kind of closely by the Nansen and then more remotely by the FT62. Their downhill abilities are in the same order but reverse.
In a first glance this is surprising as the Nato is wider than the Nansen but it has a double camber and very stiff mid section whereas the Nansen is single camber and softer.

From other brands consider also the Madshus m62 and the Fischer S bound 98
Are you based in Trondheim?



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Musk Ox
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Re: Ski recommendation

Post by Musk Ox » Fri Apr 09, 2021 1:42 pm

Roelant wrote:
Fri Apr 09, 2021 1:31 pm
Combat Nato is the most distance oriented of my skis. Followed kind of closely by the Nansen and then more remotely by the FT62. Their downhill abilities are in the same order but reverse.
In a first glance this is surprising as the Nato is wider than the Nansen but it has a double camber and very stiff mid section whereas the Nansen is single camber and softer.
Ah, OK! Right... I'd somehow got it in my head that the Combat NATOs were good on the steeps... I still maintain that Cliffy will recommend them though, he would recommend NATOs as essential equipment for space walks and escapes from scuttled nuclear submarines.



Edit he wouldn't really



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jyw5
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Re: Ski recommendation

Post by jyw5 » Sat Apr 10, 2021 3:15 pm

If the snow isn't that deep and not heavy wet snow and the terrain isnt that steep, the Nansen/Skog waxable is wonderful. I bought a pair of Skogs this year and love them. I could see doing very long approach with them. they are mounted with NNN BC magnum. I use them with xskins and wax and also just bought 50mm full skins with no tail clips. Depending on your conditions, you may want the waxless version. I haven't tried them yet on summer corn.

I also have the FT62...great for steeper ups and downs in optimal powder conditions, slow on flat terrain (almost like you are walking)...K&G is not good... and terrible when conditions are not good (crust, wet/heavy, hardpack, etc). FT62 is a great specialist and nice to own in a quiver of skis. So you may find yourself carrying them for half of your route if conditions arent good.

My Fischer Sbound 112 (S112) is amazing on corn and mash potato snow. I carve like im at a ski resort on an alpine setup. But they are slow and terrible on flat terrain and nearly unusable on wind/sun crust ice/boiler plate snow.

Your route of 20km for 1000m is similar to what we have here in Alaska. One route i regularly do is almost flat for the first 3km...for these long approaches, you want something that does well on the flat, otherwise, you are better off walking especially if the snow is packed down and then transitioning to skis for the steep section (which is what I do in the summer).

I am also looking at the Ingstad for next year because my S112 is wearing out. I am hoping the Ingstad will do better on the variable conditions that exist from 500m to 2000m altitude. I find that I want a pair that does better on refrozen/icy snow....I'm willing to sacrifice the performance on perfect powder because that condition doesn't happen alot here (in the context of 12 months of skiing).

Alot of choosing the right setup depends on conditions and what is important to you. unfortunately there isnt one ski that does it all. Many times last summer, I carried skis 500m and skiied the remaining 500m...with only as little as 100-200m of excellent skiing at the top and the rest would be icy refrozen scary, base damaging terrain (scree/rocks, ice, watermelon rotten snow).

You may need a completely different ski if you plan on going to your mountain cabin in midwinter deep snow. In that case, something like the Nosi 76 or the Voile with 90mm+ waist is best. But I doubt you get the snowfall like we do in South Central Alaska and a wide ski would just slow you down.

Best of luck!



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lilcliffy
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Location: Stanley, New Brunswick, Canada
Ski style: backcountry Nordic ski touring
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Re: Ski recommendation

Post by lilcliffy » Sun Apr 11, 2021 11:41 am

Larshaha wrote:
Wed Apr 07, 2021 10:11 am
Hi all, my first post here, been reading a lot on this forum the last days as Ive been looking into getting my own telemark gear. I do have quite a lot of experience with telemark, am an avid cross country skiier and also do ski touring. My family has a cabin which is in the Norwegian mountains (Rondane) where it is usually a quite long approach (about 10 k one way) followed by about 1000 meter accent.
Hello and welcome Larshaha!
With this kind of breadth and wealth of skiing experience and skill you will clearly appreciate the tradeoffs with all of the possible Nordic touring setups one could consider for what you describe above.
Are you looking for a downhill ski for this tur- or a XC/Fjellski?
I ask this because- with what you describe above- ↑ 10kms (as I'm sure you already know) is not really that far to tolerate a downhill ski.
With a 1000m vertical- and a "short" 10km to access it- I would probably be reaching for one of my downhill setups...
What kind of skiing do you do when you get to the cabin?
Andrew Zenith boots (75mm).
Beautiful boot. I have Andrew work boots. They are breathtakingly beautifully made and supportive boots.
My idea is that I want skis that are good downhill and can be used for both long approaches and also longer multi day trips into the wilderness (without ski tracks). If the mountain is very steep or short approach I will be using my ski touring gear. I
Ok- so this makes me think that you are looking for an efficient XC/Fjellski- that is at least stable/manageable downhill.
What is the snow typically like? Are you going to be carrying and/or pulling weight?
I have been looking a bit at the Falketind or Ingstad skis, but I have understood there are other good options out there.
I own both of these skis (as do a number of other skiers on this site)- they are VERY different.

The Falketind 62 (FT62) is a downhill ski- it is a VERY inefficient XC ski. To be honest, I can barely stand the XC performance of the FT62- unless the snow conditions are PERFECT (up to 15cm of soft snow on top of a stable consolidated base- and even then I only tolerate it as a XC ski because I am touring-for-turns). That being said- I would put up with the poor XC performance for 10kms if my main focus is to tour-for-turns when I got to my destination. On top of this- I am not thrilled with the downhill versatility of the FT62...(When the conditions are ideal- I love the FT62!) BTW- check out the Asnes Thread- Crister from Asnes has reported that the FT62 has been updated again- reportedly improving its XC performance...(Crister also states that the updated Rabb will offer better tracking with a stiffer flex and a track groove...)

The Ingstad BC can be a surprisingly efficient XC ski (in deep snow) and is light, stable, manageable, and turnable downhill. It is not an efficient XC ski on consolidated snow or breakable crust.

Sorry to ask again- what is the snow going to be like? And will you be pulling/carrying weight?

Best wished to you and yours and please keep sharing your ski story with us!
Gareth
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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