Altai Skis Hok Review

Real reviews by real skiers. What a concept! Add your own today. Reviews only please, questions can be posted as replies but new threads looking for opinions should be posted to the main Telemark Talk Forum.
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Woodserson
Posts: 2967
Joined: Wed Feb 11, 2015 10:25 am
Location: New Hampshire
Ski style: Bumps, trees, steeps and long woodsy XC tours
Occupation: Confused Turn Farmer

Re: Altai Skis Hok Review

Post by Woodserson » Sat Dec 02, 2017 10:55 am

nilsy wrote:Altai Skis is having its annual ski festival (Hoks and Koms) at Sitzmark on January 20th this season. Sitzmark is a small ski hill nestled in the Okanogan Highlands of NE WA. We kind of takeover that day. Lots of demos, pointers, tours. Don Portman comes over and helps out along with our local crew.

We are also doing a Hok demo/instruction at 49* north on January 6th at the nordic center.

Other events are possible too... we are working on that. Also some new videos that are a bit more dynamic :shock:
YES! AWESOME! I will definitely try to make it out there on the 20th next month and I'll bring the KOMs. Things have been slow on your blog, I'm happy to hear this event is still on!

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satsuma
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Location: Walla Walla, WA
Occupation: retired(?) chemical engineer

Re: Altai Skis Hok Review

Post by satsuma » Tue Dec 05, 2017 10:42 pm

nilsy wrote:Altai Skis is having its annual ski festival (Hoks and Koms) at Sitzmark on January 20th this season. Sitzmark is a small ski hill nestled in the Okanogan Highlands of NE WA. We kind of takeover that day. Lots of demos, pointers, tours. Don Portman comes over and helps out along with our local crew.

We are also doing a Hok demo/instruction at 49* north on January 6th at the nordic center.

Other events are possible too... we are working on that. Also some new videos that are a bit more dynamic :shock:
Hopefully others. I'd like to come, but will be busy both days. Does Mountain Gear do any demos of these?



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lilcliffy
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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: Altai Skis Hok Review

Post by lilcliffy » Thu Dec 14, 2017 4:17 pm

I am starting to consider pulling the NNNBC binding off my Hoks...

It isn't the NNNBC boot (Alaska) or binding (Magnum) that I am unhappy with- it is the fact that the adapter plate effectively acts as a riser.

I don't like it- especially with a soft leather XC boot.

I may move to 3-pin, or go back to the universal binding...

Haven't decided yet.
Cross-country AND down-hill skiing in the backcountry.
Unashamed to be a "cross-country type" and love skiing down-hill.



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teleclub
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Re: Altai Skis Hok Review

Post by teleclub » Mon Dec 18, 2017 4:26 pm

lilcliffy wrote:An update:

I wish that the Hok had a full-wrap steel edge. After only half a season on my Hoks, they are showing significant wear on the tips- above the steel edge.

As a bushwacking ski, the Hok would be a lot more durable with a full-wrap steel edge.
Did the updated Hok get a full-wrap steel edge? Not sure.

The details image half-way down this page on Altai's site says the updated Hok does have full steel edges: "full steel edges on all Hoks". But several photos below it on the same page show a Hok 147 with partial edges(?).

http://us-store.altaiskis.com/product/h ... ightbox/6/
Altai-Hok-details-page-jpg-copy.jpg
Altai-hok-145-Hok-2016-e1474575829154.jpg
Altai-Hok-145-2016-3pin-top-bottom.jpg



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lilcliffy
Posts: 4112
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: Altai Skis Hok Review

Post by lilcliffy » Sun Jan 14, 2018 1:00 pm

I have previous gen 145cm Hok- the steel edges are the same, they extend to the base of the raised tip.
Cross-country AND down-hill skiing in the backcountry.
Unashamed to be a "cross-country type" and love skiing down-hill.



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lilcliffy
Posts: 4112
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: Altai Skis Hok Review

Post by lilcliffy » Sun Jan 14, 2018 1:16 pm

So- I pulled the NNNBC binding off my Hoks last night, and re-mounted the X-Trace universal binding.

It is not that I didn't like NNNBC on this ski.

I eventually decided that I wanted the versatility of the universal binding- especially when I take the Hok to work.

Also- although I like my XC boot on this ski- I was not crazy about the riser plate (the adapter plate).

Some more observations on this ski.

This ski is wide- and therefore, if one wants to be able to hold it on edge you really need a 3-pin binding on it, so that one can use a proper Telemark boot. If I used this ski in truly mountainous terrain- I would put a 3-pin-cable binding on it.

That being said you can ride all kinds of wonderful turns on this ski with XC boots, if the snow is deep and soft.

The use of single pole ("Tiak") has been a wonderful learning experience. It can be used as an outrigger to improve stability; a tripod of balance; and can also be used as a brake. In fact, with a Tiak I can actually ski down so pretty extreme slopes- even with XC boots on!
Cross-country AND down-hill skiing in the backcountry.
Unashamed to be a "cross-country type" and love skiing down-hill.



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martin2007
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Re: Altai Skis Hok Review

Post by martin2007 » Mon Jan 15, 2018 10:49 am

I just checked the Altai website. No reference to 2017-18 season, and skis at the US store seems to be "out of stock". Anyone know what's the matter?



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lilcliffy
Posts: 4112
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: Altai Skis Hok Review

Post by lilcliffy » Mon Jan 15, 2018 2:15 pm

Just checked Canadian site:

Hoks are currently out of stock.
Koms are in stock.
Cross-country AND down-hill skiing in the backcountry.
Unashamed to be a "cross-country type" and love skiing down-hill.



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Inspiredcapers
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Location: Southeast BC
Ski style: Erratic
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Favorite boots: Transnordics in NNN-BC & 75mm
Occupation: Heavy Equipment Operator

Re: Altai Skis Hok Review

Post by Inspiredcapers » Mon Nov 05, 2018 1:15 pm

They’re fun, they’ve fueled the urge to go with something that will let me expand my horizons. I plan on putting a 3 pin binding on them as I find the universal binding isn’t adequate enough to fully utilize them. I’ve used the lurk and it gives an added degree of confidence as well. My wife tried them last year and had fun so I’m contemplating a pair of 125’s for her.
Skiing…falling downhill…pretty much the same thing for this klutz.



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Telemarkpete
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Re: Altai Skis Hok Review

Post by Telemarkpete » Fri Jan 04, 2019 2:02 pm

lilcliffy wrote:Just checked Canadian site:

Hoks are currently out of stock.
Koms are in stock.
Looks like they are now back in stock in the Canadian store - just ordered two pairs and can't wait to give em a try!



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