Advice on a BC touring setup?

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AKengr
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Joined: Mon Dec 24, 2018 4:51 pm

Re: Advice on a BC touring setup?

Post by AKengr » Wed Dec 26, 2018 4:02 pm

Thanks for all the advice.

Just starting to get waxing figured because of my skate skis. So a set of waxed bases would be fine.

Let me see what I can pick up used with metal edges to start with.

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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
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Re: Advice on a BC touring setup?

Post by lilcliffy » Wed Dec 26, 2018 5:48 pm

Holiday greetings from the New Brunswick hills (as I grin and bear the foot of frozen concrete out there- and sip on a nice brew after chores and some trail maintenance. SNOW in the forecast for Friday-Saturday!!!)
Just read through this thread.
Welcome BTW!

Clearly the snow conditions are highly variable where you will be skiing.
What is the topography like? Rolling/hilly? Mostly flat?

The E99/Glitt/Gamme 54 class of ski is certainly very versatile with regards to snow conditions- and offers pretty decent float if you get em long enough- as Smitty mentioned. But this class of ski is still very much a distance-oriented XC ski. I actually love turning them- but the only way to make tight turns with them- if you have a XC length- is to make step/jump turns. These skis have a VERY wide turn radius!!!
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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AKengr
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Re: Advice on a BC touring setup?

Post by AKengr » Wed Dec 26, 2018 9:06 pm

Thanks for the responses.

The terrain varies wildly up here. There are some serious hardcore mountains, but I have the AT setup for that. What I am looking for in this set of skis is travel over some of the tamer ground. For example the rolling hills that are common in some of the river valleys.

The trails are often narrow and heavily wooded. Just wide enough for a snow machine, so turning will be tough. Probably snow plow down short steep sections..



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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: Advice on a BC touring setup?

Post by lilcliffy » Thu Dec 27, 2018 6:54 am

So turning not really important?

My advice is to find a traditional double-cambered distance-oriented BC-XC ski in a long XC length. I would suggest the wider width skis (e.g. E99) for greater flotation, grip and stability over the narrowest (e.g. E89). The narrowest skis are definitely the fastest on dense consolidated snow- but the greater width offers better flotation, grip and stability. I would also recommend a waxable base and a kicker skin.

Skis to consider:
1) Madshus Glittertind/BC55
2) Fischer E99 Tour
3) Asnes Gamme 54
4) Asnes Amundsen
5) Asnes Combat USGI
6) Asnes Combat Nato
7) Asnes Nansen

The Combat USGI surplus skis are an incredible value and are excellent touring skis- stable, loads of grip, good flotation, and excellent trail-breaking- though they are heavy.

I put the Combat Nato up there as well only because it is actually decent on dense consolidated snow (though certainly not as fast as the narrower more cambered skis) and completely crushes deep snow, breakable crust, etc.

The Nansen is another ski to consider if the terrain is very hilly. I use the E99/Gamme 54 for fast long-distance cruising in hilly terrain- but, I can see the advantage of the Nansen when the snow is variable and the terrain is predominantly steep.

Certainly the mid-50-width traditional truly double-cambered touring skis will offer the greatest versatility.

My #1 pick for you would probably be the Amundsen with a waxable base and the X-Skin.
I highly recommend the Combat USGI if you are on a tight budget!

You mentioned the "old" 10th Mtn skis...Which version/generation of 10th Mtn skis are you referring to?
The last generation "XCD 10th Mtn" (now the Madshus Epoch) is a very soft single-cambered touring ski- only available with a waxless-scaled base. This ski is VERY slow as a XC ski- especially on dense, consolidated snow...

As far as 3-pin vs NNNBC (HA!) I would also suggest that either is ideal. I too would advise finding a suitable boot that fits and then matching it to a binding.
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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AKengr
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Re: Advice on a BC touring setup?

Post by AKengr » Fri Dec 28, 2018 8:39 pm

lilcliffy wrote: You mentioned the "old" 10th Mtn skis...Which version/generation of 10th Mtn skis are you referring to?
The last generation "XCD 10th Mtn" (now the Madshus Epoch) is a very soft single-cambered touring ski- only available with a waxless-scaled base. This ski is VERY slow as a XC ski- especially on dense, consolidated snow...
Thanks for the feedback!

There was a used set of 10th mountain skis for sale up here, but someone else beat me to them.

I think I now have a good understanding of what I want and therefore I will watch for a used deal and if nothing turns up in a month or so I will probably breakdown and buy a new set. Shipping can be pretty expensive to Alaska so most things cost more up here, but the used market tends to be pretty active.



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AKengr
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Re: Advice on a BC touring setup?

Post by AKengr » Sun Dec 30, 2018 10:34 pm

Thanks again for all the advice.

I just picked up a set of Fischer Europa 99 ST 210 cm wax skis very cheaply. Old skis that have become the E99s. They look almost identical and have the same dimensions as the newer E99s as well as the full metal edge. Not ideal but a good first wax / metal edge ski for me.

So now to the wax. What do you recommend for grip and glide wax? I have an iron, scrapers, and brushes already.



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bgregoire
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Joined: Fri Aug 22, 2014 9:31 am
Ski style: Nordic backcountry touring with lots of turns
Favorite Skis: Fisher E99 & Boundless (98), Åsnes Ingstad, K2 Wayback 88
Favorite boots: Crispi Sydpolen, Alico Teletour & Alfa Polar

Re: Advice on a BC touring setup?

Post by bgregoire » Sun Dec 30, 2018 11:02 pm

AKengr wrote:I live in AK and the conditions can vary wildly: -20 F with a foot of fresh dry powder to an icy snow machine trail at +30 F.

So now to the wax. What do you recommend for grip and glide wax? I have an iron, scrapers, and brushes already.
AK, good find! The E99 is a fine ski for touring with speed. Those old beaters have probably lost a little pep (camber stiffness) with time, which migh actually be a good thing depending on your weight!

Glide Wax? Meh, if you've never done it I would skip it for now.

Grip wax? Choose your wax according to snow conditions! There are two fine short threads on BC waxing in the teleWiki section. Check 'em out!

Happy skiing!
I live for the Telemark arc....The feeeeeeel.....I ski miles to get to a place where there is guaranteed snow to do the deal....TM



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bgregoire
Posts: 1511
Joined: Fri Aug 22, 2014 9:31 am
Ski style: Nordic backcountry touring with lots of turns
Favorite Skis: Fisher E99 & Boundless (98), Åsnes Ingstad, K2 Wayback 88
Favorite boots: Crispi Sydpolen, Alico Teletour & Alfa Polar

Re: Advice on a BC touring setup?

Post by bgregoire » Sun Dec 30, 2018 11:06 pm

...there was a time when those Europas (E99) where considering downhill skis!

https://books.google.ca/books?id=5uusVW ... ST&f=false

Johnny, ever heard of the Fischer America 99? Sounds like it could be your cup o tea! ;)

Happy new year!
I live for the Telemark arc....The feeeeeeel.....I ski miles to get to a place where there is guaranteed snow to do the deal....TM



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AKengr
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Re: Advice on a BC touring setup?

Post by AKengr » Mon Dec 31, 2018 12:21 am

Thanks for sharing that.

It is amazing how far skis have come in the last few decades. The downhill skis I now use are like water skis when compared to the narrow ones we used in the 70s and 80s.

But the price ways right and they will be fun to play with....



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Chisana
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Location: Alaska
Ski style: Sliding on snow
Favorite Skis: EMS Woodies
Favorite boots: Merrell ultras
Occupation: Fisherman

Re: Advice on a BC touring setup?

Post by Chisana » Mon Dec 31, 2018 12:32 am

If the bases look dry and chalky, I would glide wax them with a warm wax or even parrafin to nourish these bases. Then scrape,scrape scrape,followed with a brushing. The kick wax doesnt adhere well to glide wax,but if the bases have been neglected, the glide waxing will help.For this type of skiing, I generally kick wax almost the whole length of the ski with the wax of the day, sometimes using a little warmer wax underfoot. Here on the Kenai, weather is warming, which can make waxing difficult, but normal temps in the teens and twenties blue and blue extra work well for me. Thawed,refrozen snow is another story.



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