Madshus Panorama 78

[metamorphosis108]

@metamorphosis108 how would you describe the difference in fit between the Bre and Svartisen? Might be helpful in deciding about the Bre.

I have a very high arch and Svartisen was pinching at instep and front of the ankle.

[wabene]

Fun ski!!

[metamorphosis108]

Fun ski!!

It could just be my lack of skills, but I struggled to control the M78 on downhill this past weekend. I had Bre for boots and Rottefella ST w/cable for bindings. Granted the snow was wet and heavy this past Saturday. Nevertheless, it has led me to re-think my boot choice as I keep wondering if a boot like T4 would have been a better choice on that day. Or perhaps even a different kind of ski?

[wabene]

@metamorphosis108 On my first run today with a 2 inch wet fresh layer over a refrozen base the skis felt squirrelly and smeary. On subsequent runs I focused on edging, big toe little toe, and the turns just flowed from there. I think with these skis since they are soft and there isn't a center groove you gotta get the edges down.

[metamorphosis108]

@metamorphosis108 On my first run today with a 2 inch wet fresh layer over a refrozen base the skis felt squirrelly and smeary. On subsequent runs I focused on edging, big toe little toe, and the turns just flowed from there. I think with these skis since they are soft and there isn't a center groove you gotta get the edges down.

Will have to try edging them down then!

[fisheater]

Fun ski!!

It could just be my lack of skills, but I struggled to control the M78 on downhill this past weekend. I had Bre for boots and Rottefella ST w/cable for bindings. Granted the snow was wet and heavy this past Saturday. Nevertheless, it has led me to re-think my boot choice as I keep wondering if a boot like T4 would have been a better choice on that day. Or perhaps even a different kind of ski?

Wet and heavy snow is difficult. Once you ski on nicer snow things will be better.
Sorry, I was talking to you about leather boots. I didn’t realize you had already purchased the Bre. You will be fine in the Bre most of the time. A T-4 is nice to have, as well as a beefier ski, but one step at a time.
I have 3 BC skis, a Gamme, a Falketind Xplore, and a Tindan 86, but they were acquired over years.

[metamorphosis108]

Fun ski!!

It could just be my lack of skills, but I struggled to control the M78 on downhill this past weekend. I had Bre for boots and Rottefella ST w/cable for bindings. Granted the snow was wet and heavy this past Saturday. Nevertheless, it has led me to re-think my boot choice as I keep wondering if a boot like T4 would have been a better choice on that day. Or perhaps even a different kind of ski?

Wet and heavy snow is difficult. Once you ski on nicer snow things will be better.
Sorry, I was talking to you about leather boots. I didn’t realize you had already purchased the Bre. You will be fine in the Bre most of the time. A T-4 is nice to have, as well as a beefier ski, but one step at a time.
I have 3 BC skis, a Gamme, a Falketind Xplore, and a Tindan 86, but they were acquired over years.

Thank you for your kind words! Bre probably won't power/control M78 in hard/crusty snow, right?

[fisheater]

I don’t know, I don’t know how soft the Bre is. If a T-4 helps you in challenging snow, maybe you could try that? I wouldn’t want to not have my T-4.
Remember it’s sliding on snow, it’s supposed to be fun. Enjoy your accomplishments. I’m getting older, I’m not the athlete I was at 35-40. I enjoy what I do now. When I was 40, present me would have bored the heck out 40 year old me. 40 year old me would have ditched present me really quickly. It doesn’t matter, it’s just about enjoying your skiing now! A T-4 will make things easier, and it is always a nice tool in the box. It’s also really nice to have a soft leather boot on those days they work well.

[rongon]

I think one cool thing about the Annum/M78 is that it acts differently with different boot/binding combinations.

For some, a pair of M78s sized a bit long and coupled with something like Alpina Alaska BC boots and NNN-BC bindings makes a nice deep snow XC setup, like if you were breaking trail for miles around Yellowstone or someplace like that.

For others, size the skis a bit short and use a 3-buckle plastic boot and Switchbacks to make a Northeastern forest/bushwhacking ski setup for moderately steep terrain. That's how I ski them and I love making turns through the trees on them in softer/deeper conditions. I skied the backcountry zones in the Jacques-Cartier park in Quebec on that setup and they were lovely, even more fun than if I'd been on Vector BC skis. Skiing on the flat road along the river was pleasant (if a bit slow) and I could go up the trails into the woods wherever it looked promising for some turns. It was fun.

Or... Split the difference and ski the M78s with a softer 2-buckle plastic boot like T4 or Excursion and something like 3-Pin Cable bindings (or the Rottefella version of that binding). The flat sections will be more pleasant and you'll have to ski a little harder in the steeper terrain -- which is not necessarily a bad thing.

I like how versatile the Guide/Annum/M78 is. I'm hoping to get out on my pair this weekend, now that there's finally good snow within a day's drive from my place.

[phoenix]

Rongon, where do you live, that's a day's drive from good snow? I thought you were in the 'Dacks.