Fischer inventorry replenishment

[comradeporcupine]

So I just noticed this as well, and annoyingly just the day after my Telemark Pyrenees order I made last week came in (for Meidjo 3.0s + some accessories).

So the question is... buy SBounds now from them... or wait for Asnes refresh at Veruste etc later and get the Falketind Xplore? I keep hearing mixed reviews about the Sbounds

[fisheater]

@comradeporcupine I had a S-112 which I skied for a few seasons. I didn’t like it on hard pack trails because it wandered and I found the scale drag to be an annoying waste of energy. It was okay but kind of slow in other conditions. It’s a really fun ski downhill in soft snow. I skied it on a northern Michigan ski hill as well with my son. The ski lacked torsional rigidity on hard packed and harder surfaces, and Fischer’s chintzy edges are so thin I never put a file a file to that ski. I skied the black runs, but always conservatively. That hollow core was not made for alpine conditions.
I wanted something different, and I was the first guy here to review a Falketind. I liked the Falketind much more than the S-112, as matter of fact I never skied the S-112 again. Although in mank conditions it would have been a better ski. I enjoyed the kick and glide of the FT in soft snow more, however the original FT was a bit soft longitudinally, and it definitely bowed to much in deeper snow. You would go uphill from the bend in the ski, plus going uphill. This softness longitudinally also caused the original FT to get kicked around in mashed potatoes and mank. However it was torsional rigid. I could trust it on edge. The last flaw of that longitudinal softness was that it definitely dragged the wax pocket on hardpack, and it wandered a bit too. However I still much preferred to the S-112.
Now on to the Falketind Xplore, which I ski in a 196 cm. It is the first XCD ski I have skied on that really has acceptable XC performance. I’ve skied it on soft snow and hard snow. It kicks and glides. While it isn’t surfy in powder like the original FT, it is an excellent downhill ski. The trickiest snow I have had them in is two layers of wind buffed powder over moguls, and 3rd day after the storm above freezing and sunny in the trees. I was pleased with the performance.
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, the new Falketind Xplore has set the standard for a light XCD ski. Finally there is no comparison to the 20 year old Fischer design, and I assume Madshus design. It’s flat out superior.
Now the Voile skis are in another class, however they are also generally skied with a plastic boot.
The most unfortunate thing, is that I am the only person I have seen review the Falketind Xplore to date. The previous designs were not as versatile. Although I preferred the previous design, that certainly didn’t make it a better ski than the Fischer design, it just suited my tastes.

[comradeporcupine]

Curious which Voile ski you're thinking of; they all seem wide and more alpine touring oriented than XCD?

[lilcliffy]

So the question is... buy SBounds now from them... or wait for Asnes refresh at Veruste etc later and get the Falketind Xplore? I keep hearing mixed reviews about the Sbounds

I think that there are mixed reviews of all of these "hybrid" Nordic touring skis (e.g. S-Bounds, Mashus XCDs, Asnes 62/68)-

All of these skis are fundamentally comprimised by the attempt to blend downhill and cross-country characteristics and hopeful hybrid performance- (don't get me wrong here- in ideal conditions I have loved some or all of them!)

When you add the unmeasurable complexity of individual skier skills, tastes, styles-

and then the vast diversity of environmental and ecological contexts that people ski in-

there are "bound" to be mixed reviews of the S-Bounds- as well as all of these other hybrid skis.

In the grand scheme of things an S-Bound 98 and a FT62 have perhaps more in common than they don't- at least compared to something like a Fischer TN66/E99 or a Asnes Gamme 54...

As a starting point for one trying to decide between an S-Bound 98 vs a ski like the FT62- for a mix of XC and downhill touring (i.e. XCD touring)-

Question #1→ are you committed to using grip wax?
If one is not committed to using grip wax- I wouldn't even consider the FT62 for XCD touring.

Bob's commitment to grip-waxing- in challenging environmental conditions- are second to none.

If one is planning on using a skin for climbing and using these skis for downill-focused touring- then I wouldn't consider any of them- I would be considering a downhill-focused touring ski.

[Stephen]

@lilcliffy’s post is lucid and well written, as usual!
Enquiring minds want to know:

… - I would be considering a downhill-focused touring ski,

such as…?

[lilcliffy]

@Stephen
Ha!

Well- where would one start and where would one end?

We now live in a world of incredibly overwhelming choice...

Up until the most recent redesign of the Asnes Falketind 62- I would suggest it was the narrowest downhill-focused touring ski available-

it at least appears to me that the current FT62 has been tweaked to offer better XC K&G performance- Bob's testimony validates this. Therefore- it would seem the current FT62 is not a downill-focused touring ski.

The Asnes Rabb 68 is downhill-focused- and at 68mm underfoot, are there any downhill-focused touring skis that are less than 68mm underfoot?

And then beyond 68mm underfoot- where does one run out of possible options?
And how does one choose?
I personally tend to lean towards Voile- but I am not sure why (perhaps because the BC versions are loved by BC Telemark skiers that don't want to fuss with skins in low-angle transitions?)-
Everytime I read/watch a reputable review of BC-downhill touring skis, the Voiles are rarely in the top rankings...

Nowadays- are there any successful ski companies that do not make downhill-focused touring skis?

[lowangle al]

I was looking at the FT and Rabb last year and decided to get the Rabb as a light waxable touring ski that would be fun with "light" boots and my T4s. I was waiting to see how I liked the transnordic boot before making a purchase and it never happened, I guess the fever went away. The Rabb would be a good ski for my quiver though.

[freedom glider]

REI recently listed the Excursion 88s and Traverse 78s as in stock!

[JB TELE]

I work at a shop in Colorado and we expect our s-bounds to be in by thanksgiving. Sounds like most U.S. orders are shipping starting in early in November.

[Bohemian]

Where are the offtrack Fischer skis made this time?
Last year apparently Czech Republic but not sure if that was at the Sporten factory.