Åsnes Borge Ousland BC Ski Review

[lilcliffy]

I'm still debating between the Ousland and the Gamme for my quiver of two - the other skis is an FT62 for xcD. So comparison between Gamme/Ousland would be helpful to me!

From the Borge Ousland BC ski page on the Asnes site:

"while its soft front tip"

If the Ousland has a "soft tip" that would make it very different from the Gamme 54 BC...
It would also explain why it would be better in the groomed Classic track than the Gamme.
I had been struggling to figure out how -2mm at the tip would make the Ousland better in the track than the Gamme- but a soft tip would do that. As a comparison- the E-99 Xtralite is much better in a Classic groomed track than the Gamme- not because it is narrower, but because it has much softer, more flexible tip.

The Gamme 54 BC has a rock-solid stiff tip- awesome for backcountry skiing (i.e. deep snow; wind-packed snow; breakable crust; etc.)- but, at 68mm that stiff tip doesn't work very well in a Classic groomed track.

[Johnny]

Hey Crister- Can you give us a comparison between the Borge Ousland BC vs Gamme 54 BC?

Wait... You don't trust what I say?!? Or you just didn't read the OP at all...? The stiffness and camber of the Gamme, with the tips of the Ingstad. The flex and camber is similar to the Gamme, stiff and stable, with slightly softer tips. I wonder how it could be clearer than this...?!?

Crister, from reading the Asnes site the Ousland sounds like it has a softer tip- is this true?

Ok, so you don't believe a word I say, and you don't believe the Asnes website either...?

[lilcliffy]

Hi Johnny,

Sorry to have offended you- this was not my intent.

I certainly do believe what you say- and highly value it.

The comparison between the Gamme and the Ousland skis was not clear to me. Sorry- my bad.

I certainly "believe" what I read on the Asnes website- but I don't always understand what the difference is between all of these skis.

I am not questioning or criticizing your perspective or judgment Johnny. I apologize if I gave you that impression.
.....................
So- on that note- when you say the Ousland has a tip like the Ingstad- do you mean it has as much rocker as the Ingstad?
Also- as far as the tip being "soft"-
I guess the tip of the Ingstad BC might be "softer" than the Gamme- but I certainly would not describe the Ingstad BC as having a "soft" tip- one of the reasons I love the Ingstad BC so much is that it has a stiff and stable tip...
..................
Asnes has three expedition skis now- Amundsen/Gamme/Ousland-
I am probably not the only one that would wonder how to choose between the three- especially the Gamme vs Ousland as they seem so close- at least to me-
But perhaps it is just me and it is totally clear.
..........
I am just asking questions- not trying to be offensive or annoying.

[Johnny]

I purposely try to avoid writing endless novels trying to describe torsional rigidity, flex and camber. Trying to narrow down a ski to one single particular use is pointless. We are all different skiers with different views on what is soft, what is stiff, what is the particular use of a particular ski etc. You could spend your entire life trying to describe God and life with words without even getting close. Sometimes a very few words and a quiet mind is more than enough. Words will never accurately describe skis, so I think keeping it simple is better for everyone...

I certainly would not describe the Ingstad BC as having a "soft" tip- one of the reasons I love the Ingstad BC so much is that it has a stiff and stable tip...

I would not call the Ingstag tips "soft" either... Hence the words I specially picked in my description of the Ousland in my post: "The flex and camber is very similar to the Gamme, stiff and stable, with slightly softer and more forgiving tips. It's definitely stiffer than the Mountain Race series though. It all depends on how you like your tips: stiff like Gamme with a bit of NR, or stiff enough like Ousland with a little more Nordic Magic."

Actually, while having "generous" nordic rocker, it's not as generous as on the Ingstad, which has longer and much higher nordic rockered tips.

Asnes has three expedition skis now- Amundsen/Gamme/Ousland- I am probably not the only one that would wonder how to choose between the three- especially the Gamme vs Ousland as they seem so close- at least to me- But perhaps it is just me and it is totally clear.

If you take the time to carefully read my post, you will find all the info you need. As I said, they are 3 unique skis. After all, I am sure Borge already had an unlimited supply of Amundsens, Gammes and Ingstads, but he wanted something different...

"A new ski similar to the Amundsen, but with the stiffness and sidecut of the Gamme, and a tip similar to the Ingstad with generous Nordic Rocker and taper. It is just more playful and versatile than the Amundsen ski, with a lot of the same advantages. The Amundsen is still unique because of it’s longitudinal and even camber/flex profile from tip to tail."

It's all personal preferences here. You might like a certain ski for a certain thing, another skier will like it the other way.

[Woodserson]

I wonder if this is the perfect Jura ski, a place that has now been largely tamed by extensive groomed networks, but still has areas of beautiful XCD skiing, right off the trails, or making some connections between XC areas. Fit in the tracks, put down miles, stiff enough to support wearing a pack, make long XC turns a little easier when tempted with a sloped field... oooooooooh I have Da Fevah

[Johnny]

I wonder if this is the perfect Jura ski, a place that has now been largely tamed by extensive groomed networks, but still has areas of beautiful XCD skiing, right off the trails, or making some connections between XC areas. Fit in the tracks, put down miles, stiff enough to support wearing a pack, make long XC turns a little easier when tempted with a sloped field... oooooooooh I have Da Fevah

Imagine yourself exploring in the middle of nowhere on the north pole. You have no idea what is waiting for you. You can only bring one pair of skis, so you need a ski that will really do it all, no matter what the polar conditions are. Only one pair, whether you are skiing bottomless powder, endless fields of wind-swept snow or Santa's private network of groomed tracks. No clock, no timer, but a lot of mileage. A compromise ski is out of the question under these unpredictable conditions. You need something near-perfection and undestructible. There are already plenty of skis that would be semi-ok. But you are lucky enough, you are allowed to design your own perfect exploration ski... The Borge Ousland BC.

[Woodserson]

After giving this some thought, it's basically Asnes' answer to the Fischer E-99 EZ-Skin. Waxable base, fits in track, nordic rocker, kicker skin. EXCEPT, I find the Asnes X-Skin system to be superior to the EZ-Skin design and Asnes skis to be of superior build quality.

This is cool, I do love my E99s (crown), and I love my Gamme 54's even more, but they don't fit in the track as well.

OOOoooOOOOooooOOOOohhh I feeeeel Da Fevah comin' on! OOooooOOooooOooooo

[Franz]

Any weight/length recommendations published yet?

[Madshus1]

So could these be considered "the ultimate" do all backcountry ski?? I have 3pr of Madshus 1 for tracks 1 for tracks and light powder and 1 set for breaking trails would like to empty the quiver a bit.

[Woodserson]

would like to empty the quiver a bit.

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