Which Asnes model for Colorado backcountry?

[lilcliffy]

@Stephen Very much look forward to your reports on these skis!

[fgd135]

Mebbe Neptune will have demos of the various skis that the OP could rent for a day. Rent one pair of each of the two top choices, and both the OP and SO try each ski during a long tour and decide.

I did a multiday tour on some Nansens, a few years back, from Aspen to Crested Butte. Mixed conditions, powder to junk to ice, during the trip, and the skis worked well, both with skins and without. Leather boots and pins, btw.

[Cannatonic]

For me the question would come down to making telemark turns down the mountain - trying to get some powder turns or enjoyable downhill turns as part of the tour. If yes then I would prefer something like Nansen or Nato Combat. If not, then the E99/Gamme type ski all the way. The best choice for long distance touring and logging miles. They're not much slower than pure XC skis but a lot easier to make turns when needed.

I wouldn't worry too much about these choices, every ski will do something better, eventually you'll end up with more skis. If you get the Gamme now you can get something wider later. I went with a pair of Gamme and NATO combat. Have not tried Nansen but I'm sure I would have fun with them. It sounds like starting with Gamme is best if you're covering distance. Nansen and the wider ones all have deeper sidecut and less camber which kills the XC-ski-ability of them IMO.

My Asnes buying strategy has been to grab whatever is on sale or in stock. It's a good philosophy, eventually you end up with a few pairs of skis that cover everything. Once you get your boots & binding selected you can watch Craiglist and maybe pick up some older skis to fool around with different designs.

[jyw5]

So it is dumping 3 ft of snow in 24 hours...more than a foot since last night. hopefully the road will be plowed by tomorrow and it stops snowing as I have Monday off.

Here is a modified wish list I made 6 months ago. Made some changes as I make more discoveries and analysis. Great to ponder when not skiing. Thanks to everyone for contributing amazing information.

The problems with this list that remain unsolved are:

#1 what ski/setup to use on icy groomers up to black diamond level runs at ski resorts to avoid plastic boots (I want my leather!) (many resorts require leashes which NNN BC does not have)

#2 what ski/setup to use on icy steep runs in the backcountry or sidecountry to avoid plastic boots. would they be the same ski as #1?


non tele:
Backcountry AT (day trips) or resort sidecountry:
Asnes Fjoro 92 176cm (127-92-104)
Dynafit TLT Speed Z12 Binding
Scott Cosmos III boots 26.5 $380
G3 Alpinist high traction skins, BD kick skins, Pomoca 62mm race pro 2, 58mm nylon Xskins

downhill resort groomers, packed powder, boilerplate/icy, steep:
Asnes Cecilie Skog (76-56-66) 180cm + Voile 3 pin cable traverse or NNN BC???
Alfa Greenland 75 Adv, 41 EU? or Alfa Guard Adv
30mm mohair, 40mm mohair race Xskins, 30mm or 45mm nylon

and/or

Resort/BC off piste, steep, new snow, groomed powder:
Asnes Fjoro 92 176cm + Voile 3 pin cable traverse with risers
Alfa Greenland 75 Adv, 41 EU?
G3 Alpinist high traction full skins, 58mm nylon Xskins, Pomoca 62mm race pro 2

To replace S112:
Mid Winter skimo; fast ascents, consolidated snow, late spring or summer corn/slush, XCD:
Asnes Nosi 76 164cm + NNN BC bindings
Alfa Guard Advance GTX, 41 EU
would be great if waxless
pomoca 40mm mohair race; 40mm, 58mm nylon Xskins; pomoca 62mm race pro 2; G3 Alpinist 85mm full skins trimmed to fit

or cheaper:

Fischer S98 169cm + NNN BC
EZ skins; pomoco 62mm race pro 2

Deep snow backcountry:
Asnes Ingstad Waxless 175cm + NNN BC bindings
Alfa Quest Core or Guard Adv
58mm nylon, pomoca 40mm mohair race Xskins


I already have many pairs of skis, some of these would replace a few skis, like my S112 which has taken a few core shots and I noticed the scale pattern is wearing out.
Some of these would be fun just to have for special days. Like a pair of beautiful resort skis for a relaxed day on the groomers...be so great to have a 2hr champagne lunch in leather boots.

Can't wait for this storm to pass!!
The snowfall is quite heavy and a bit wet... too bad I haven't got a pair of Fjoros or Ingstads! I will try the FT62s at higher evelation after the snow settles a bit and report back.

Cheers!

[Ptarmigan]

Thanks for weighing in everyone! I learned so much reading your replies. It is wonderful to see the thread helping other folks who are looking at similar skis too.

My husband and I went ahead and bought waxable Nansens-- 190 for me and 195 for him. The staff at Neptune thought those would be great lengths and skis for what we want to do too. We drove to the shop yesterday and tried on boots and decided on the NNN BC Alaska which happened to fit us both well (the other option was the Fischer BCX 6 which were uncomfortable). Now we just have to wait for the temporarily out-of-stock Magnum bindings to come in and we will be set to go! We are hoping to pick up our mounted set-ups in the next couple of weeks. There is no snow around here yet, so waiting a bit longer is fine even though we are really excited to get them. I feel so fortunate to live 30 minutes away from one of the main Asnes dealers in the US which made getting these skis easy!

Thanks again for all the help! I will make sure to write an update on the skis as we get out this winter (even though I am a bit of a newbie so that report may not be the most technical!)

[Stephen]

Now we just have to wait for the temporarily out-of-stock Magnum bindings to come in and we will be set to go!

Magnum?
To the best of my knowledge, those are really too wide for the Nansen and will hang over the top edge of the ski.
The standard NNN BC Manual would work better.
Maybe that’s what you meant.
If I’m mistaken, someone correct me.
Within the last week I bought a pair of Ingstads from Neptune with the standard NNN BC installed, and the Ingstads are wider than the Nansen. Binding go to within mm of the edge of the ski.

[Ptarmigan]

Now we just have to wait for the temporarily out-of-stock Magnum bindings to come in and we will be set to go!

Magnum?
To the best of my knowledge, those are really too wide for the Nansen and will hang over the top edge of the ski.
The standard NNN BC Manual would work better.
Maybe that’s what you meant.
If I’m mistaken, someone correct me.
Within the last week I bought a pair of Ingstads from Neptune with the standard NNN BC installed, and the Ingstads are wider than the Nansen. Binding go to within mm of the edge of the ski.

Stephen, I did mean the Magnums. I wondered the same thing about them being too wide as, while we were doing paperwork for the ski mounting, I saw a pair of Nansens waiting for pick up on the rack mounted with Magnums. I noticed the bindings were hanging over the top edge of the ski so I asked if that was a problem. The staff said it isn't an issue as boots will hang over the edge of the ski anyway. The staff person was great and actually took time to bring out a standard NNN BC (which they did have in stock) to show me how it compared. Basically, the Magnum is just a little beefier and slightly wider. He said it would provide a bit more stability, but that either binding would work fine for the ski. We stuck with our choice of Magnums. I sure hope that is okay, but would assume the folks at Neptune would know. I saw that the Magnums are listed as being suitable for any ski with a waist over 52 mm (the Nansen are 56). Hope this helps and maybe others will chime in.

[lilcliffy]

NNNBC Manual/Auto (58mm plate) vs. Magnum (68mm plate)-

The boot-binding interface is IDENTICAL between all NNNBC bindings- the toe-bar/binding bushing; the boot sole/binding rails; and the toe/flexor interface.

Differences in performance?
- the 58mm-plate binding is lighter (I admit to not noticing this...)
- the 68mm-plate has a larger and wider binding closure lever (if that is the right word) (This is nice in very cold weather with heavy mitts on)

The 68mm plate offers more "stability" or more "leverage"? Think of the physics- does that make any sense?
If is to does then slalom skiers and skaters should add metal wings on their bindings out beyond the width of the boot...

The 68mm binding definitely spreads the torsional forces of the boot-binding interface over a wider surface area- this must reduce torsional stress on the binding mechanism...

I have NEVER noticed ANY greater stability/leverage with the 68mm plate- I have the 58mm plate on my E109, Eon Wax and T-78- the Magnum on my Combat Nato, Ingstad BC, waxless Eon, and FT62. There is no difference in performance.
I do think that serious xcd skiing can put lot of stress on the binding mechanism.
I put the 68mm Magnum on skis that I plan on pushing hard in steep terrain.

I prefer the "look" of the 58mm plate on the narrower ski (I have also been able to get it cheaper on clearance) and mount it on all of my sub-60mm skis (E99/Gamme 54).

[lilcliffy]

I would mount the 68mm Magnum on the Nansen if I was going to drive it hard.
I have yet to break a NNNBC binding- but I would not want to break one charging down some remote ridge, some 15-20kms from a plowed road!

[Stephen]

I would mount NNNBC on the Nansen if I was going to drive it hard.
I have yet to break a NNNBC binding- but I would not want to break one charging down some remote ridge, some 15-20kms from a plowed road!

Gareth, you usually write pretty clearly, but sort of lost me on your last two posts.
I didn't get a real clear indication one way or the other, especially with you putting the Magnum on your Ingstad.
What was your thinking on that choice?

There is one question this does raise for me: Is the toe bumper the same stiffness on the NNN BC Manual vs. the
NNN BC Magnum? My understanding is that there are different densities or stiffness on the toe bumper?

I think what you recommended to Ptarmigan was the standard NNN BC Manual for the Nansens.
But you also said if you were going to "drive it hard." What would you do if you we not going to drive it hard?
(Use duct tape?)

As for my upcoming decision on binding for FT62, would you go Standard or Magnum?
I kinda don't like the idea of the Magnum base plate hanging out over the edge.
Doesn't do anything out there, so is superfluous (which happens to be one of my favorite words!).