Brooks Range Alaska - Winter Classic Trip report

[jyw5]

awesome photos. definitely miss AK!

[captainswallowtail]

I wonder if the new xplore binding has solved the issue with icing up.
Also wondering what options there are for super warm non-plastic boots that have good support for downhill turns.

Xplore is likely an improvement over NNN BC, but that's not saying much.

The thing that most concerns me is that since the boots have spring loaded pins it means there's a void in the boot that could get water in it - then freeze. So you're either locked into your binding, or can't get into the binding when that happens.

Oddly, the one time I skied with a partner with the xplore setup was when he took off his skis and the pins did not pop back out. Then what right? There's no place to get leverage or grab anything. Eventually after some stomping they did but it did not instill confidence.

Xplore seems fine for comfortable boot options and day tripping, better than NNN BC, but jury is still out on how they would handle a big trip.