This is the World Famous TelemarkTalk / TelemarkTips / Telemark Francais Forum, by far the most dynamic telemark and backcountry skiing discussion board on the world wide web since 1998. East, West, North, South, Canada, US or Europe, Backcountry or not.
This is the World Famous TelemarkTalk / TelemarkTips / Telemark Francais Forum, by far the most dynamic telemark and backcountry skiing discussion board on the world wide web since 1998. East, West, North, South, Canada, US or Europe, Backcountry or not.
Real reviews by real skiers. What a concept! Add your own today. Reviews only please, questions can be posted as replies but new threads looking for opinions should be posted to the main Telemark Talk Forum.
randoskier wrote:
The Alaska XP sells for 349 EUR in France that is about 3.500 NOK, you are in the EEA can you not simply order it from France or Germany? Tax is not the difference because your VAT is 25% and it is 20% in France. Shipping (chez Aventure Nordique) is 20 EUR to Norway takes five days. I see the same difference with skis- I just bought my Fischer Excursion 88s in France for 280 EUR (2.800 NOK) they are priced at 5.000 NOK in Norway!
Not sure yet as my wife has the boots (Alfa Skaget, a HUGE weight reduction for her from her 75mm Svartisens) and the binding- but we still have not located the 169cm Fischer Excursion 88 to slap them on so she has not skied it yet.
As you said the prices are high in Norway, but if you shop online or get a discount the price of Alaska XP is about the same as in France. The full price is higher than I expected and often is the price used in smaller sport shops before any discounts.
Regarding the Fischer Excurion 88 in 169 it is actually available here in Trondheim, but they have very few left and the price is high. It seems that the skins are included, and if so it's not too bad after the 10% discount I get due to membership in DNT, but still quite a bit higher than from France: https://bruun.no/fischer-excursion-88-c ... -no-colour
I was lucky to try Alaska XP in a local shop (Ljubljana, Slovenia) today.
How comfortable should be boots at first trial? How much do they break in? Tried pair (44EU) was not very comfortable. They had no bigger number available.
randoskier wrote:
The Alaska XP sells for 349 EUR in France that is about 3.500 NOK, you are in the EEA can you not simply order it from France or Germany? Tax is not the difference because your VAT is 25% and it is 20% in France. Shipping (chez Aventure Nordique) is 20 EUR to Norway takes five days. I see the same difference with skis- I just bought my Fischer Excursion 88s in France for 280 EUR (2.800 NOK) they are priced at 5.000 NOK in Norway!
Not sure yet as my wife has the boots (Alfa Skaget, a HUGE weight reduction for her from her 75mm Svartisens) and the binding- but we still have not located the 169cm Fischer Excursion 88 to slap them on so she has not skied it yet.
As you said the prices are high in Norway, but if you shop online or get a discount the price of Alaska XP is about the same as in France. The full price is higher than I expected and often is the price used in smaller sport shops before any discounts.
Regarding the Fischer Excurion 88 in 169 it is actually available here in Trondheim, but they have very few left and the price is high. It seems that the skins are included, and if so it's not too bad after the 10% discount I get due to membership in DNT, but still quite a bit higher than from France: https://bruun.no/fischer-excursion-88-c ... -no-colour
I have been a member of the DNT since 2008. I have the DNT nøkkel and use it a lot, both winter/summer.
That link is to last year's Excursion 88 and they are still almost 2x what the current model is in France (if they were in stock in France that is). In France at Skifond.com you can buy last year's model like that with bindings on it for 319 EUR, unfortunately only in 186cm and only Voile Mountaineer binding.
What did you think of the idea of the guy from Tromsø to make a Mo i Rana Vice TV series on NRK? We have decided from the perspective of a Tromsøer that Mo i Rana is the Miami of Norway. That would make Trondheim what? Cuba? Ah carumba!
Then again that would really piss off the people in Mosjøen!!!
I was lucky to try Alaska XP in a local shop (Ljubljana, Slovenia) today.
How comfortable should be boots at first trial? How much do they break in? Tried pair (44EU) was not very comfortable. They had no bigger number available.
I normally wear a 44 but I wear a 45 in these boots (at least in the NN BC version of them). I wear very thick wool socks and they are very comfortable and were immediately even before break in.
There's a lot in these reviews about the superior K/G and comfort of this boot/binding system, but not much on how they fit other than "they're comfortable and can be laced snug. The questions I have are: What width is the last? 99mm, 102mm? Wide forefoot, narrow? Fits a high volume foot or low? Also, do they fit similarly to the existing Alaskas? In other words, if I try on some Alaska 75mm or BC's, will I know which size Alaska XPlore boot to order from Europe?
Like Ira and Rasin'heel, I too would like the comparison to T4/Excursion class boot downhill performance which is what I ski the most. I have no qualms about going back to leather with the XP system if it's at least close. It doesn't have to be superior for my usage because light and free pivoting sound so good! The Asnes ski video would indicate that it is, but it's hard to tell which boot those rippers are using. Maybe the Alfa Free? I would think that due to the sole being the same on all boots (and stiff according to Johnny), the Alaska should be able to lay down some turns.
Already ordered the binding so there's no turning back now! Just have to find a boot that fits.
Having spent an enormous amount of time in Norway- I guarantee that those Asnes skiers were using exactly what they stated which i believe is the - the Alfa Free.
It is an extremely honest and transparent country without a lot of commercial pressures and selfishness.
Plus they have a ton of skiers that can pull that off.
BTW Aventure Nordique in France got stocks of the Alaska XP boot today in most sizes, I think they ship boots but not skis to North America (?)
Regarding the Fischer Excurion 88 in 169 it is actually available here in Trondheim, but they have very few left and the price is high. It seems that the skins are included, and if so it's not too bad after the 10% discount I get due to membership in DNT, but still quite a bit higher than from France: https://bruun.no/fischer-excursion-88-c ... -no-colour
I am pretty new in here but one thing that I am wondering when I read about the discussion in here is the length of the skis.
In Finland the typical ski length is about 15-20 cm over your head for classic skis when going on track. (So about 180-200 cm for adults). But on unmarked routes on forest or fields those skis are absolutely useless as they will sink 50 cm under snow and therefore we typically need to have 250 - 300 cm long (and about 7-9 cm width) forest skis if going unmarked routes to avoid sinking on snow. Nature is here typically more flat than in many places of USA, Canada, Norway, Sweden so maybe that makes the difference but I am just wondering could the XP work also with finnish forest skis's?
Another question I have in my mind is that what is the behaviour of this XP binding if you fall (especially while coming downhill) as then it's important that the binding will open so that you do not break bones or knee.
Another little similar example is the ice fishing, can you open the XP binding easily if the ice breaks on lake under you and you get to the cold water. Some older binding systems I have used open up quite easily on these kind of situations but disadvante of of those is that they open up easily also on cases where you dont want them to open...)
I was lucky to try Alaska XP in a local shop (Ljubljana, Slovenia) today.
How comfortable should be boots at first trial? How much do they break in? Tried pair (44EU) was not very comfortable. They had no bigger number available.
I normally wear a 44 but I wear a 45 in these boots (at least in the NN BC version of them). I wear very thick wool socks and they are very comfortable and were immediately even before break in.
In my life, I bought too many too tight shoes (with idea: they will break in). Therefore, I did not decide for purchase Alaska XP as they were too tight for me.
I might go back to shop, to try and compare XP with NNN BC version (sizes 44), to maybe give comparison for potential online shoppers. Personally, I think a boot of that price, has to be tried on foot, as everyone is different (including asymmetrical feet).
