Hi Everyone - new guy (to the forum) here. Hoping to get your thoughts on the shortest length I can get away with for this ski. I am 6ft and 195lbs . Lacordee has the Gamme 54 in 180 and 190 only. Can I get away with the 190's or will this be too short? I mostly ski in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains so lots of climbing in tracks and out. Also thinking about the Mountain tour 51 which I can get in a longer length.
Thanks for any advice!
Asnes Gamme 54 length
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bgregoire
- Posts: 1511
- Joined: Fri Aug 22, 2014 9:31 am
- Ski style: Nordic backcountry touring with lots of turns
- Favorite Skis: Fisher E99 & Boundless (98), Åsnes Ingstad, K2 Wayback 88
- Favorite boots: Crispi Sydpolen, Alico Teletour & Alfa Polar
Re: Asnes Gamme 54 length
190cm sounds way too short! I'd skip on those and reserve a pair for next year! The Norseman in Calgary might be able to help you out for the Mountain tour?
I live for the Telemark arc....The feeeeeeel.....I ski miles to get to a place where there is guaranteed snow to do the deal....TM
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fisheater
- Posts: 2523
- Joined: Fri Feb 19, 2016 8:06 pm
- Location: Oakland County, MI
- Ski style: All my own, and age doesn't help
- Favorite Skis: Gamme 54, Falketind 62, I hope to add a third soon
- Favorite boots: Alpina Alaska, Alico Ski March
- Occupation: Construction Manager
Re: Asnes Gamme 54 length
I have a new 210 Gamme. At 195 lbs I can easily squash the camber flat if I put my weight on one ski. I was very happy I ordered a 210 cm. At 195 I believe the Asnes chart had me at 200 cm. Knowing skiers lighter than me were on 210 cm skis convinced me 210 cm would work for me. I would not challenge Asnes and their sizing suggestions, however I would not order short of recommended sizing. It really would be a shame to purchase a ski like this only short, and never realize what could have been
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Cannatonic
- Posts: 983
- Joined: Thu Nov 27, 2014 9:07 pm
Re: Asnes Gamme 54 length
I would go with the MT51's in 210cm all the way! that will be great ski for on or off track
"All wisdom is to be gained through suffering"
-Will Lange (quoting Inuit chieftan)
-Will Lange (quoting Inuit chieftan)
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lilcliffy
- Posts: 4114
- Joined: Thu Jan 01, 2015 6:20 pm
- Location: Stanley, New Brunswick, Canada
- Ski style: backcountry Nordic ski touring
- Favorite Skis: Asnes Ingstad, Combat Nato, Amundsen, Rabb 68; Altai Kom
- Favorite boots: Alpina Alaska BC; Lundhags Expedition; Alfa Skaget XP; Scarpa T4
- Occupation: Forestry Professional
Instructor at Maritime College of Forest Technology
Husband, father, farmer and logger
Re: Asnes Gamme 54 length
Welcome to the forum!
Have you tried contacting the Norseman in Calgary? I wonder if they stock the Gamme 54?
I am assuming that you want this ski for the XC performance they have to offer? If so- you need to go at least 200cm- and I recommend 210cm.
There are a number of skiers on this site that have had the wonderful opportunity of being properly "sized" on Asnes skis.
I am not one of them, unfortunately! I have had to hope for the best!
What I do know is that all of the Asnes dealers that I have actually spoken to (Norseman, Neptune, Sport Albert) have stated that there is some difference between sets of solid-wood cores XC and Fjellskis. They much prefer having someone in their shop and sizing a set of skis to a skier's weight, and personal skiing context...
I am wondering whether the Norseman has the Gamme 54 in stock and whether you could actually choose a set?
What I can tell you is that the Gamme 54 is not really a Classic double-cambered ski...
It is double-cambered, but overall the camber is low-profile- closer to a typical camber-and-a-half than a true double-cambered ski. When I evenly stand on my 210cm Gammes- on the floor- there is barely an open wax pocket there- certainly not worth measuring. For comparison- my 210cm E99 Tours are perhaps only a tiny bit more resistant underfoot- despite the fact that they have a significantly higher uncompressed camber than the Gamme...
I weigh 185lbs and have the 210cm Gamme 54.
The Gamme 54 is definitely stiffer and more resistant underfoot than skis like the Ingstad, Combat Nato, E-109.
However- the Gamme 54- like the E-99- is a "double"-cambered XC ski designed for highly vairiable backcountry snow- and as such is just soft enough to provide decent kick in soft snow- it is brilliant.
The higher-cambered wax pocket of the E99 Tour is more effectively released when striding than the Gamme 54- but the Gamme 54 has a longer and more stable glide surface, and is easier to evenly pressure in a downhill turn.
Please forgive the long-winded essay! What I am getting to is that I really don't think that the Gamme is cambred and stiff enough to be worried about having too stiff and cambered a ski for your weight.
(As an alternate example, the more-cambered and stiffer Amundsen may be a different thing altogether...)
The only advantage a short Gamme is going to give you is that it might be more maneuverable- and it will have a shorter turn radius...
But- I personally don't pick these skis because of their turn radius- I choose them for their XC and climbing performance on backcountry snow. If I need to make a tight radius turn with a ski like this, I make step/jump turns- not linked turns (these are skis are so light this is easy to do!) And when I have room- they do make beautiful wide-open linked turns!!!
So- my point? I wouldn't worry about camber and stiffness with this ski.
If you want a shorter ski to make tight-radius turns then I would suggest looking at a different ski.
Have you priced out an order from Sport Albert?
https://www.sportalbert.de/
The final price would not include VAT and the shipping cost is not crazy.
And- if you buy the skis in a package (i.e. with bindings, etc.) the cost comes down. I have priced it out a number of times and it has been very competitive with LaCordee and the Norseman...
And as a final note- if my memory is correct- most every skier- on this site- that has been sized on Asnes Fjellskis at Neptune has been advised to size-up not down...
Have you tried contacting the Norseman in Calgary? I wonder if they stock the Gamme 54?
I am assuming that you want this ski for the XC performance they have to offer? If so- you need to go at least 200cm- and I recommend 210cm.
There are a number of skiers on this site that have had the wonderful opportunity of being properly "sized" on Asnes skis.
I am not one of them, unfortunately! I have had to hope for the best!
What I do know is that all of the Asnes dealers that I have actually spoken to (Norseman, Neptune, Sport Albert) have stated that there is some difference between sets of solid-wood cores XC and Fjellskis. They much prefer having someone in their shop and sizing a set of skis to a skier's weight, and personal skiing context...
I am wondering whether the Norseman has the Gamme 54 in stock and whether you could actually choose a set?
What I can tell you is that the Gamme 54 is not really a Classic double-cambered ski...
It is double-cambered, but overall the camber is low-profile- closer to a typical camber-and-a-half than a true double-cambered ski. When I evenly stand on my 210cm Gammes- on the floor- there is barely an open wax pocket there- certainly not worth measuring. For comparison- my 210cm E99 Tours are perhaps only a tiny bit more resistant underfoot- despite the fact that they have a significantly higher uncompressed camber than the Gamme...
I weigh 185lbs and have the 210cm Gamme 54.
The Gamme 54 is definitely stiffer and more resistant underfoot than skis like the Ingstad, Combat Nato, E-109.
However- the Gamme 54- like the E-99- is a "double"-cambered XC ski designed for highly vairiable backcountry snow- and as such is just soft enough to provide decent kick in soft snow- it is brilliant.
The higher-cambered wax pocket of the E99 Tour is more effectively released when striding than the Gamme 54- but the Gamme 54 has a longer and more stable glide surface, and is easier to evenly pressure in a downhill turn.
Please forgive the long-winded essay! What I am getting to is that I really don't think that the Gamme is cambred and stiff enough to be worried about having too stiff and cambered a ski for your weight.
(As an alternate example, the more-cambered and stiffer Amundsen may be a different thing altogether...)
The only advantage a short Gamme is going to give you is that it might be more maneuverable- and it will have a shorter turn radius...
But- I personally don't pick these skis because of their turn radius- I choose them for their XC and climbing performance on backcountry snow. If I need to make a tight radius turn with a ski like this, I make step/jump turns- not linked turns (these are skis are so light this is easy to do!) And when I have room- they do make beautiful wide-open linked turns!!!
So- my point? I wouldn't worry about camber and stiffness with this ski.
If you want a shorter ski to make tight-radius turns then I would suggest looking at a different ski.
Have you priced out an order from Sport Albert?
https://www.sportalbert.de/
The final price would not include VAT and the shipping cost is not crazy.
And- if you buy the skis in a package (i.e. with bindings, etc.) the cost comes down. I have priced it out a number of times and it has been very competitive with LaCordee and the Norseman...
And as a final note- if my memory is correct- most every skier- on this site- that has been sized on Asnes Fjellskis at Neptune has been advised to size-up not down...
Cross-country AND down-hill skiing in the backcountry.
Unashamed to be a "cross-country type" and love skiing down-hill.
Unashamed to be a "cross-country type" and love skiing down-hill.
Re: Asnes Gamme 54 length
Are you in Colorado? If so, Neptune Mountaineering in Boulder stocks the Gamme 54 (and other Asnes). They have a 200 cm in stock. And even if you’re not in Colorado, you can order from them. It’s a great shop (I have no affiliation, I just shop there....sometimes).
https://www.neptunemountaineering.com/a ... -1030368-c
https://www.neptunemountaineering.com/a ... -1030368-c