Telemark Talk / Telemark Tips Forum

Hello every1!

Been lurking on this forum for a while and was wondering if you kind lot would be able to help me identify a pair of Fischer E99 skis I recently acquired? See the attached picture at the bottom. My guess would be 80-90s, but I haven't seen a pair like this anywhere. Some of the ones posted on here look similar though. They're 200cm and equipped with matching Rottefella BC Auto bindings. Got the skis and a pair of Colltex long skins for about us$90, half for the skis and skins and half for shipping, packaging and the headache it entailed.

"You don't just buy one pair of skis", I read and scoffed. Couldn't be me, I thought. Me, that has a backlog of project cars (oh look, that car is cheap and looks like a quick fix! Let’s go pick up another lawn ornament).
Yet it appears to be true. Before the first set of skis even appeared on my doorstep, I had already finalized the acquisition of the second pair. A pair of Fischer 206cm Trace 82's with the Offtrack Crown and Easy Skin compatibility. Got them cheap through my work and even mounted a pair of Rottefella Magnum BC bindings on them myself. Mine are actually Fischer branded bindings, the only difference being two stickers and a higher price tag.

Early this year me and a friend embarked on a ski trip with narrow cross-country skis that we waxed. Or that we tried to wax, as clueless as we were. Did the whole length of the skis with hot melt wax. It was slipperier than snot on a door knob. Couldn’t get up a hill, couldn’t get down a hill. Combine that with a way too heavy backpack and trying to go off-track to get a prime exercise in mental toughness training. Would do it again though.

Took the new skis out for the first time on a little too little snow. It worked, but they definitely need more. Second time around, I tried going up a mountain, following a narrow ATV-road with trees and shrubbery on either side. Worked wonders going uphill with the offtrack crown and easy skins. But downhill? After a couple meters and landings on my behind I ended up taking them off and walking back down. Boots used are Crispi Stetind. A no-brainer for me, as I use their hiking boots extensively.

The day after I tried my luck on an old forest road. It was long and winding, with rolling up- and downhills. T’was a dream with the waxless Traces, following a snowmobile trail. Did about 4.5 kilometers and it was so effortless. On the way back I noticed that I should’ve invested in skate skis instead, considering my ski tracks were more perpendicular than parallel. Sadly it’ll get warmer here now, so it’ll be a while before I can get back to working on my technique and satisfying my need for exertion and adventure.

For the record, I am 184cm(6ft) and 80kg(176lbs). Initially I thought the skis would be too long for me, but 206cm is the perfect length and I don’t think I could have them any shorter. Thanks to lilcliffy and others on this forum that made me rationalize my purchase. After I tried the skis I don’t regret it whatsoever.

Thanks for reading my blogpost and maybe having a chuckle at my inexperience and fascination for this wonderful pastime and community.

- Max

If your skis look something like this:
Or a Duran Duran album….

It’s from the 90’s!

Hello and Welcome Max!

Thank you for sharing your ski story with us- and please continue!

I'm sorry, but I can't help you ID the old E99 (I must admit that I was a diehard Karhu-Quebec ski loyalist back then!)

I am curious about the 206 Fischer Trace 82- with Easy-SKin and Off-Track Crown insert-

Never heard of this ski before- "82" makes me think similar to E-109-SL/Transnordic 82?

Best,
Gareth

Found it!
https://www.fischer-shop.cz/fischer-tra ... y#nav-tabs

Well- whadayaknow! Fischer finally made an E-109 Crown with the Easy-Skin insert!
(I also see some availability of an E99/Transnordic 66 Crown with the skin insert as well...Might "need" those...)

@icener I can't quite make out the text in your ski- does it have Transnordic stamped on it as well?

What is the difference between the Trace 82 and the Transnordic 82?

Also- is it actually 206cm, or is it 205cm long?

Thanks for the warm welcome guys!

It does say Trace 82 on them. Will attach some pics to this reply that include both the Trace's and the E99's. Seems like my little collage had it's image quality munted upon posting :/

From what I've been able to gather, the Fischer Trace 82 Crown/Skin is the follow-up of the Fischer E109 Villmarka Easy-Skin and predecessor of the Fischer Adventure 82 Crown/Skin. They also made a beefy Trace 98, and now make the Adventure 98.

In comparison to the Transnordic 82, the Trace/Adventure 82 does not have steel edges. Which is better for use with dogs, and thus a preferred choice for dog-lovers and hunters. Otherwise they seem very similar.

It seems like the Transnordic 82 is the successor of the E109. Which makes sense, as the Transnordic 66 is the successor to the E99.

And yes, they are really 206cm long. They came in 176, 186, 196, and 206cm. Width dimensions are 82-60-70

Coming back to my E99's, they really give me Miami Vice and Solo Jazz cup design vibes.

The blue and red and gray ones are what I have. I was told they are gen 2 of the Europa 99. The bases on mine are just too slow for me

Ok- so the "Trace" branding refers to no steel edges...Interesting.
Fischer never did put the Easy-Skin insert on the last-gen E-109 Crown Xtralite- then they dropped it altogether-
now they have brought it back- with the skin insert- but not in the standard steel-edged Transnordic model?
Weird.

This is kinda confusing me. But I might just be confusing myself and thus you as well

As I understand it, the Transnordic 82 Easy-Skin is the current model and the successor of the E109. The Transnordic 82 does have steel edges and an Easy-Skin insert, but no waxless crown pattern. The Transnordic 66, however, does have Crown/Skin.

The Trace 82 does not have steel edges, but it does have Offtrack Crown waxless base and Easy-Skin insert. This model is discontinued and was replaced by the Adventure 82, which also has Offtrack Crown waxless base and Easy-Skin insert, but no steel edges either.

It seems that if one wants steel edges, Offtrack-Crown waxless base and Easy-Skin insert, one should go for the Fischer Traverse 78 Crown/Skin or Transnordic 66 Crown/Skin.

If one wants all that and the ability to use both short Easy-Skins and long "Super Skins", one could go for the Excursion 88 Crown/Dual skin with a notch at the tip.

Hope this made some more sense instead of causing even more confusion

This is all found on the official Fischersports.com website: https://www.fischersports.com/cross-country/ski/