New to this, help pick'n (proably Madshus) gear?

[Lo-Fi]

Thanks Woodserson!

[Lo-Fi]

All the posters have good advice, and Monsieur Gregoire summed it up best. You need the gear that is most appropriate for your use, your terrain, your time and your taste. If you don't know what that is yet, and if you can afford to, get or try a few different types of gear and figure out what will sustain you. I'll admit it - I have about 6 different types of skis and feel very little shame!

[lilcliffy]

Between my wife and I and our children- we have all three of the Madshus XCDs (Eon, Epoch and Annum)- in all of the lengths- including two pairs of 205cm Eons (one waxable, one waxless). (We also have a couple pair of the last generation Karhu XCD 10th Mtn (Epoch) and XCD Guides (Annum).

All of my recent Madshus XCD skis (last several years) have NNNBC bindings mounted on them- for more of a XC-focused BC-XCD skiing. (my older 10th mtns/Guides have 3pin cable bindings).

Before making my recent investment in all of these skis- I managed to borrow and test them against the S-Bounds primarily. Although I think that the S-Bounds are more versatile skis (due to their stiffer flex and camber)-in general the Madshus XCDs all perform very well in fresh, soft snow (they are brutally inefficient XC skis on dense/hard snow- due to their soft flex and low, single camber). I must admit that my purchase of Madshus XCDs has been in the end a result of saving money. Here in Canada, Fischer skis are generally very expensive. I have managed to buy all of our Madshus XCDs for about half the price of a S-Bound (even at sale prices), with a similar profile (I bought our most recent Eon for $120 new). My family members love these skis- we get a lot of soft fresh snow to ski on! As I am by far the heaviest (185lbs) in my family, and also push my skis the hardest to perform- I find that they are too soft for my liking.

The Eon, Epoch and Annum all have progressively softer flex/camber, designed for progressively deeper snow.

I like the Annum the best as an XCD ski- but only in truly, deep, soft snow.

At my weight I find the Epoch to be too much of a compromise.

The Eon has the most XC DNA in it- and as a result is the best XC ski of the three. I much prefer the 205cm Eon over the shorter lengths. And the waxable Eon outperforms all of the waxless Madhus XCDs- in terms of kick, glide, and climbing traction.

The Omnitrack waxless base is a leftover of Karhu- and although it does not offer as effective climbing traction as some of the other waxless designs currently available (e.g. Fischer, Voile), it offers excellent K&G traction in warm, wet snow.

I have very limited experience with the Glittertind. I tested a 210cm waxable Glitt last winter. It is an excellent BC-XC ski. I have never tested the Voss.

Which one(s) to get? As others have said it completely depends on the ecological context of your intended skiing (i.e. terrain, snow, temperature, cover), the distance you want to cover, your performance preferences, your skill level, and your personal taste and style.

As Ben pointed out we all have our own contexts and personal performance tastes.

I wouldn’t consider myself an “old school” skier (I am still interested and nerdy about current ski technology). But I do have an aversion for the current ski design trend of trying to design skis that are good at “everything”. I prefer ski tech that delivers very high performance in a specific context. With that in mind I think the two best skis in the Madshus backcountry lineup are:
• The Glittertind: in a long classic length for XC-focused backcountry skiing on a dense stable base.
• The Annum: for XC and XCD skiing on truly deep, soft snow.

If you are light enough, and the Epoch offers enough flotation- it is probably a better XCD choice than the Annum as it is narrower and faster in a XC context.

The Voss is even lighter and faster than the Glitt as a XC ski. But I think the Glitt is a more practical choice in the backcountry. That extra width offers better traction, better flotation, and greater stability.

So- what is your skiing context?

I think that we probably need more info from you to continue the discussion?

From your OP I almost get the impression that you are primarily interested in “touring for turns”- therefore downhill and climbing performance may be more important to you than XC performance…

[NateSP]

I finally made it back to check the feedback and am impressed by the activity here and all the valuable input! So thanks to everyone who piped in!

I'm taking MNpin's advice to heart given what is likely very similar if not identical terrain, nor more than 400ft elevation change but steep stuff. I'll be skiing southeast of Lacrosse near Viroqua. I probably do want to climb as best I can and then retain the most downhill control possible, given the grades, and I do want to have fun, I just want to earn my way there. Then, for a narrow ski that I could even use in set tracks, a set of glittertinds could come later if I feel like it. Could I use my Madshus Hyper S Skate boot on Glittertinds should I get them, to avoid 3 pairs of boots? That would make getting into Glittertinds also more realistic.

Lilcliffy and Lo-fi's input and nice video only solidify's the Annum for me. So next decision I suppose is boot and binding. Be curious to know what you're using or recommend MNpin, beyond of course 3 pins. Do I want a stiff leather boot, or soft plastic boot? Lo-fi's recommendations seem to be the mellow plastic variety? And bindings, I know almost nothing about other than they've got springs and cables and such haha. Honestly, if someone just told me what value-oriented options (boot and binding combo) would pair well with Annums in tight up-then-down steep terrain, I'd just do that. Oh an poles, I need those too hey. I'm 6'4" 185lbs. Does this also mean I want the largest Annum size? I'm just assuming I would...

[anrothar]

If you really want to use skate boots/bindings on the narrower ski, maybe get the Voss instead of the Glittertind. Glittertind is wide and capable enough that I imagine you would be ripping the toe bar out of your skate boots before too long. I think I remember reading that you want the boot and binding to compliment each other, and both to overpower the ski. Skate boots/bindings, even high end ones, would be the opposite of that on Glittertinds.

There's no reason you couldn't put a light plastic tele boot like a Garmont Excursion on the Glittertind, though you're probably going to end up wanting a leather tele boot as well, even for the Annum, for days where horizontal eclipses vertical and you just want to cruise.

This guy knows a thing or two and prefers pins on his Glittertind class skis: http://forrestmccarthy.blogspot.com/201 ... ordic.html

[lowangle al]

Thanks for getting back to us Nate, after 2 months we thought you were dead.

At 185 lbs I wouldn't get the longest they make, I would get the shortest ski recomended for your weight, for the type skiing you mentioned in your OP.

I would look at a light plastic boot, I ski T-2s but will look at T-4 as a second boot.

For a binding I like the Voile 3 pin hardwire, plenty of power and you don't have to use the heal throws for the tour in. Or you could ski them like 3-pins but not as much control.

[Woodserson]

Man I love that video. Where was winter, where did it go, when will it come back?