Wildly speculative talk about Asnes 21-22 lineup: Otto/FT62

[fisheater]

I have a red/white surfy FT. I kind of hope the new tail tracks better than the old tail. As far as the Tindan, I do really like how it skis. So far my only gripe is on a compacted trail it wanders uncontrollably. Hopefully the FT Xplore will handle that consolidating melting mush well. Then I will not need to take the Tindan out in those conditions.

[Johnny]

There still are major differences. The Fischer S-Bound and Alpina Discovery skis have nordic rocker, but soft tips, which makes them chatter to the point of feeling unstable when going at speed on hard snow.

No no no, my Discoveries have the stiffest tips I have ever seen, almost as stiff as racing alpine skis. My S-Bounds are at least 10 times stiffer than the FT62. I threw away my new 199$ Rossi BC90s because they were way too stiff and too cambered, which seems to be exactly what the new FT62 is.

-@Reil has the older grey Storetind, the Storetind is stiffer with less of a round flex. Similar, but the Storetind is stiffer and flatter underfoot when flexed.

I sure wouldn't want anything stiffer than my old Storetind for DH powder on such a wide ski!! But hey, it's up to you guys... At 720$ for a stiff and cambered FT62, I guess it must really meet your tastes!

It's interesting/headscratching because they NAILED this with the Tindan86 and Fjoro92...

They were freaking awesome.

Why not carry this thinking to the lighter skis?

Because people didn't like it.
Because people didn't buy it.

[riel]

There still are major differences. The Fischer S-Bound and Alpina Discovery skis have nordic rocker, but soft tips, which makes them chatter to the point of feeling unstable when going at speed on hard snow.

No no no, my Discoveries have the stiffest tips I have ever seen, almost as stiff as racing alpine skis. My S-Bounds are at least 10 times stiffer than the FT62. I threw away my new 199$ Rossi BC90s because they were way too stiff and too cambered, which seems to be exactly what the new FT62 is.

Interesting, which Discoveries are those? I have 2018 Alpina Discovery 80 skis, which are identical to the Fischer Traverse 78. Also, my Rossi BC90 skis are the softest skis I have, so soft that the fishscales drag constantly and kick and glide is mostly just kick...

Then again, I know Woodserson got rid of some S-Bound 98s that were too stiff, while I have some S-Bound 98 skis here that are way too soft. This is not a frame of reference thing either, since his Ingstads and my Ingstads both feel identical. I have the feeling some ski models stay the same in name only, with other attributes getting changed almost randomly.

-@Reil has the older grey Storetind, the Storetind is stiffer with less of a round flex. Similar, but the Storetind is stiffer and flatter underfoot when flexed.

I sure wouldn't want anything stiffer than my old Storetind for DH powder on such a wide ski!! But hey, it's up to you guys... At 720$ for a stiff and cambered FT62, I guess it must really meet your tastes!

I was under the impression that the new FT62 was still softer than the Storetind. Somewhere in-between the Storetind, which feels like it will indeed be too stiff for some kinds of snow, and the Rabb, which is too soft for some sorts of manky snow.

[CwmRaider]

I just applied a spring clamp with a given amount of clamping force to the Combat Nato and then to the Otto Sverdrup, and I would like to mention that the Combat are compressed closer together (6mm underfoot) than the Otto Sverdrup (8mm) for the same compression force. So it does seem like my "feeling" was not very accurate and it would indeed seem that the Otto Sverdrup is stiffer than the Combat Nato, at least until the skis are only a few mm apart.

[Woodserson]

I was under the impression that the new FT62 was still softer than the Storetind. Somewhere in-between the Storetind, which feels like it will indeed be too stiff for some kinds of snow, and the Rabb, which is too soft for some sorts of manky snow.

Yes, that's what I said but I think it was misunderstood. The new FT Xplore is softer than your grey Storetind.

[Woodserson]

I just applied a spring clamp with a given amount of clamping force to the Combat Nato and then to the Otto Sverdrup, and I would like to mention that the Combat are compressed closer together (6mm underfoot) than the Otto Sverdrup (8mm) for the same compression force. So it does seem like my "feeling" was not very accurate and it would indeed seem that the Otto Sverdrup is stiffer than the Combat Nato, at least until the skis are only a few mm apart.

Or the Otto has more pronounced second camber at the end. This would make sense. The NATO tuned more for generalized skiing the Otto tuned to responsive Kick and Glide... OOOOooooOOOOOoooo I can't wait to see mine! January! Oh the pain!

[Nitram Tocrut]

I just applied a spring clamp with a given amount of clamping force to the Combat Nato and then to the Otto Sverdrup, and I would like to mention that the Combat are compressed closer together (6mm underfoot) than the Otto Sverdrup (8mm) for the same compression force. So it does seem like my "feeling" was not very accurate and it would indeed seem that the Otto Sverdrup is stiffer than the Combat Nato, at least until the skis are only a few mm apart.

Or the Otto has more pronounced second camber at the end. This would make sense. The NATO tuned more for generalized skiing the Otto tuned to responsive Kick and Glide... OOOOooooOOOOOoooo I can't wait to see mine! January! Oh the pain!

@Woodserson , responsive K&G might be an understatement . I have a pair at home and I have compared it to some of my skis. The camber height is more like the camber of my really fast 206 Salomon track ski then any of my XC BC ski. Given the height and the stiffness that should translate into a pretty fast touring skis. Given that, one will probably have to be conservative when choosing the right length to optimize the K&G potential and also to get good grip in steep terrain as LilCliffy told me. I see them as a replacement, I might be wrong, for my aging Europa on the snow conditions we most encounter in the Northeast… well my Northeast at least with sometimes many weeks of hard snow in a row and it seems to be the Åsnes skis most adapted for our conditions. Crister said they are even easier to turn than the Nansen but Its not my impression… but if Crister said so… @Roelant did you have the chance to try them?

[John Dee]

January! Oh the pain!

Why do you have to wait? They were in stock at some places.

[Woodserson]

January! Oh the pain!

Why do you have to wait? They were in stock at some places.

I ordered them locally instead of international, trying to keep my money in New England and encourage a local supply of the skis here. Unfortunately stock is coming in multiple shipments and the Otto's are not on the first boat! Snow it goes.

[Woodserson]

@Woodserson , responsive K&G might be an understatement . I have a pair at home and I have compared it to some of my skis. The camber height is more like the camber of my really fast 206 Salomon track ski then any of my XC BC ski. Given the height and the stiffness that should translate into a pretty fast touring skis. Given that, one will probably have to be conservative when choosing the right length to optimize the K&G potential and also to get good grip in steep terrain as LilCliffy told me. I see them as a replacement, I might be wrong, for my aging Europa on the snow conditions we most encounter in the Northeast… well my Northeast at least with sometimes many weeks of hard snow in a row and it seems to be the Åsnes skis most adapted for our conditions. Crister said they are even easier to turn than the Nansen but Its not my impression… but if Crister said so… @Roelant did you have the chance to try them?

Wow. Ok. Glad I got the 200s.