Thoughts on Xplore from a XC racing enthusiast

[telemarius]

Hi all,
I'm new to the forum, but have been happily reading your extensive experiences on telegear for a while now. Started visiting because of the new Rottefella Xplore system. I've now tested out the system with Alfa Free boots and Åsnes Rabb 68 180cm, with an Åsnes X-skin 58mm mohair. What a blast! I'd like to share some thoughts of my experience.

A bit of context: I'm a Norwegian in my 20s and my background is from racing XC skiing. So I'm used to groomed tracks and tiny/light skis/boots. I've been challenging myself to do teleturns with racing equipment, to a point where I can ski easy to intermediate alpine tracks in soft conditions on this equipment (fun, but not recommended). I've also used 30 year old leathers w/ buckle, NNN-BC-, and plastic boots with a variation of skis in the alpine slopes/off piste.

I had the Xplore-pack for half a day, and started off by double poling 10km of groomed tracks to the backcountry slope I'd chosen. I used rigid carbon racing poles for this, and the ski glide was good, not hindering me in any way (which surprised me). The skis tracked well, no issues with having them go strait. The shoes were a bit on the stiff side (with the upper BOA unlocked) for my preference, but manageable. By that I mean stiff in the flex allowing your knees to bend forward, which is more comfortable for K&G and double poling (I didn't really test K&G though). Once there I put on the X-skins and walked on hardpacked snow up towards the peak.

The decent was 220m in varying conditions, from hardpacked snow to soft powder. The Rabb felt great. The Free felt super. The system felt fantastic! I'm by no means an experienced backcountry/tourer/telemark skier, but never have I felt so in control with such light equipment. I'm super picky on weight because of my racing background, but never once on this trip did I have an issue with the weight of this equipment (2,5kg/ski). It felt playful downwards, and I could easily jump around and do small adjustments to my turn when I felt unstable, something I feel is more challenging on heavy equipment. Because of this, I felt more at home than on a heavy plastic boot/alpine ski setup. At the same time, I felt a lot more in control than I ever did on a NNN-BC/fjellski combo. Skiing the NNN racing setup on these conditions wouldn't have worked because of the varying snow conditions.

I would've liked the skis to be 188cm since I often overdid the turn, which I guess also would be the correct size for me referencing the Åsnes table. (Is it still the rule that teleskis be the same length as your own height?). Also, the Rabb performed better in the loose snow than on the hardpacked, icy parts. I couldn't get the edge quite as secure as I'd liked, but that could be my technique and not the skis fault.

One note on the Alfas and my technique. In the teleturn my backfoot is rather tippy toed, which is my way of saying that I only place my toes, not my upper foot, down in the turns. I've read that the Alfa Free might be too stiff in the sole for those who rests more of their foot on the binding, and I could see that be an issue. With how I solve the turn however, I did not have an issue with the rigid sole. For k&g I'd imagine it being a compromise for me, since I'd normally prefer a super soft, low cut racing boot. I hate K&G with a racing skate boot, for instance.

At the end of my trip I skied down the alpine slopes once, and did an intermediate run on hard packed tracks. I felt in control and the boots gave me the confidence I needed to do proper turns downwards. Again, the Rabb might not perform the best in these hardpacked conditions, as I felt the edge slipped a bit, but it did not stop me from having a ton of fun.

Alright, that was a long and messy first post. Hope it provides some value! I'd be happy to discuss if you have a question. I'm decided on buying this equipment for myself, but I'm not certain if the Falketind 62's would be even better for me. If you'd like to help me out I asked the question "Åsnes Falketind 62 vs Rabb 68 (21/22 season)" in the teletalk forum.

Happy skiing!
--Marius

[fisheater]

Marius,
I came to touring from alpine. Many years past. However I believe it’s only been 7-8 years since I’ve been on leather. When I purchased the FT Xplore there was no Xplore binding available, but it wouldn’t have been a consideration as I have an Alaska 75, an Alico Ski March (stiff soled, ankle high, Norwegian welted), and a T-4 plastic. I doubt I will use the T-4 with the FT-X, if conditions warrant the T-4 I think I will go to a bigger ski My Tindan 86.
Because of the Alaska 75, I purchased a Rottefella Super Telemark binding with the cable. I opted for Rotte ST because it fit the thinner Alaska 75 duckbill much better.
I couldn’t be more pleased with the Rotte ST, I purchased my first Voile 3- pin cable 30 years ago. They’re good bindings, however for leather boots I’m a Rotte ST guy now. I was not impressed with the Rotte cable when it arrived. I wasn’t concerned as I usually keep the cables in the pack, and I have Voile cables I could modify. The biggest mistake I made with the cable was leaving it in the pack too long! I skied at a Telemark festival at a ski area, so I attached the cable with my Ski March boot. I utilized absolute minimum cable pressure, and I was surprised at the minimal effect on kick and glide. So the following weekend I decided to try the cable with the Alaska 75. The Alaska 75 probably kicks as well as the Alaska BC, which I also own. However without the NNN-BC rails it may not be as good downhill. However clip on that Rotte cable and it’s a soft fun downhill boot. I also have no difficulty standing on the ball of my foot which I believe is critical when edging with both feet in challenging conditions.
So while the Xplore system is the rage. It may be the best system for one who is just starting to buy gear. I believe my two boots (not counting my T-4) and Rotte ST cable, to be more versatile and less expensive than the single Alfa Free and Xplore binding combo. Also while some malign cables, NTN’s duckbutt is performing exactly the same mechanical action as a cable. I could be doing it better. My point is the forces applied by duckbutt or cable are still what Telemark skiers use in demanding terrain.
For me I don’t mind taking a break at the top of a challenging downhill to put on a cable. I also didn’t mind skiing a couple miles of kicking in Alaska with cables, to rip downhills. Quite frankly the Alaska 75 with the cable has just limited the use of my Ski March boot to more challenging terrain.
Just something to think about. Best of luck in your decision.
Bob

[John_XCD]

One note on the Alfas and my technique. In the teleturn my backfoot is rather tippy toed, which is my way of saying that I only place my toes, not my upper foot, down in the turns. I've read that the Alfa Free might be too stiff in the sole for those who rests more of their foot on the binding, and I could see that be an issue. With how I solve the turn however, I did not have an issue with the rigid sole.

This stiff sole of the free (and transnordic) seems to keep coming up. Weight on the ball of the trailing foot is really essential for telemarking on NNNBC in my experience (this is why some folks that telemark on NNNBC find that a soft flexing sole like on the alfa guard improves downhill skiing). There are many ways to telemark, but generally approximate equal weighting of both skis is a principal. On NNNBC you weight both feet, on plastic NTN the ball of foot is off the ski but there is still a lot of pressure on the trailing ski transmitted through the tongue of the boot and tension in the binding.

How does this work on XPLORE/FREE? Can you really engage the trailing ski with the ball of the foot lifted off the ski?

[Stephen]

Hello @telemarius.
I enjoyed reading your positive and enthusiastic post — and great screen name!

I was thinking the same thing as @John_XCD:
That if your back foot was tippy toe, there would not be much pressure on the back ski.
That is a bad technique I learned being self-taught many decades ago.
That might have contributed to over-doing your turns.
EDIT: Based on comments later in this thread, I am striking out the above comment.

Not being able to edge on hard snow might be a function of ski width — a narrower ski (the FT X vs the Rabb) would be easier to edge.

As far as ski length, my understanding is that “it depends.”
Somewhere between chin high to skier height.
Shorter for trees / quicker turning / inexperienced;
Longer for powder / large radius turns / high-speed stability / heavier, stronger skier, or carries a heavy pack / more experienced skier / K&G efficiency.

Keep posting!

[telerat]

The hard flex helps immensely with the tippy toe feeling. It's more or less rigid and requires the boot sole to bend and gives more power/control to the rear ski and feeling kind of like wires do with 75mm boots. This seems to be the reason for the rather stiff sole on the boots, which I didn't appreciate until trying the hard flex. Fore/aft weighting is still important like with telemark equipment. Kick and glide wasn't optimal with the hard flex, like I have experienced on 75mm with cable bindings before.

Picture of boot with hard flex and knee to ski: viewtopic.php?f=19&t=4085&p=48581#p48581

Edit: Rear ski weighting can compensate for a soft flex.

[Tom M]

How does this work on XPLORE/FREE? Can you really engage the trailing ski with the ball of the foot lifted off the ski?

The short answer is yes. When I look at the videos I have shot this season of me skiing, as well as Rottefella's promotional videos, we are all violating the old rule of good telemark form, keep the ball of the foot on the trailing ski. This is a very interesting topic that has been bouncing around in my head since last May when I did my first evaluation of the Xplore / Alaska XP. The first time I tried to ski downhill and pop a few tele turns my reaction was "wow, these need a stiffer flexor". In hindsight, that was my old muscle memory telling my brain that we weren't in Kansas anymore (an American expression). It is much harder (but not impossible) to plant the ball of the trailing foot on the ski with the Xplore. The good news is that the new sole is just more powerful in the turns than other soft boots I've skied in the past so a little tippy toe through the tulips (another American expression) is just fine with this system, and it feel natural to me now. Kudos to Rottefella for thinking outside the box. I'm a happy camper. Now I just need to get these goofy expressions out of my brain.

[telemarius]

@fisheater
Bob, I haven’t even considered the 75mm system to be honest. I think that’s a mix of limited experience on old equipment and some prejudice against the system. Which I’m sure is unwarranted, it’s merely based on lack of knowledge and being used to racing equipment, which do not have leather boots. Rather, stiff plastics and carbon based. Looking at a shoe like the Alfa Free, the materials resonate more with me (if it makes sense). I guess I could be one of the main targets of the Rotte/Alfa marketing teams. Tbh I thought 75mm was heavier with softer/flexy connection between binding and boot. The Rotte ST and Alaska boot combination would indeed be lighter w/o cable than the Xplore+Free. I’ll have to look into renting a setup to try this out properly, could save money shopping second hand. (ah, but it sure is tempting to get the new and shiny stuff!)

How does this work on XPLORE/FREE? Can you really engage the trailing ski with the ball of the foot lifted off the ski?

@John_XCD Tom M did already answer this (thanks!), so this is just my perspective. I did not have an issue with it, but if you continue reading, I’ll confess to having self-taught on stiff carbon skate boots. So, this shoe’s quite similar in feeling, no adjustments needed for me (other than improveing my technique).

That if your back foot was tippy toe, there would not be much pressure on the back ski.
That is a bad technique I learned being self-taught many decades ago.
That might have contributed to over-doing your turns.
EDIT: Based on comments later in this thread, I am striking out the above comment.

@Stephen I’m self-taught as well (obviously). I’ve had most success with a skating boot because of the added ancle support. The sole of a racing skate boot is super stiff, so I think that’s the reason I’m tippy toeing. Haven’t really reflected on what’s going on with my back foot until now, besides having a 50/50 weight distribution. Even putting more pressure on the back foot in fresh snow to keep the skinny skis from diving under. I’m super happy learning my technique can improve. After reading discussions about the Alfa Free’s rigid sole, I tested my normal equipment with a pursuit/duathlon boot (flexy k&g sole with ankle support). I could indeed put more of my ball of foot down. It did not feel intuitive right away, but I’m sticking to the pursuit boots for now to try and improve.

Thanks for the insights on ski dimensions. From my experience I prefer skis between 185/190cm, so that checks the box with me being 186cm tall. Don’t really ski downhill in between trees, so that’s fine.


@telerat Very interesting! I didn’t have the chance to test the hard flexor unfortunately. A shame this cannot be adjusted more easily on the fly, as it seems a bit tedious to swap out the flexor in the backcountry. One question, would the harder flexor possibly be an issue if the skis stopped dead in their tracks on the downhill? I’ve had some painful experiences with the NNN and BC hurting my toes when I go over my skis. I was super happy that I didn’t experience this problem with the Xplore with the normal flexor. Do you risk injury by putting on the harder flexor?

The good news is that the new sole is just more powerful in the turns than other soft boots I've skied in the past so a little tippy toe through the tulips (another American expression) is just fine with this system, and it feel natural to me now.

@Tom M I guess that’s why it felt natural to me from the beginning, being a stiff sole like my NNN skate boots. I noted in your video you commented on this might improving with time, as the Free’s were worn in. Have you yet experienced this being the case? The store clerk who rented me the skis told me that his colleague had been using the Free’s for a year now, to a point where the shoe was worn in so that the clerk, who’s a 44EUR (which is a 43EUR in an Alfa) managed to fit in his colleagues 42EUR’s. This leads me to believe that the shoes will indeed widen/soften out a bit with use, and therefore I’d buy these in a rather tight fit. Which is what I’d normally do with racing equipment, as warmth is less of a concern and a tight fit gives better control/response. We even race in boots so tight, we do not have space to fit sock on!

[Peschamel]

I've been challenging myself to do teleturns with racing equipment, to a point where I can ski easy to intermediate alpine tracks in soft conditions on this equipment (fun, but not recommended).

@telemarius Is that you, Marius:



Mange hilsener fra Sveits,

Peter

[telemarius]

@telemarius Is that you, Marius:

Mange hilsener fra Sveits,

Peter

Hei Peter, spot on

I've seen this vid before, it's a great one! I'd say we're evenly matched skill wise (Yet I have no video of my own to back it up ). You can see at 0:22 how he's tippy toed in his skate boot, and this is how I solve the turn as well.

This is another interesting use case. Having a super light skate ski with a steel edge to do this kinds of trips on the hard base (melting during day/freezing overnight). It would allow for even more control/fun in varying snow conditions. It's not every day the top layer melts to give super turning conditions (usually reserved for easter). But, I have no idea if such a ski exists..

[Transplantskier]

This is another interesting use case. Having a super light skate ski with a steel edge to do this kinds of trips on the hard base (melting during day/freezing overnight). It would allow for even more control/fun in varying snow conditions. It's not every day the top layer melts to give super turning conditions (usually reserved for easter). But, I have no idea if such a ski exists..

If you want a ski that probably skates somewhat decently but has a full metal edge, the Åsnes Mountain Race 46 might an interesting outside-the box option. They don't make it anymore so I don't know if it's still easy to find, but it's a fairly narrow ski (54-46-50) with a full metal edge. I can't think of any other skis off the top of my head that are as narrow but with full metal edges.