Madshus, Rossignol or maybe something else? New to XC

[Lo-Fi]

... my choice was based on this video:


I don’t know anyone, who’s using telemark skis On this video I can see that soft (compared to plastic ones) shoes, Rottefella Xplore bindings and Madshus skis is ok for riding downhill. I’ll be focused more on touring, but if the person from the video is skiing so easily, this means it’s possible and can be learned

^The slope and the snow conditions couldn't be better for this set-up. A little bit of soft snow on top of a firm base and a gentle slope. Open terrain. Turn at your own pace, wider open turns, with no obstacles or forced turns, establish your own rhythm. Longer skis if you wish, with plenty of room to turn at your leisure. If these are your conditions, then this set-up works and will feel lighter, more nimble, and more efficient on the flats. Yes, to Xplore, Falketind, BC100, M68, in that case.

Hard cruddy snow, steeper, skinnier trails with tight trees/bush, camel humps, switchbacks, ditch crossings, tight turns, herring-boning ups, step or jump turns, skiing laps, learning to tele turn, etc. ? This lighter equipment will always be more challenging.

Thanks. I’ll rather try to catch a nice, powder day. I can keep my snowboard for the rest of the season, when snow is not that good.


Those spots and snow conditions are similar to my local places.

I’m 178 cm tall and weight about 78kg. I guess longer skis will be better.

Ps. I really like riding forests, but this will take few years to learn how to ski again

If the video above is what you are dreaming about, then you would be best served by T4 and fatter, shorter skis like Vectors, Objectives, Koms, Rossi bc120, etc. (The skis in the video are like 90mm+ underfoot and shorter, not longer ) They will truly capture the magic of short faster turns, floating planing slippery slarving butter turns. Easiest skis and boots to learn and progress on too. Of course, generally more of a shuffling kick&glide feel, but stable and comfortable while touring.

Skinnier, longer, cambered skis and nnnbc/xplore will be a challenge at the best of times. Will take 2x-10x longer to learn and progress on.They will deliver some satisfaction in the challenge, but will never reach the sublime feel of the fatter skis and maximum control of plastic boots carving deep tele arcs or floaty serpentine tight instant turns.

Hi,
I’ve used to ski many years ago, then I’ve switched to snowboarding and after ~10 years I’m planning to get back to skiing - more less. I’m totally bored with slopes and ski lifts, I prefer free ride. Now I’ve realized that it gives me more pleasure to walk/climb a bit than even riding. That’s why I want to buy BC skis. Could you give me advice if my setup is ok for what I need?

- I want to go for a long trips on more less flat surface. Probably pull sledge with my kid behind.
- Try to ride some small slopes. Try some free ride, but not on very steep slopes.

After lots of research I’ve found two models: Madshus Panorama M78 and Rossignol BC 120. I’m also thinking about Rottefella magnum or xplore bindings. Boots are pretty important for me - I want the soft ones. It doesn’t matter to me that stiff will make skis more responsive - I prefer soft (same for snowboarding) and comfortable, even if turns are not as good.

Is my setup correct? Thanks for any advices!

I pulled my 3 kids in a pulk on backcountry trails in their respective early years, and those situations permitted very little technique or efficiency, so there's really not much advantage to skinnier lighter equipment. When it comes to being sledge free and seeking turns "free-riding", again fatter skis and t4/excursions offer maximal support and fun from beginner to expert. Skinny and xplore is doable, but always like walking a tightrope.

You prefer "soft" boots? I've never had a softer, more comfortable, waterproof, warm, and more supportive boot than my excursions(with a thermo intuition liner).

Full or short skins on any of these skis will certainly allow for steep climbing, but the on and off can break your flow, and they radically kill your glide. It's not like embedded skins on a double cambered nordic ski.

M68 with BC Alaska - slow open turns, walking a tightrope:


M78 with Nnn bc - doable, but challenging:


M78 with T4 - way more control, more fun:



Kom with Excursion - Butter!:

[Manney]

Quality post, fine skiing. A pleasure to watch. A few thoughts.

Agree on technique going away when pulling a pulk. Only done it a few times. Enough to know it’s not for style masters. A pulk in the trees with a kid doesnt seem like a good idea though. Can’t see that working well. More of an open country deal.

K&G always an issue in XCD set up. Surprised you weren’t using adjustable ones. Understand the reluctance. Hard to find good ones. DH poles destroy the K&G. Takes arm thrust out of equation, flow suffers. Climb with pulk and DH poles would be… s l o w… impossible without skins. Back to that flow problem. This is the thing about requirement, conditions, use. Killer compromises left, right. So do you go down the center of the chute or pick a side.

Missing piece. Didn’t think of it until now…. nobody else mentioned it. Helmet and eye protection in trees…

Fine skiing though. You do it well.

[Lhartley]

Risk mitigation is a personal, please don't bring that helmet peer pressure to xcd. There's enough of that in this world

[Manney]

The decision is personal. Always is. The reminder is responsible. I’d feel guilty if I didn’t mention it… and a kid had to grow up without a father.

[Lhartley]

Fair enough

[RysKus]

Thanks for the answer. It gives me the whole picture.

I’ll be touring with my son just flat tracks. I won’t take him to the forest

[lilcliffy]

The Rossignol BC 100 got a very good test in the Norwegian Utemagasinet.no; the low tip may even be an advantage when skiing deep snow as the tips will not seek the surface as much and thus not resist forward movement as much on flats or uphills. It is described as having 45 cm rocker, soft flexing but stiffer to the rear, being very light, with a 80 cm centered waxless pattern. It also grips well on hard snow, but is challenging on soft snow and thus not a very good option if downhill skiing and turning in deep snow is your priority. Good luck.

Are you sure you meant 45cm of rocker?
The two BC100s I examined on tour this winter had no rocker in the shovel that I could observe-
perhaps 45mm of rocker that I missed?

I agree that shovel-rocker creates resistance when XC skiing and climbing in deep snow-
but I fail to see how that round very low-profile tip would facilitate trail-breaking of any kind...
The BC100s that I examined this winter have the lowest profile tips of any Nordic touring ski I have ever seen...

Another question- why would the BC100 not be a very good option if downhill skiing and turning in deep snow?

[Manney]

Previous Rossignol BC skis had low profile tips. The newer ones don’t. Think the change was 2021/23 season.

Newer style BC100

Older style BC100

Tip profile way different. Can’t speak to rocker on the older model. New ones pretty low.

[lilcliffy]

Previous Rossignol BC skis had low profile tips. The newer ones don’t. Think the change was 2021/23 season.

Newer style BC100

7386BCA5-C199-49CD-8EB2-957C243C2317.jpeg

This↑ is the BC100 I am speaking of and examined on a tour this winter- and they have a round, blunt, very low profile tip with no obvious rocker in the shovel-
unless Rossi has made and sold multiple different skis under the same model name in the same year...
(which I have actually seen in my local shop with different production runs of the "BC90" in the past)

Older style BC100

F9B5C649-2116-4A3B-8730-7F6007CBD668.jpeg

Tip profile way different. Can’t speak to rocker on the older model. New ones pretty low.

This↑ is not a photo of a BC100-
I just measured it to scale-
if it is a photo of a BC100, that ski is 330cm long...

[Manney]

I was looking at them last year. Down in Grayling iirc. Old stock and new stock. Different shape. Different paint job. Not a XP either. That one has a skin notch. Web images get scaled, stretched all the time to fit frames.