Åsnes Gamme

[YooperXC]

Reading all of the praise for the Gamme makes me want a pair.

My E99 tours are fast, fun, and real joy to ski. I will have to buy a pair Gammes if they are superior to the E99, I cannot seem to find the Game in 210 cm anywhere. Asnes did confirm via email that the Gammes are still in production, but they would not comment on when the next batch would be manufactured.

I will continue to enjoy my E99's for the rest of season.

The E99 is a great ski, too. I have some 20 year old E99 skis, with the round, supportive "E99 tour" flex, and they are a total blast in manky snow. I am considering getting a second, waxable pair.

However, the Gamme is much stiffer underfoot than those E99 tour skis, and has a much stiffer tip as well.

If you have a modern (BCX or Xtralite) generation E99, then you probably have almost similar stiffness underfoot, but the Gamme also has a stiff tip, which makes the ski harder to use in tracks, but more stable in fresh snow and breakable crust.

Enjoy your E99, and don't feel a big hurry to get a Gamme. They're both great in their own ways.

The E99 is so much fun, I will wait until next season to get the Gamme.

I am glad @riel made that post. I really like my Gamme, I’m a big fan. However there is a lot of great terrain in the UP, a different type of ski would extend your fun. A Gamme is so similar to that E-99.

Fisheater is probably correct... maybe a different ski is in order for next season, likely in combo with a Gamme. I will focus on the Ingstad and E99 for this season.

I am really enjoying this sport and the knowledge from the TT contributors is helpful and appreciated.

[fisheater]

I’ve had a lot of alternating days this season skiing on Gamme and Fischer T78s and I’ve come to an interesting conclusion: the T78s are faster than the Gamme. What?! I don’t understand this. I’m around 78 kg and skiing the 200 cm Gamme, and 199 cm T78.

What gives? I’ve been kick waxing from the skin insertion point (snake bite) to just behind the heel plate of the binding. I am thinking about extending the kick wax zone forward to the beginning of the script on the bottom to give the ski more traction on the kick. Perhaps that’s all I need to do.

Side note: on this forum lots of folks consider the wax pocket to be the beginning of the snake bite to the heel. On a card test, however, the wax pocket is a good deal farther up towards the tip of the ski. Also, the scale pattern on fish scale skis extends roughly to this same point. I often wonder if the script on the bottom of the ski is strategically placed by Åsnes to delineate a rough idea of where one should apply kick wax.

Grizz, I believe you are skiing faster on the T-78 than Gamme, but you talk about slipping on the kick and maybe extending the wax pocket beyond the snake bite. You need to have grip. I hear people talk about the Fischer scales being so great, however I can climb far easier and better on wax than I ever did on a Fischer S-112. I guess I’m saying that I am happy you are enjoying your T-78, but your Gamme should be much faster. I have been faster on my FT X than much younger people on T-78.
I would suggest read Pinnah’s treatise on backcountry waxing. Here’s a link:
viewtopic.php?f=21&t=2187

I’m not saying the T-78 isn’t a nice ski, I’ve skied with good skiers on T-78 and they moved well, I was impressed with some of the downhill turns they made as well. However those skis weren’t faster than my FT X, my Gamme is noticeably faster.

[grizz_bait]

Very familiar with the waxing resources on this site. I ski these two skis almost every day and have been scratching my head as to why exactly the T78 is faster. I do have enough grip most of the time on the Gamme. More experimentation is needed, I reckon. Perhaps it’s because I only take the T78 out when it’s near or above freezing.

[fisheater]

That might be klister conditions for the Gamme @grizz_bait . Klister is awesome to ski on, it grips really well and glides really well. It takes a beer or two to clean off the skis, and it’s best to do before throwing the skis back in the truck. For me the choice is easy, I like beer and I really don’t like skiing on scales. Many people prefer scales.
I never used klister last season, conditions were one reason. The other reason is this wax:
https://pioneermidwest.com/products/sta ... ck-wax-45g

Good luck in whatever you do. There are a lot of good reviews of the T-78, glad you enjoy yours!
BTW I had an awesome day yesterday on fresh snow on my Gamme yesterday. Snow was somewhere around 30 F. I didn’t have grip with Rex Universal Tar which is my go to fresh snow wax. I really don’t do well with Swix Violet (I know blasphemy!) I had an awesome day on this wax:
https://pioneermidwest.com/products/vau ... -white-45g

These work for me, but I really prefer wax so I have put some effort in learning how to make it work for me.
I could be nuts, but I have fun skiing. As long as you’re having fun skiing you are doing it right!

[Stephen]

Perhaps it’s because I only take the T78 out when it’s near or above freezing.

I would expect near or above freezing snow to be faster (more slippery) than colder snow.

[Capercaillie]

Faster in what way? Average speed, flats, climbing, descending? It wouldn't be surprising if the T78 let you climb faster (softer skis with less camber generally climb better). On a hilly route, climbing speed is the most important factor. If it is on the flats, have someone look at your kick technique. A waxable ski should be giving a stronger kick and much better glide than a fishscale one in the same length.

[corlay]

I own both the TR78 (196) and the Gamme 54 (210),
but Winter hasn't cooperated, and I don't have very much time on the Gammes, yet.
(or *any* ski for that matter this season. Grrrr)

I'm surprised you find the TR78 faster.

I skiied last season, primarily on two skis: TN66 (205cm) and TR78 (196cm). (both with Crown bases...)
The TN66 was *way faster* than the TR78 in every type of conditions across the board.

I'm lazy, and tend to only ski wax bases in the sweet spot zone of conditions and temps,
never using a wax "warmer" than red/silver (and I even hate that a little bit...)
but when conditions are right, (10d-25d F, no crust, etc)
and you've selected the correct wax formula and prepped bases well,
(^^^ can seem like voodoo-magic, in the beginning...)
a wax ski is both faster and more pleasurable...