After much trial and error over the years, I came to conclusion that exercising on machines that force your body into a mechanical track/path is a bad idea. Watch classic skiers from behind and see how much their back foot swings outside or inside the track. Constraining that movement is asking for ...

Look at the Madshus Glittertind. They have a narrower heel pocket. Thanks @Ziggy - I will see if I can find some in my area. Have you tried with an extra insole? It often helps. @Roelant - I tried a thicker insole, but was still having problems. Seemed like the pressure from straps was in wrong pla...

I should have heeded the original post on this boot. The heel slippage is a major problem in my case - not just blisters, but pain in the heel bone to the point where I am done with them. They fit well until I actually start skiing :lol:. Excellent quality although there does appear to be a design f...

On a traditional ski like the MT51 length is everything. If you want stability and control going down hills you should look at another ski. The MT51 is a classic "Tur-Langrenn" ski, whose DNA is unbroken over the past 50+ years. My wood Asnes Tur-Langrenn's from the early 70's are almost identical ...

What are the pros and cons of sizing down by 1-2 sizes (say from 210 to 200) on the MT51s? Would the shorter skis provide better stability control on the downhills? On the con side, would you notice the drag much on the K&G? I’ve seen lots of discussions here about ski length, but curious how much i...

Many thanks all for the great recommendations on the packs and backcountry wisdom. You’ve given me much to chew on. One of the challenges seems to be figuring out how much to bring for the what-if scenarios, like suffering a bad injury when going solo. I’ve suffered enough falls to realize how easil...

Many thanks @Danylewich. Looks like ideal size. I am warming up to that vest-style.

Here is link for reference:
https://ultimatedirection.com/fastpack-15/

Last winter I made a wrong turn that morphed a 2 hour trip into a 4 hour one. The silver lining was that I made a resolution to improve not only my crappy navigation skills (& tools), but also my level of preparation for the unexpected when skiing an unfamiliar area. The weather started to turn nast...

Thanks all. Will definitely check out Varuste.

Regarding the timing, early bird gets the worm this year. I’m purchasing in September after having seen the consumer runs this year on anything related to fitness, hobbies, home improvement, etc. Try buying a bike or BBQ now. There’s nothing left!

Thanks @Stephen . I spoke with Neptune today. Unfortunately, they said the orders were already in quite some time ago and that MT51s were not one of the models. Looks like I’ll be ordering online somewhere maybe overseas?