Asnes Mountain Race 48, Mountain Touring 51, the Åsnes skin system appears to be genius.

[Musk Ox]

I am interested in what all of your locals are using for touring? Is your wife on the cutting edge with her skin-skis- are many others using skin skis- or, are most using grip wax?

Hello! Yes, my wife is very fast on skis, I'm not sure they touch the snow.

As for skins it's partly a generational thing. My ex landlady is in her 60s and a waxing pro. A drive to the mountains at the end of the work day, early on a Friday, at the weekends, is just what everyone does. Get out of the car, have a little chat about wax with a stranger, off you go, dodge the reindeer, lovely.

The serious hiking in the mountains community is pretty definitely skin-oriented, there's no question about that, though. I've had two long discussions in the past two days about the merits of X-Skins, specifically. Skins are basically tools, and they're extremely convenient.

I really wish I'd got wise to this earlier.

[Musk Ox]

Oh, also, cliffy, full disclosure: up here they literally say that if you ski badly, then you 'ski like a Dane', so it's not a Scandinavian universal. My wife is, indeed, a Dane, but she doesn't ski like one. I emphatically do.

[Cannatonic]

Also, I just went down to my basement to fondle my Fischer Country Wax/Crowns that I have. They have very familiar profiles to the Mountain Touring 51. 60-52-57 dimensions and big camber (but no 3/4 metal edges, they are edgeless). They are really great skis, I love them. They are fast and stable and light and like lightning and they have been in Fischer's stable for years. But the Asnes X-Skin changes this equation. While I have two Fischer Countries for conditions- wax and waxless (I go beserk on wax skis in wet granular snow) ONE Mountain Touring 51 with the X-Skin factor would eliminate a pair entirely-- which means if someone is looking for this class ski they are saving money by buying the pricier Asnes... if anyone needs that motivation.

AND OH MY LORD, Fischer discontinued the Country WAX!!! What the hell?!

I went through this exact same process - it's how I ended up w/ the MT51. I had a pair of fishscale Kharu Mirage, edgeless, same specs as the BC Country, that I used for many years. I went to replace them with the last year of Fischer's BC Country and I couldn't believe how lame the ski was - crazy soft flex and really cheap construction. Not surprised noboby was buying it.

The closest replacement was MT51 in 210's from Sport Albert's spring sale. I am very happy with the purchase so far. I need to worry about the edges on my dogs' legs but the entire front 1/3rd of the ski is edgeless and that's the part that hits their legs. I will be watching the spring sales in a couple months to maybe snag a pair of the fishscale MT51's, even if it only comes in 205. The skins are the key, now I have skis just like my old Kharus, or like BC Country, except I already have a whole bunch of kicker skins that I can instantly apply on the MT51's as well.....total Asnes capture! I would like to see Anses with an edgeless MT ski for maximum-speed XC cruising

[Cannatonic]

Look at this!!!! when did this happen?? Asnes now has an edgless Gamme with a cool wolf-dog on it! crazy.....I was just asking for this!!

Finnmark 54 BC

https://www.en.asnes.com/produkt/finnmark-54-bc/

[lilcliffy]

Yeah- Finnmark BC- very cool.
I seriously want to try the Kongsvold...

[lilcliffy]

Good stuff Musk Ox.
So- you ordered the 48-skin- sending them back and getting the 51?

No matter what- please keeps us updated on your personal Ski Saga.

My wife Rebecca enjoyed reading your thread very much- sniggering about you having to chase your wife on skis through the Norwegian hinterland!

[Musk Ox]

Good stuff Musk Ox.
So- you ordered the 48-skin- sending them back and getting the 51?

No matter what- please keeps us updated on your personal Ski Saga.

My wife Rebecca enjoyed reading your thread very much- sniggering about you having to chase your wife on skis through the Norwegian hinterland!

At least I made someone happy.

The ordering saga really tested the patience of many. Er... the actual details of the ordering and returning are kind of both boring and hilarious, but honestly you don't want to know!

[Musk Ox]

I have the older Asnes skins with the open metal clip, I bought a "race roll" of mohair skin so I can cut & customize my own skins on the Asnes clips whenever I want and cheaply.

I really want to get into this – making a pair of slim Race skins for half the price. Hm.

How easy is it to get those plastic clips apart..?

[Cannatonic]

I just got my first pair of the new Xskin and they're cool but you won't be able to re-up them with fresh mohair anymore. They looked to be machine-riveted into place on the plastic. Too bad!

[Musk Ox]

I just got my first pair of the new Xskin and they're cool but you won't be able to re-up them with fresh mohair anymore. They looked to be machine-riveted into place on the plastic. Too bad!

Ah balls.