Note that if the current TN82 is the same design as the last-gen E-109 Xtralite- it is not stiff- at all- and is totally unstable in deep snow. And the round, low-profile tip couple with the very soft significantly rockered shovel make them terrible at breaking trail in deep snow.
If the TN82 has a more stable flex than the E109XL- please ignore my statements above.
The Asnes USGI (MT65) on the other hand- while very heavy- is rock solid stable in deep snow- and the high-profile, triangular tip- with zero rocker- makes them a trail-breaking machine.I would like to buy, but only on sale, I’m a cheap dirtbag skier that got the Asnes USGI 200cm,
This↑ is perhaps too absolute a statement (because IMO experience it greatly depends on the nature of the deep snow- in particular how much moisture there is in it)- but- regardless- a highly relevant statement-I don’t think any ski “floats” on top of snow, in deep Rockies powder I’m lucky if I’m only ankle deep as opposed to boot top deep.
the current trend is to obsess over flotation in general-
the only skis that really float in truly deep soft powder snow are VERY wide underfoot and are tuned for downhill skiing (or shuffling around in dense boreal forest)- and the downhill designs have wide, round, low-profile rockered tips and shovels- that encourage planing-
planing can only occur at downhill speeds- no one can XC ski fast enough in truly deep soft snow for a ski to plane.
XC skiing in truly deep soft snow is about stability, and techniques that involve efficient movement through the snow- not on top of it- and the ancient dance of balancing grip and glide.
For example- I float much higher in the snow collumn on my Altai Hok than my Combat NATO- but, I can travel much more efficiently on the Combat ski, despite being deeper in the snow.