E99 vs. Outback 68 vs. Sporten Ranger

[Musk Ox]

I'm surprised no one's mentioned Gammes here. This is supposed to be a cult forum.

They're not un-turny, immensely good fun, and can get you long distances up hills, nein?

[Woodserson]

I'm surprised no one's mentioned Gammes here. This is supposed to be a cult forum.

They're not un-turny, immensely good fun, and can get you long distances up hills, nein?

Fish mentioned the Gamme, but cost is a factor for Ski Nut, so thinking of budget. But yes, GAMME. That's probably the most indestructible ski of the bunch in the E99/Ranger/Panorama group. They are built like tanks.

"Not unturny" is probably a good way to describe it!

[lowangle al]

I think Ski nut should find some cheap used skis to at least try a single camber compared to double camber, or borrow some. It's a different feel. A stiff double camber ski needs to be heavily weighted to engage the edge underfoot. Single camber you may just need to roll the ski over to start carving.

If you don't try you won't know what you'd prefer. You may like how you can feel your edges with a soft cambered ski.

[fisheater]

I see where Al is coming from. ...And Woods, that is freaking impressive!
I step turn and wedge turn my Gamme and love it! However I can easily Tele turn my 200 cm Asnes USGI skis with either my 75 mm setup or my NNN-BC set-up. My two pair of USGI came from Coleman’s Army Surplus for under $100 shipped. I skied my USGI on black runs at the ski hill on nice groomed conditions. But... I knew their cross country performance was okay, but I could do better. I bought the Gamme, I can’t turn it in any manner close to how I turn my Gamme. However with step turns and wedge Tele Christie’s I will take the Gamme anyplace I would take the USGI.
The difference is the Gamme skis so much faster than the USGI. The difference isn’t JV and Varsity, it’s high school JV and college football.
Now somebody please tell me that the E-99 is MUCH easier to turn than the Gamme!

[lowangle al]

Anybody know how the E99 compares to an old Karhu XCD GT?

[Woodserson]

Cheap and good: viewtopic.php?f=4&t=3063

He has some Annums too. I hope Ski Nut reports back

[lilcliffy]

Anybody know how the E99 compares to an old Karhu XCD GT?

I would certainly put the E99 in the same class of ski as the old-school narrow double-cambered XCD GT(s) (as opposed to the current last-gen XCD GT/Madshus Eon- which is soft and round with a bit of resistance underfoot).

Dave Mann put them in the same class too in his classic classification system:
http://web.archive.org/web/201510021509 ... -skis.html

[lilcliffy]

I'm surprised no one's mentioned Gammes here. This is supposed to be a cult forum.

They're not un-turny, immensely good fun, and can get you long distances up hills, nein?

Wasn't going to comment....
But- can't resist-
Yes- the Gamme 54 BC is currently THE ski in this class...

[lilcliffy]

Do you want a waxless-scaled ski or a smooth waxable base?

[greatgt]

If I remember correctly my feel for the xcd-gt was it was ok but didn't have the energy.....the energy....the explosive energy of the 99...xcd...good ski...yawn....Woods liked the rounded arcs of the 99....The arcs don't get better on any other ski....TM