Let's see your 16-17 quiver!

[lilcliffy]

Gareth - No doubt brother. I ski better with pins because of NNN-BC. It's just that slamming my rear foot coupled with the snow balling that can cause an issue - I get those rear foot wobbles - it feels like I'm standing on a golf ball. I've only had it happen in deep, wet snow. I'm going to try hitting them with silicone prior to see if it will help, but I think the wings on pins and actually might help snow from getting up and under the foot.

Interesting and very important to report on...

I wonder if it is simply a matter of snow conditions? Heavy wet snow? There was a time when I skied in a more coastal climate where I dealt with that kind of snow alot, but I was using NN-3-pin tech exclusively in the backcountry...

The track tech of the NNN-BC is prone to holding snow. At least in my local climate I find this to almost never be a problem- unless I forget to clean the snow off my boot before I clip into the binding...

(I am not suggesting that this is your problem)
My children have a chronic problem with this because they routinely put on their skis without clearing off their boot sole- and then end up with snow built up underfoot, in the NNNBC binding plate.

Regardless- if you are finding snow building up on the NNNBC binding plate- and not with NN-3pin- that would be reason enough for me to avoid NNNBC!

Having snow built up between your boot and ski is horrible enough when XC striding- it is a total nightmare in a telemark turn.

Did you report on this in the NNNBC thread? I apologze if you have already explained this and I did not "get it"!

[MikeK]

I mentioned it a bit last year, but I wasn't sure if it was something I was doing wrong, or the binding. Perhaps I didn't clean the binding out, but I recall the first time it happened I had been skiing for a while and not been bothered by it and then I descended some hills and picked some up. Like I say, I thought it was me at that point. It happened again a couple other times throughout the year - It will work its way out, but it can clog up those ridges for a little bit. I've had it happen during K+G too, but again, it's worked its way out after a few strides (and stomping and foot wiggling).

I wasn't putting silicone on the bindings then and I had been putting them on my pin bindings. Silicone may alleviate all of it as the snow won't stick to the plastic.

It hasn't been enough for me to quit on NNN-BC. It's not horrible but it is one minor flaw I've noticed on more than one occasion i.e. not a fluke.

Really my current boot selection, as I said, is what is keeping the bindings what they are. Having two pairs of 75mm boots keeps a couple pins in place. Also, I don't want to spend more money swapping bindings. I'll likely keep those bindings alive as long as the boots are.

[STG]

I will be skiing on the dog this season: http://www.asnes.com/produkt/kongsvold-jakt/
Neptune Mountaineering (Boulder, Colorado) had them on sale and I couldn't resist after the comments about Asnes skis on this forum. I mounted them with HD three-pins. I don't own any nnn bc boots, although I would like to try that system. I have nnn touring gear-works great. My Asnes skis do not have metal edges. They are incredibly light even with the three-pins. The area where I will be using them is north/north-east facing. The snow stays soft and cold during most of the winter and receives new powder often. Also, surface facets form due to temperature gradient/cold temperatures.

[MikeK]

I will be skiing on the dog this season: http://www.asnes.com/produkt/kongsvold-jakt/

Excellent. Let us know how it goes!

Under 2kg and dimensions similar to an Epoch, wow - those are light!

[lilcliffy]

That Kongsvold is quite a ski...and with lengths up to 200cm...

Does Asnes make an equivalent with a full-steel edge? I'm afraid that I would destroy those pretty quickly without them...

[lilcliffy]

Here's my current XCD line-up (my more powerful stuff is in storage).

From left to right; and back to front:
1) 210cm Fischer E-99 Crown Xtralite
2) 210cm Fischer E-99 Tour Easy-Skin Xtralite
3) 205cm Fischer E-109 Crown Xtralite
4) 205cm Fischer E-109 Tour Easy-skin Xtralite
5) 205cm Madshus Eon
6) 205cm Madshus Eon Wax
7) 210cm Asnes Combat USGI
8) 210cm Asnes Combat Nato Skin-Lock
9) 195cm Madshus Annum
10) 145cm Altai Hok

(Should have taken the photo in landscape view- I can't seem to rotate it...)

[MikeK]

Very nice - somewhat jealous... but I'd say they are all a bit long for my tastes

I can see you are going to have to spend a small fortune on bindings alone

[lilcliffy]

Yeah- new skis are pretty useless without bindings to mount!

I am always keeping my eye out for deals on ski equipment (for me and friends/family)- I have a bit of a small stockpile of bindings that I have bought dirt cheap over the last few years (e.g. got a few NNNBC manuals for $50CAN this summer). I have the bindings I need (I am mounting NNNBC manuals on all of the new skis BTW)- just need to clean up my work bench! Planning on getting started with mounting and waxing this weekend- it is Thanksgiving up here after all!

Ideal Thanksgiving weekend:
1) Beautiful weather: check
2) Cold, strong hoppy beer in the fridge: check
3) Fresh new skis to mount and prep: check
4) home-raised birds and veggies to roast: check

[lilcliffy]

They are long aren't they?

The running/glide surface of the 210cm Combat Natos is amazing to behold!

There is considerable Nordic rocker on the E-109 and E-99...

The 210cm Combat Nato has at least 20cm more glide surface than even the 210cm E-99! I will measure it when I get a chance...

[MikeK]

Ideal Thanksgiving weekend:
1) Beautiful weather: check
2) Cold, strong hoppy beer in the fridge: check
3) Fresh new skis to mount and prep: check
4) home-raised birds and veggies to roast: check

Wow - that does sound good. We certainly have the good weather here - the biking is excellent right now but I'll break out the solo canoe as soon as the leaves start going full tilt (we are always later down here).

I was getting hungry when you were talking about your pigs before and a home-raised bird sounds just as good!