Karhu xcd gt full metal edge xc skis 62 54 59

[wabene]

Wonder if you could block a pair of foam core skis all summer to get the camber back? It works with wood, but I have my doubts with foam. I'll have to try it with some old squishy Trac skis I have laying around.

[lowangle al]

I took my GTs out yesterday and had a good ski even though they probably lost their nordic camber. The glide felt a little grabby when going up, but felt fine on a slight downhill. They had good glide when doing turns and performed really well in the 6 to 8 inches of fresh on a packed base. (I don't think there is a ski that wouldn't have performed in that snow)

So even if they have become soft they will still work and can be fun. Yesterday I skied 3.98 miles and climbed 727 feet and back down in an hour and five minutes, averaging 3.7 mph. They were scarry at speeds over 20 mph, mostly due to the leather boots, but that's reason enough for me to go with plastic boots.

[Smitty]

The de-cambered, foam core, ~late 80's XCD-GT that my father in-law bought brand new is still his ski of choice for plenty of trips. If we're doing a single track out and back that has a decent amount of vertical, the soft (or zero at this point?) camber is a boon for grip. When there's no room for open turns on the way back out, they work really well for wedge and kick turning, and don't skitter around when you want them to go straight.

He has newer skis as well, but at the end of the day he still has plenty of fun and puts plenty of miles on the GT's. If that's what you've got to get you out on snow, there's nothing wrong with them at all!

[lowangle al]

They felt real good yesterday. It was the first time I had them out on a powder day in almost 20 years. They were fun, but for the way I like to ski they are an accident waiting to happen.

Are your dads newer skis no-wax? If so that goes to show that a tired old pair of waxed skis feel better than newer wax less one.

[Smitty]

They felt real good yesterday. It was the first time I had them out on a powder day in almost 20 years. They were fun, but for the way I like to ski they are an accident waiting to happen.

For sure, he is definitely more from the nordic touring side of things rather than than harvesting turns. I can see them being sketchy for the type of skiing you do Al.

Are your dads newer skis no-wax? If so that goes to show that a tired old pair of waxed skis feel better than newer wax less one.

No sir, there's a strong pro-wax sentiment in the family. No fishscales to he had. His "newer" skis for tours with long sections of flat are ~2010's Madshus Voss waxable. I've talked to him about what's available now and maybe replacing/retiring the XCD-GT's. But so far he is content with his old faithful pair.

[phoenix]

"Wonder if you could block a pair of foam core skis all summer to get the camber back? It works with wood, but I have my doubts with foam. I'll have to try it with some old squishy Trac skis I have laying around."

Not a bad idea. If you combined that with having the skis really warm (but safely so), sort of hot-boxish, for an overnight or so... might show some improvement. I recall our store rep, late 80's probably, talking about leaving 'em in a hot shower for a while. Not saying it'll work with a foam core, as has been mentioned, but then our moldable (foam) liners do expand with heat... for a while.

Oh and as far as dating that pair, I agree with the other guys.

[DPO777]

Any idea on these skis? Best use? Performance?
(wax base, steel edge) 62 54 59

Karhu xcd gt full metal edge xc skis 62 54 59

I think your Karhu XCD GTs and tkarhu's XCD GTs are from the 80s and before the 90s Karhu XCDs with the Kinetic Waxless system.

As others have said they work fine for touring around on the up and down trails and don't mind skimming across hard pack slightly icy flats hopefully with a good wind on your back (-:

I have a pair of Karhu XCDs from the 90s and have been my go to ski for years with Alico leather boots and non pin 75mm cable bindings. I just recently have mounted Voile 3-pin bindings with the cable option so I can free up the heel as the cable is a bit firm on the flats and groomed tracks.

I agree with others not the easiest to turn and a hop turn seems to be the best if on a packed trail decent.

Either they improved them in the 90s or I got the luck of the draw as mine have not been victim to the breakage, loss of camber, firmness and light weight. I do block them up during the off season. Still to this day I can't completely flatten out the waxless pocket. I find these skis heavy compared to newer skis for sure but there are cases where the extra weight seems to be an advantage in certain conditions. Either that or I am just getting used to newer technology skis that are much lighter and take a bit of getting used to the flightiness of them over bumps and lumps.The Kinetic scales are cracking,crazing, have lost some of there grip due to wear and I fear they may blow out soon.

The XCDs 63/55/59 are not far off the e99s 66/54/61 dimensions with the e99s stiffer and lighter with less tip rise.

Both more camber then the Asnes Gamme 54s.

The NNN-BC bindings on tkarhu's skis are I believe 89 timeline. I have recently picked up a pair and find the lock and firmness of the grip and hold on the NNN-BC boot bar to be every bit as good as the newer NNN-BC manual type.

Just have fun skiing them until you wear them out. That is what is store for mine.

cambers

tips and tails

kinetic scales

Old BC, manuals and Mags

[DPO777]

"Wonder if you could block a pair of foam core skis all summer to get the camber back? It works with wood, but I have my doubts with foam. I'll have to try it with some old squishy Trac skis I have laying around."

Not a bad idea. If you combined that with having the skis really warm (but safely so), sort of hot-boxish, for an overnight or so... might show some improvement. I recall our store rep, late 80's probably, talking about leaving 'em in a hot shower for a while. Not saying it'll work with a foam core, as has been mentioned, but then our moldable (foam) liners do expand with heat... for a while.

Oh and as far as dating that pair, I agree with the other guys.

I block my Karhu XCD GT foam cores every off season (big block LOL). Not sure if added to the camber but I don't seem to have lost any over the years. I think if you bury them in reverse holes fairly often that may fatigue the metal edges adding to lost camber. That's if you got back out of the holes without crash and burning (-:

[Lhartley]

Any idea on these skis? Best use? Performance?
(wax base, steel edge) 62 54 59

Karhu xcd gt full metal edge xc skis 62 54 59

I think your Karhu XCD GTs and tkarhu's XCD GTs are from the 80s and before the 90s Karhu XCDs with the Kinetic Waxless system.

As others have said they work fine for touring around on the up and down trails and don't mind skimming across hard pack slightly icy flats hopefully with a good wind on your back (-:

I have a pair of Karhu XCDs from the 90s and have been my go to ski for years with Alico leather boots and non pin 75mm cable bindings. I just recently have mounted Voile 3-pin bindings with the cable option so I can free up the heel as the cable is a bit firm on the flats and groomed tracks.

I agree with others not the easiest to turn and a hop turn seems to be the best if on a packed trail decent.

Either they improved them in the 90s or I got the luck of the draw as mine have not been victim to the breakage, loss of camber, firmness and light weight. I do block them up during the off season. Still to this day I can't completely flatten out the waxless pocket. I find these skis heavy compared to newer skis for sure but there are cases where the extra weight seems to be an advantage in certain conditions. Either that or I am just getting used to newer technology skis that are much lighter and take a bit of getting used to the flightiness of them over bumps and lumps.The Kinetic scales are cracking,crazing, have lost some of there grip due to wear and I fear they may blow out soon.

The XCDs 63/55/59 are not far off the e99s 66/54/61 dimensions with the e99s stiffer and lighter with less tip rise.

Both more camber then the Asnes Gamme 54s.

The NNN-BC bindings on tkarhu's skis are I believe 89 timeline. I have recently picked up a pair and find the lock and firmness of the grip and hold on the NNN-BC boot bar to be every bit as good as the newer NNN-BC manual type.

Just have fun skiing them until you wear them out. That is what is store for mine.


k5.jpgk4.jpgskis camber view.jpgtips and tails.jpgXCD GT scales.jpgmag_man_old man.jpg

These side by side comparisons of similar skis and the different generations of nnnbc are really great for reference

[DPO777]

Any idea on these skis? Best use? Performance?
(wax base, steel edge) 62 54 59

Karhu xcd gt full metal edge xc skis 62 54 59

I think your Karhu XCD GTs and tkarhu's XCD GTs are from the 80s and before the 90s Karhu XCDs with the Kinetic Waxless system.

As others have said they work fine for touring around on the up and down trails and don't mind skimming across hard pack slightly icy flats hopefully with a good wind on your back (-:

I have a pair of Karhu XCDs from the 90s and have been my go to ski for years with Alico leather boots and non pin 75mm cable bindings. I just recently have mounted Voile 3-pin bindings with the cable option so I can free up the heel as the cable is a bit firm on the flats and groomed tracks.

I agree with others not the easiest to turn and a hop turn seems to be the best if on a packed trail decent.

Either they improved them in the 90s or I got the luck of the draw as mine have not been victim to the breakage, loss of camber, firmness and light weight. I do block them up during the off season. Still to this day I can't completely flatten out the waxless pocket. I find these skis heavy compared to newer skis for sure but there are cases where the extra weight seems to be an advantage in certain conditions. Either that or I am just getting used to newer technology skis that are much lighter and take a bit of getting used to the flightiness of them over bumps and lumps.The Kinetic scales are cracking,crazing, have lost some of there grip due to wear and I fear they may blow out soon.

The XCDs 63/55/59 are not far off the e99s 66/54/61 dimensions with the e99s stiffer and lighter with less tip rise.

Both more camber then the Asnes Gamme 54s.

The NNN-BC bindings on tkarhu's skis are I believe 89 timeline. I have recently picked up a pair and find the lock and firmness of the grip and hold on the NNN-BC boot bar to be every bit as good as the newer NNN-BC manual type.

Just have fun skiing them until you wear them out. That is what is store for mine.


k5.jpgk4.jpgskis camber view.jpgtips and tails.jpgXCD GT scales.jpgmag_man_old man.jpg

These side by side comparisons of similar skis and the different generations of nnnbc are really great for reference

Thanks, I am glad you found it useful