Telemark Talk / Telemark Tips Forum

Considering one of these for mostly tracks.

https://www.en.asnes.com/produkt/mountain-race-48-skin/

I like the feel of a skin better than scales. No whizzing sound, or at least, less. I also like that these have 3/4 steel edges with non-edged tips, better for tracks but can also have a bit of bit outside the track.

Asnes length recommendation: I'm about 172 cm tall and 75 kg weight. In ski gear I'm about 80 kg and, with a pack, easily 85 kg.

This puts me at the top end of a 190 or the bottom end of a 200. In the past, Asnes length recommendations have come up a little short so I was thinking to go with the 200.

Thoughts?

The MR48 has a pretty soft flex. Always size up for this ski.

I’m in the 100 kilo range @ 183 cm tall and find myself wishing mine were longer (I have 210’s). These are great for warmer weather when waxing is a pain. The 210 waxer MR48’s I picked up last month are noticeably quicker on a Swix Blue kinda day and have a smooth as a hot knife through butter kinda glide. To sum up, the Skin is more versatile, the waxer is quicker.

Oh, if you're on the cusp of the two lengths I definitely recommend getting the longer ones for the MR48s.

Especially if you're mostly on tracks.

The Skins are awesome for insta-skiing and zooming around in difficult conditions.

But the MR48s are very easily squishable if you're caught between the sizes in my experience.

They say they are 3/4 steel edges. Does that mean the tips or the tail aren't edged? I was hoping it was the tips for better track performance but I realized I have no idea which it is.

@spopepro , @Inspiredcapers , @Musk Ox , it sounds like you may have some direct experience with this ski. Can you answer that question?

That’s correct, tips and tails are metal free. I assume the intention is to keep you in the track on downhill bends maybe?

Yeah tips and tails are no-edge. Honestly I think it’s mostly for weight, although there’s likely some track benefits.

I love the ski. It is a very, very good km crusher over a variety of terrain. I only don’t love it in very fresh snow. Not that it doesn’t perform, just that it’s kinda slow. Really shines on snowmobile and other chunky, consolidated trails.

Yes, the metal edges are for helplessly exiting the trail at a random angle control going downhill (edit: on scary ice), and for straighter tracking.

The MR48 is the re-jigged Holmenkollen ski, basically designed with the Åsnes Expedition Amundsen race in mind (super light, good for distance, metal-edged for keeping you straight on the flat bits and for control on the scary bits.)

Both the Holmenkollens and the MR48s have been used as polar expedition skis. Although I suspect most of us might perhaps choose something a bit more Gamme or Ousland-esque to do the cruising bits of the Expedition Amundsen today.

But they're so much fun.

If you're intending to use X-Skins on ice or hard snow, longer is definitely the way to go.