Alpina Pioneer 80 XPlore Ski Review
- Woodserson
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Re: Alpina Pioneer 80 XPlore Ski Review
Wait. Hold up. I just watched @Tom M 's video and he's on Discovery 80's... So there is a Pioneer 80 and a Discovery 80? What's the difference?
- Johnny
- Site Admin
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- Location: Quebec / Vermont
- Ski style: Dancing with God with leathers / Racing against the machine with plastics
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Re: Alpina Pioneer 80 XPlore Ski Review
This is probably not going to happen, I was just dreaming aloud...
Hey, thanks for all the VERY interesting info and reflections Riel!riel wrote: ↑Thu May 06, 2021 9:57 pmNext year I'll probably use both again on a more equal basis, though the Ingstad seems to have better torsional rigidity than the T78 / 2018 Alpina Discovery 80. I'm naming them both in one breath here since Woodserson and I compared his T78s with my 2018 Alpina Discovery 80 skis side by side, and they appear to be identical.
The fishscale science is a lot more complex than we think... As you said, there is so many factors to consider, lengths, camber profiles, flex, nordic rocker etc. It would be a mistake to judge a waxless ski only by the pattern length and position... But hey, it's the only thing we can do before trying it...
FWIW, I didn't use grip wax on my 195cm Ingstad WLs, and I was 160lbs back then. But they were definitely not long enough for my taste. Now back at 130lbs, I do need wax in front of the scales of my 205's...
/...\ Peace, Love, Telemark and Tofu /...\
"And if you like to risk your neck, we'll boom down Sutton in old Quebec..."
"And if you like to risk your neck, we'll boom down Sutton in old Quebec..."
- Johnny
- Site Admin
- Posts: 2256
- Joined: Wed Dec 18, 2013 5:11 pm
- Location: Quebec / Vermont
- Ski style: Dancing with God with leathers / Racing against the machine with plastics
- Favorite Skis: Redsters, Radicals, XCD Comps, Objectives and S98s
- Favorite boots: Alpina Alaska XP, Alfa Guards, Scarpa TX Comp
- Occupation: Full-time ski bum
Re: Alpina Pioneer 80 XPlore Ski Review
Yes!!! They both are alive!Woodserson wrote: ↑Fri May 07, 2021 1:39 amWait. Hold up. I just watched @Tom M 's video and he's on Discovery 80's... So there is a Pioneer 80 and a Discovery 80? What's the difference?
"Just like the Discovery 80's top sheets, but without the red paint... So cool!"
"I would be curious to see the difference between the Pioneer and the Discovery 80, which seems identical... (Reinforced mounting area for XPlore bindings perhaps?) Unfortunately, there isn't much information about Alpina products on their website, as it always been the case..."
/...\ Peace, Love, Telemark and Tofu /...\
"And if you like to risk your neck, we'll boom down Sutton in old Quebec..."
"And if you like to risk your neck, we'll boom down Sutton in old Quebec..."
- Stephen
- Posts: 1485
- Joined: Thu Aug 06, 2020 12:49 am
- Location: PNW USA
- Ski style: Aspirational
- Favorite Skis: Armada Tracer 118 (195), Gamme (210), Ingstad (205), Objective BC (178)
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- Occupation: Beyond
6’3” / 191cm — 172# / 78kg, size 47 / 30 mondo
Re: Alpina Pioneer 80 XPlore Ski Review
So the Pioneer and Discovery are different skis?Johnny wrote: ↑Fri May 07, 2021 3:19 amYes!!! They both are alive!Woodserson wrote: ↑Fri May 07, 2021 1:39 amWait. Hold up. I just watched @Tom M 's video and he's on Discovery 80's... So there is a Pioneer 80 and a Discovery 80? What's the difference?
"Just like the Discovery 80's top sheets, but without the red paint... So cool!"
"I would be curious to see the difference between the Pioneer and the Discovery 80, which seems identical... (Reinforced mounting area for XPlore bindings perhaps?) Unfortunately, there isn't much information about Alpina products on their website, as it always been the case..."
If so, can anyone offer a comparison of the two?
- Johnny
- Site Admin
- Posts: 2256
- Joined: Wed Dec 18, 2013 5:11 pm
- Location: Quebec / Vermont
- Ski style: Dancing with God with leathers / Racing against the machine with plastics
- Favorite Skis: Redsters, Radicals, XCD Comps, Objectives and S98s
- Favorite boots: Alpina Alaska XP, Alfa Guards, Scarpa TX Comp
- Occupation: Full-time ski bum
Re: Alpina Pioneer 80 XPlore Ski Review
Please forgive my lack of knowledge of resins, cosmetics and fake stuff... But I was totally wrong here.
After a closer look, it's actually REAL wood!!! WOAAAAH! With clear top sheets! BEAUTIFUL!!!!
Best looking skis in years... I'm in love...
/...\ Peace, Love, Telemark and Tofu /...\
"And if you like to risk your neck, we'll boom down Sutton in old Quebec..."
"And if you like to risk your neck, we'll boom down Sutton in old Quebec..."
- Stephen
- Posts: 1485
- Joined: Thu Aug 06, 2020 12:49 am
- Location: PNW USA
- Ski style: Aspirational
- Favorite Skis: Armada Tracer 118 (195), Gamme (210), Ingstad (205), Objective BC (178)
- Favorite boots: Alfa Guard Advance, Scarpa TX Pro
- Occupation: Beyond
6’3” / 191cm — 172# / 78kg, size 47 / 30 mondo
Re: Alpina Pioneer 80 XPlore Ski Review
So I wonder if that is a cosmetic veneer we are seeing, or the actual core of the ski?
I would assume the former.
Either way, it would seem to be a bit of a maintenance concern to make sure no dents or gouges allow any water into the wood.
Are you sure it’s fiberglass — I thought top sheets were normally a plastic material?
A fiberglass top sheet would not be as durable, since any nicks would expose glass fibers. And, glass fibers in skin are not nice.
I would assume the former.
Either way, it would seem to be a bit of a maintenance concern to make sure no dents or gouges allow any water into the wood.
Are you sure it’s fiberglass — I thought top sheets were normally a plastic material?
A fiberglass top sheet would not be as durable, since any nicks would expose glass fibers. And, glass fibers in skin are not nice.
- Johnny
- Site Admin
- Posts: 2256
- Joined: Wed Dec 18, 2013 5:11 pm
- Location: Quebec / Vermont
- Ski style: Dancing with God with leathers / Racing against the machine with plastics
- Favorite Skis: Redsters, Radicals, XCD Comps, Objectives and S98s
- Favorite boots: Alpina Alaska XP, Alfa Guards, Scarpa TX Comp
- Occupation: Full-time ski bum
Re: Alpina Pioneer 80 XPlore Ski Review
Oh, what I mean is that we can see the pattern of the fiberglass cloth on top of the wood... There's got to be a layer of protective plastic material over that? I don't know much about ski construction... But it's only 1045g at 196cm...
/...\ Peace, Love, Telemark and Tofu /...\
"And if you like to risk your neck, we'll boom down Sutton in old Quebec..."
"And if you like to risk your neck, we'll boom down Sutton in old Quebec..."
- Stephen
- Posts: 1485
- Joined: Thu Aug 06, 2020 12:49 am
- Location: PNW USA
- Ski style: Aspirational
- Favorite Skis: Armada Tracer 118 (195), Gamme (210), Ingstad (205), Objective BC (178)
- Favorite boots: Alfa Guard Advance, Scarpa TX Pro
- Occupation: Beyond
6’3” / 191cm — 172# / 78kg, size 47 / 30 mondo
Re: Alpina Pioneer 80 XPlore Ski Review
Yeah, that seems more likely.
That would be interesting if what we see is actually the ski’s wood core.
From the finger joint in the middle foreground of the picture, it looks like it might be the actual core.
- Stephen
- Posts: 1485
- Joined: Thu Aug 06, 2020 12:49 am
- Location: PNW USA
- Ski style: Aspirational
- Favorite Skis: Armada Tracer 118 (195), Gamme (210), Ingstad (205), Objective BC (178)
- Favorite boots: Alfa Guard Advance, Scarpa TX Pro
- Occupation: Beyond
6’3” / 191cm — 172# / 78kg, size 47 / 30 mondo
Re: Alpina Pioneer 80 XPlore Ski Review
Anyone heard anything on this ski?
Supposed to retail with the Xplore binding, which is not available yet?
Supposed to retail with the Xplore binding, which is not available yet?
Re: Alpina Pioneer 80 XPlore Ski Review
oh no!
another shiny new toy... you mean, i have to buy more ski boots??
another shiny new toy... you mean, i have to buy more ski boots??