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Feedback after Greenland pulka trip (pic heavy)

Posted: Thu Mar 21, 2024 9:43 am
by Ernst R
I solicited help from this forum a few months ago because I wanted to re-do the Arctic Circle Trail (160km in Arctic Greenland; approx 9 days; pulk 70kg) not with microspikes like the first time, but with ski’s.

See topic “Help needed for ski choice for solo pulka trip West-Greenland”

This is my first long trip with cross country ski’s (lots of alpine ski experience, almost no XC experience) and with your collective help Alfa Polar boots - Xplore binding and Asnes Combat Nato Spesial became the gear choice. Consider this feedback from someone with virtually nil experience, please interpret my comments within this context.

The hike: 9 days, 7 nights in tent, 1 in hut. Temperatures between -10 and -31 Celsius (in tent temperatures excluding windchill). Hopefully the pics will give you a good idea.
Mostly old snow, but light dustings of new snow on many days as well.

1/ Asnes Polar boots: very warm, but with quite a lot of foot movement, which caused my VBL socks to slip down, necessitating 2-hourly boot removal - sock repositioning. Except for this inconvenience, I was very happy with this choice

2/ the Xplore binding: comfortable and natural movement for a newbie. My only gripe is that I was never very sure when putting them on that the ski’s had clicked in. I often needed 2-3 tries. A more positive feedback of the ski being locked in would be more reassuring.

3/ the Asnes Combat Nato. In one word: phenomenal! I felt in control, they held course, no sliding or floppiness. Fixed a nylon X-skin at the start and never took it off. Now I must admit that on very steep climbs, rather than fixing a full length skin (had multiple options with me), I would simply remove my ski’s and slip on my trusted microspikes. For me this was faster change and a known quantity. In hindsight I should have tried, but in the flow of the hike and with the heavy pulk, I tend to stick with what works (also for clothing choices, etc…)

Thanks again for all your help!
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Re: Feedback after Greenland pulka trip (pic heavy)

Posted: Thu Mar 21, 2024 9:45 am
by Ernst R
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Re: Feedback after Greenland pulka trip (pic heavy)

Posted: Thu Mar 21, 2024 10:13 am
by groughsurfer
Looks fantastic! Thanks for posting, glad the gear worked out

Re: Feedback after Greenland pulka trip (pic heavy)

Posted: Thu Mar 21, 2024 10:25 am
by corlay
WOW.

amazing adventure.
I marvel at your courage to make this trip solo

Re: Feedback after Greenland pulka trip (pic heavy)

Posted: Thu Mar 21, 2024 10:28 am
by Inspiredcapers
Awesome, thanks for sharing the trip info, it’s inspiration for future adu. Nice test of the Xplore bindings for a multiday tour. As far as the Alfa Polar boots go would you have gone a size smaller (you mentioned foot movement)?

Re: Feedback after Greenland pulka trip (pic heavy)

Posted: Thu Mar 21, 2024 10:36 am
by Ernst R
corlay wrote:
Thu Mar 21, 2024 10:25 am
WOW.

amazing adventure.
I marvel at your courage to make this trip solo
Well, except for the cold and unpredictable weather, it is actually quite a “safe trip if you’re well prepared. The hike is between 2 Inuit villages, and as you can see on the pics the snowmobile tracks are quite easy to follow. Add to that that on many days you will meet a local hunter on his/her snowmobile, who will invariably slow down or stop to see if you’re ok (they are amazingly helpful and kind).

Re: Feedback after Greenland pulka trip (pic heavy)

Posted: Thu Mar 21, 2024 10:39 am
by Ernst R
Inspiredcapers wrote:
Thu Mar 21, 2024 10:28 am
Awesome, thanks for sharing the trip info, it’s inspiration for future adu. Nice test of the Xplore bindings for a multiday tour. As far as the Alfa Polar boots go would you have gone a size smaller (you mentioned foot movement)?
I’m not sure, I think it would be fine if I found a way to better fix those slippery VBL. I prefer them to be slightly too big than to pinch in very cold weather. The size I had felt right on fitting, but I do get the impression some play develops in use.

Re: Feedback after Greenland pulka trip (pic heavy)

Posted: Thu Mar 21, 2024 11:09 am
by spopepro
Congrats! Great pictures and great trip!

How’d the hille tent work for you (looks like maybe a keron?) I’ve been considering the nammatj for times where my pyramid won’t cut it.

Re: Feedback after Greenland pulka trip (pic heavy)

Posted: Thu Mar 21, 2024 9:27 pm
by fisheater
What an adventure. Thank you for sharing.

Re: Feedback after Greenland pulka trip (pic heavy)

Posted: Fri Mar 22, 2024 6:07 am
by Ernst R
spopepro wrote:
Thu Mar 21, 2024 11:09 am
Congrats! Great pictures and great trip!

How’d the hille tent work for you (looks like maybe a keron?) I’ve been considering the nammatj for times where my pyramid won’t cut it.
It’s a Keron 3 indeed. Tent was great, especially when transported in a pulkbag with the poles still inserted. Made for a very quick setup.

Did the trip last year with a Staika, but I prefer the vertical walls, with a well ventilated vestibule behind it, at head and foot ends of the Keron. In the Staika the walls at head and foot end are sloping with the outer wall just after that. Especially with a high mattress and thick sleeping bag I found more condensation because my head and footbox were against the walls.

Both tents are great, but got this use scenario, I would take the Keron again!
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