Telemark Talk / Telemark Tips Forum

Hi,

Since no stores inn Southern Ontario have any stock; and frankly have little to no knowledge of BC XC skiing; I'm hoping for advice on what skis (and size) to get. I'm new to 'off track' XC skiing but have experience in traditional nordic skiing but that was many years ago. I have extensive Alpine ski experience. I'm 210lbs and live in Southern Ontario, west of Toronto. My main skiing will be 'off track' on flat to rolling hills. Sometimes I will plan to ski on a frozen lake or do an overnight in the Muskokas (Algonquin Park) carrying a 20-30lbs pack. If I decide to ski 'in-track' I will rent ski or get a second pair if required. I already have boots (Alpina Alaska NNNBC and Alpha Guards NNNBC -I will keep whatever boot fits me best). Cost is not a factor -from my research it seems Asnes are the top brand to get? I nearly bought some Fischer excursion 88s but thought I should check here first to make sure I'm making the right choice. Seems to have mixed reviews?? My only requirement is that I want waxless skis -unless someone can convince me that a wax ski is the way to go. I'm also good with kicker skins. Thanks for your help.

ludwigk wrote: ↑

Sun Nov 22, 2020 7:45 pm

from my research it seems Asnes are the top brand to get?

... if you did your research here. This is a self-radicalising Åsnes cult site. Get out now, while you have the chance, before you order a pair of three metre long wooden shoes named after a Norwegian who died of frostbite.

Buying skis is famously agonising. Big category decisions give way to significant options give way to specific matters of personal choice give way to wishing you had more money to put yourself through the torment all over again.

Welcome, ludwigk. A real expert will be along soon. Sorry you only have me in the welcoming committee for now.

ludwigk wrote: ↑

Sun Nov 22, 2020 7:45 pm

I nearly bought some Fischer excursion 88s but thought I should check here first to make sure I'm making the right choice.Seems to have mixed reviews?? My only requirement is that I want waxless skis -unless someone can convince me that a wax ski is the way to go. I'm also good with kicker skins.

Have you seen lilcliffy's review here? https://www.telemarktalk.com/viewtopic.php?t=2455

Given you already bought two of the best contemporary nordic BC boots available, I doubt anyone is going to be able to convince you to first get a cheap pair or skis or anything other than Asnes or Fischer fort that matter.

Given the type of skiing you are thinking of, I would consider a classic E99 type ski. I'm a bit out of touch with what is currently available new and waxless in that style (I'm a hardcore wax ski groupy) but I think options are quite limited. Anyways the Explorer 88 is not a bad choice. It will not be as fun to ski on hardpack however.

PS: Muskox is right, this place has become an Asnes cult site. Beware!

Go long, 199cm on the 88's if you're at 210lbs + pack on top of that. Don't get sold into the 189's. You'll do fine on 199cm 88's. Forgiving ski, good grip, good float.

Asnes has waxless skis but it seems they are a bit glide oriented for a lot of us lighter skiers who like longer lengths, so we end up getting poor grip on inclines. Real comprehensive metrics are not available right now to put a definitive on it however, so I'm wary to indoctrinating you into "da fevah cult" with a clean simple "get this." If you're sticking to the flats in Ontario and don't need much hill climbing, they could be the ticket, though. Check Roelant's review on Waxless Nansen, he is about your weight IIRC. https://www.telemarktalk.com/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=2997

I personally like waxless skis because I often find myself skiing in near zero temperatures. Longer trips in Central Norway are most popular around Easter when the days are longer and temperatures MAY hover wildly around 0 centigrade. I have had no success grip waxing for melting wet snow. On one recent trip we were literally skiing in our underwear catching the sun one day, and huddling together like penguins to manage lunch in -10 with wind the next. My waxless skis were a blessing. Oceanic climate influence. Sometimes the snow changes when you ski around a mountain or in and out of a forest.
So for these conditions I like waxless. Some people don't mind using klister. Just the sight of the stuff gives me rashes however.
If the snow temperature is a few degrees below, or colder, and quite steady, there is no reason to be daunted by waxing of skis. They will offer better performance in these conditions. For XC track skiing I have both waxless (with skin insert) and waxable skis for when the snow is nice and cold, and I take whichever suits the day best.

Now as for the present day choices: Alpina, Madshus, Rossignol, Fischer and Åsnes are all producers of BC skis.
The only ones I have experience with are Fischer and Åsnes, and older Madshus which are no longer sold.
In the Fischer range, from your intended use, I would get an Excursion 88 crown. The E99 is a great ski, better for consolidated snow. The Traverse 78 is a bit less efficient.

In the Åsnes range it would either be the Ingstad Waxless or Nansen Waxless. The Ingstad probably would be better suited for looser snow.

As I wrote in my review and have experienced recently, and as other users here have pointed out, the Åsnes waxless pattern is less aggressive and shorter than the Fischer Crown pattern. It glides quite a bit better and is less noisy on consolidated snow but sacrifices quite a bit of grip compared to the Fischer pattern. They are not terrible, I can still ski straight up 10% slopes in wet snow easily. With the now defunct Fischer E109 Crowns I could ski all day without missing any form of skins, but now with the Åsnes short skins are with me on every trip just in case. I suspect that this is probably the way Åsnes wanted them to be used, as opposed to Fischer who designed their Crown pattern before they marketed short skins.
Or perhaps I am just doing it wrong somehow.
All in all I think the Fischer Crown is a better waxless system, to be honest. Indeed the tradeoff is noisier, slightly slower skis on consolidated snow. If Åsnes could extend their pattern a little bit, I would probably find them better.

Bottom line is still, if you think the snow temperature is pretty stable and consistently below freezing where you live and in the season you intend to use them, waxable skis are probably better.

E99's are wonderful skis...Wax makes for a faster ski and to turn a longer 99 you NEED speed...99's are the best selling ski of all time....Scored my Europa's back in the early 80's????? Kicked the snot out of all cross country skis up to that time....BC....CC....Need to score some Asnes to see how they compare with 99's....Till that time they have been....and continue to be....the best cruising ski out there...TM

I definitely want waxless and understand that it's a compromise.

I have looked to see what is available waxless. Åsnes waxless available at REI in grown man size. I think you can find an Excursion 88 or Traverse 78 in 199cm, I found one or two. So either a Nansen or Ingstad in 205 or one of the Fischer’s. I don’t think you will find an E-99 waxless.
At your size you want the longest made in each of these skis.
You would be best served to pull the trigger soon

fisheater wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 23, 2020 5:57 pm

I have looked to see what is available waxless. Åsnes waxless available at REI in grown man size. I think you can find an Excursion 88 or Traverse 78 in 199cm, I found one or two. So either a Nansen or Ingstad in 205 or one of the Fischer’s. I don’t think you will find an E-99 waxless.
At your size you want the longest made in each of these skis.
You would be best served to pull the trigger soon

I found the E99 waxless at https://www.andrejac.com/skis-de-fond-f ... d=29127854

But only in 200cm. And as Fish said, pull the trigger ASAP because XC skis are flying of the shelves!

After reading everything I could find I think the Nansen would be the best choice for me.