Powder touring ski options

[treehugger]

The Objective is so easy to turn, so light, so shmearable, with a round smooth soft flex. With scales.

Just sayin'

You're killin me!

[lowangle al]

Yeah Objectives look sweet but think they would be wasted on me at this point. Maybe next year with new bindings and boots? Or just better skills? Right now love the lightweight NNNBC with Alsaka set-up. Johnny riding fat skis with that setup is inspiring.

I never skied them but generally speaking you will learn faster on a ski like the objectives. In soft powder I think the nnn-bc should work for you. On a hard packed trail, maybe not and on stiff Sierra cement type snow, probably not, but the other skis mentioned probably won't work either.

[treehugger]

Yeah Objectives look sweet but think they would be wasted on me at this point. Maybe next year with new bindings and boots? Or just better skills? Right now love the lightweight NNNBC with Alsaka set-up. Johnny riding fat skis with that setup is inspiring.

I never skied them but generally speaking you will learn faster on a ski like the objectives. In soft powder I think the nnn-bc should work for you. On a hard packed trail, maybe not and on stiff Sierra cement type snow, probably not, but the other skis mentioned probably won't work either.

You guys must sense that I really want the objectives. Must admit gaining some confidence about getting them.

[Woodserson]

The Voile Objectives just work. They are shorter and not nordic cambered, so you're not going to get amazing glide out of them for long flats. But if you want easy turning and the use of two kinds of boots this would be the ticket. I would go 75mm though instead of NNN-BC, and get the Alaska and the T4/Excursion.

ANOTHER option, which Lo-Fi just mentioned in another thread is the Altai KOM. This would be a plastic boot ski (Excursion/T4) and it is just absolutely silly easy to ski with a giant tip to save you from yourself. Another Schmear-City ski. But again, you're not going anywhere FLAT for long on this one, but a joy to trailbreak on the uphill and a joy to ski down. Easier to ski than the Objective, cheaper. I have never had a bad day on my KOM's even though the snow was bad. At your height/weight get the 174.

I have both. I love both. They are different, but also the same. Easy to ski, easy to turn. Not XC skis.

[Woodserson]

I'm re-reading these posts and I'm wondering if what your objective (no pun) is now? Has it changed? Are you looking to turn in Sierra Cement or are you looking to tour the High Country with minimal turns?

It's been a year, maybe your goals have changed too.

[treehugger]

I'm re-reading these posts and I'm wondering if what your objective (no pun) is now? Has it changed? Are you looking to turn in Sierra Cement or are you looking to tour the High Country with minimal turns?

It's been a year, maybe your goals have changed too.

My objective hasn't really changed. Looking to get out in deep powder after big storms. Climbing about 1000 ft in a couple miles, which if math is correct is about 10% grade that is fairly steady incline with only a few flat areas. I hike this area a lot. Farther up you go the steeper things get. Plenty of spots to drop off the side of crest if I ever want some steeper turns but plan on heading down same grade. Old growth trees with plenty of space for turns.Trees get good powder with northeast facing snow that stays good for days when cold. But yeah everyone knows only sierra cement up here and no need for anyone to go into the trees.

[Woodserson]

Ok then, I would think about my last post about the Objectives and KOM's.

OR a V6 with scales. If you're going to spend the money on the Objectives why not go for another very smooth soft schmeary ski. (Again, though, like the KOM, not NNN-BC optimized-- so it really depends on your goals)

[Lo-Fi]

...not NNN-BC optimized...

Agree with Woods, Cliff... I just mounted NNN BC on Guide/ Annum skis and skiing them with NNN BC Alaskas I think its near the limit of the system.

[fisheater]

Treehugger, nothing wrong with aiming high, but Johnny been skiing on this gear for a long time to ski on those NNN mounted Objectives. He most likely waits for conditions to be right as well. He has lots of options for skis. LoFi posts some sweet turns on his short videos. I thought his recent video with Annum/Guides was pretty sweet, but he expressed less than a no reservations endorsement. The Objective is a much more powerful ski.
Now both the Ingstad and FT 62 can be skied with NNN. The FT 62 is a more powerful ski than a S-112 as I own both. I also prefer the FT over the S-112 for both XC and downhill.
I also want to tell you not to be afraid of kick wax. It works well. Also with the Asnes skis X-skins are available. For you climbing uphill for a few miles, then skiing downhill, X-skins can get you up, and you can remove them on the down. Read Lilcliffy’s wax guide in the Telewiki section. It’s so easy even a caveman can do it
Or...buy a Vector and some T-4s or Excursions
Good luck

[treehugger]

Ok then, I would think about my last post about the Objectives and KOM's.

OR a V6 with scales. If you're going to spend the money on the Objectives why not go for another very smooth soft schmeary ski. (Again, though, like the KOM, not NNN-BC optimized-- so it really depends on your goals)

V6 yes! If I want a powder ski I should get a powder ski right? Thought about V6 with dif boot/binding setup instead of objective but that would be in the future.

Really settling in on Ingstad as 1st choice as far as staying with nnnbc. And of course would make sense to also have objectives. Having both is really the best option! While the Ingstad maybe isn't the best choice based on my above goals I think it is a ski I need that will open up a lot more terrain and still handle some deeper snow. I think Ingstad this season and objectives next sounds like good plan.

Now both the Ingstad and FT 62 can be skied with NNN. The FT 62 is a more powerful ski than a S-112 as I own both. I also prefer the FT over the S-112 for both XC and downhill.
I also want to tell you not to be afraid of kick wax. It works well. Also with the Asnes skis X-skins are available. For you climbing uphill for a few miles, then skiing downhill, X-skins can get you up, and you can remove them on the down. Read Lilcliffy’s wax guide in the Telewiki section. It’s so easy even a caveman can do it
Or...buy a Vector and some T-4s or Excursions
Good luck

FT 62 would be great. Not sure how even get them in US or they would be top of my list. Not afraid of wax. Just not sure of it's advantages, however skin up and remove for down makes lots of sense for the terrain I using.