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Excursion 88 length
Posted: Wed Dec 30, 2020 2:53 am
by ᚠᚨᚱ ᚾᛟᚱᚦ ᛊᚲᛁᛖᚱ
Hi all. I'm sure this is one if those topics that's been beaten to death, but I'm looking at getting a ski package and the Fischer excursion 88 seemed to make sense. I have a lot of flat turrain around me with some small hills. For those familiar with S central Alaska I am about 40 minutes from Hatcher's pass, where there is everything from groomed trail, and moderate to very steep slopes.
To put numerically, my skiing will be 80 off trail flat to hilly forest/20 low angle ungroomed slope. Anyway the longest I could find the 88s was 199cm. I weigh 86kg at 5'11". I'm wondering if that will be long enough or if I need to find a ski that comes longer. I did not see lengrh recommendations on the Fischer website for this ski.
Re: Excursion 88 length
Posted: Wed Dec 30, 2020 8:18 am
by Tom M
Here is the recommended lengths from REI
https://www.rei.com/product/140131/fisc ... untry-skis
169 CM: 145 and under pounds, 65.7 kg
179 CM: 145 - 195 pounds, 65.7 - 88.5 kg
189 CM: 176 - 230 pounds, 79.8 - 104,3 kg
Be sure to include your touring weight (clothing, boots, pack, water)
I
Re: Excursion 88 length
Posted: Wed Dec 30, 2020 10:25 am
by lilcliffy
Hello and Welcome! (I will look up your runic username!)
ᚠᚨᚱ ᚾᛟᚱᚦ ᛊᚲᛁᛖᚱ wrote: ↑Wed Dec 30, 2020 2:53 am
To put numerically, my skiing will be 80 off trail flat to hilly forest/20 low angle ungroomed slope. Anyway the longest I could find the 88s was 199cm. I weigh 86kg at 5'11". I'm wondering if that will be long enough or if I need to find a ski that comes longer.
With only 20% "low-angle ungroomed slope"- I cannot see ANY advantage to going to a short 88. (If you were going to ski steep terrain then the shorter 88 would make sense- but, in that context a different ski would also make more sense...)
I am 5'10", 80kgs and have the 199cm 88- this length is too much for any serious downhill skiing, but I don't like the 88 for serious downhill skiing anyway.
As far as the longer ski question- I personally prefer a narrower, longer ski
for the terrain you describe (e.g. E-99/Gamme 54/Combat Nato).
What is the typical snow like?
I am assuming you want a waxless-scaled ski?
Best wishes and Happy New Year!
Gareth
Re: Excursion 88 length
Posted: Wed Dec 30, 2020 10:50 am
by ᚠᚨᚱ ᚾᛟᚱᚦ ᛊᚲᛁᛖᚱ
I have some Combat NATO skis in 180 I've been skiing on. They do not see to give me adequate float at that length. The snow is extremely variable. I've been frustrated with my grip wax experience so far. Sometimes it beautiful. Other times not so much. I have skied quite a bit with waxless and comparing the two I want to go back to waxless. I had considered going with an e99, but like I said I wanted to go waxless. The whole experience is maddening haha. I was set to pull the trigger on a package deal, but I guess I'll keep shopping. I miss the days of my youth when I didn't know anything and was happy to ski on whatever 30 year old skis were laying around.
Re: Excursion 88 length
Posted: Wed Dec 30, 2020 11:17 am
by ᚠᚨᚱ ᚾᛟᚱᚦ ᛊᚲᛁᛖᚱ
I should say that perhaps I am being too hasty in giving up on waxable skis. I have a number of issues working against me that I should eliminate first. 1st issue was my Combats are too short. 2nd I was using a ramer military binding that tends to catch on every twig and also drags when the skis sink in soft snow. That being said. LilCliffy suggested the gamme 54 or the e99. What would cause you to pick one over the other (a lot depends on availability of course). The e99 can be had for quite a bit less than the 54 so I would lean that way.
Re: Excursion 88 length
Posted: Wed Dec 30, 2020 11:36 am
by lilcliffy
ᚠᚨᚱ ᚾᛟᚱᚦ ᛊᚲᛁᛖᚱ wrote: ↑Wed Dec 30, 2020 10:50 am
I have some Combat NATO skis in 180 I've been skiing on. They do not see to give me adequate float at that length. The snow is extremely variable. I've been frustrated with my grip wax experience so far. Sometimes it beautiful. Other times not so much. I have skied quite a bit with waxless and comparing the two I want to go back to waxless. I had considered going with an e99, but like I said I wanted to go waxless. The whole experience is maddening haha. I was set to pull the trigger on a package deal, but I guess I'll keep shopping. I miss the days of my youth when I didn't know anything and was happy to ski on whatever 30 year old skis were laying around.
The 88 will not give you more float than the Combat Nato. My 210cm Combat Nato is better in deep soft snow- both XC and downhill- than my 199cm 88. The 88 is better XC on consolidated snow than the Combat Nato- the 88 is more cambered.
The Offtrack Crown on the 88 is superb.
As far as "float"- I need a long ski at least 78mm underfoot before it truly starts to "float" in deep soft snow. Both the 88 and the Combat Nato are completely stable in deep soft snow- the longer Combat Nato is faster and it breaks trail better- but I would not describe it as floating in powder snow. Now- they both "float" in deep fresh moisture-rich snow.
The E-99 Crown Xtralite comes in lengths to 210cm- it is has a very stiff resistant camber underfoot- not a track ski- but a finely tuned "double-cambered" ski for backcountry snow.
The current E-99 Xtralite has a very soft shovel- with significant Nordic rocker- it is totally unstable in deep soft snow as a result.
Re: Excursion 88 length
Posted: Wed Dec 30, 2020 11:44 am
by lilcliffy
ᚠᚨᚱ ᚾᛟᚱᚦ ᛊᚲᛁᛖᚱ wrote: ↑Wed Dec 30, 2020 11:17 am
I should say that perhaps I am being too hasty in giving up on waxable skis. I have a number of issues working against me that I should eliminate first. 1st issue was my Combats are too short. 2nd I was using a ramer military binding that tends to catch on every twig and also drags when the skis sink in soft snow. That being said. LilCliffy suggested the gamme 54 or the e99. What would cause you to pick one over the other (a lot depends on availability of course). The e99 can be had for quite a bit less than the 54 so I would lean that way.
Yes- I agree the 180cm Combat Nato is too short- ESPECIALLY for the terrain you are skiing on.
I have 210cm and mounted to NNNBC- AMAZING deep snow XC ski for variable terrain.
The Gamme 54 currently is only available in its waxable "BC" variant- you can get the waxless-scaled version in the Finnmark WL, without steel edges.
The Gamme 54 is less cambered underfoot than the E99 Xtralite, and its camber profile is longer than the E99- as a result, I find the Gamme 54 better when climbiing.
Both the Gamme 54 and the E99 have a very stiff resistant second camber underfoot- if I were to choose I would suggest the E99 is stiffer underfoot, but they are very close.
The Gamme 54 has a full-length, stable flex and a stiff shovel and tip- it is rock-solid stable in deep snow and breaks trail beautifully- including crud and crust.
The E99 Xtralite has a very soft shovel and tip, with significant Nordic rocker- it is totally unstable when XC skiing in deep soft snow- and is very poor breaking trail.
Re: Excursion 88 length
Posted: Wed Dec 30, 2020 11:55 am
by lilcliffy
Do you need metal edges?
There is now a waxless-scaled version of the Combat Nato- Breidablikk WL- with a current review over in the Reviews Section. (Also as mentioned the Finnmark WL.)
The 199cm Fischer 88 is a good choice in a waxless-scaled ski for the skiing you describe.
You cannot beat its versatility as a BC-XC ski.
Not only is it stable in deep snow-
It is remarkably decent on consolidated snow due to its camber and stiffness.
BTW- I don't know why Fischer insists on calling these "199cm"- they are really 195cm in length (near identical to a 195cm Madhsus Eon for example- perhaps a tad longer). Fischer should make the 78 and the 88 in a longer length IMO. Many skiers with the same objective that you have (which I would argue is the objective of most people looking at skis in this class- they are not looking to Telemark ski on the 88...)
Fischer needs to make the 78 and the 88 in a "209cm" (what everyone else calls 205cm) for the skiing you describe.
I would definitely prefer a "209" 78/88 for the skiing I do with them. (BTW- I much prefer the performance of my 205cm E-109 Crown Xtralite to both the 78/88 but it suffers from the same soft, rockered shovel and tip as the E99 Xtralite).
BTW- at my weight, I really don't find the 88 any better than the 199cm 78 in deep snow- it might make a difference if you are heavier...
Re: Excursion 88 length
Posted: Wed Dec 30, 2020 12:17 pm
by ᚠᚨᚱ ᚾᛟᚱᚦ ᛊᚲᛁᛖᚱ
lilcliffy wrote: ↑Wed Dec 30, 2020 11:55 am
Do you need metal edges?
There is now a waxless-scaled version of the Combat Nato- Breidablikk WL- with a current review over in the Reviews Section. (Also as mentioned the Finnmark WL.)
The 199cm Fischer 88 is a good choice in a waxless-scaled ski for the skiing you describe.
You cannot beat its versatility as a BC-XC ski.
Not only is it stable in deep snow-
It is remarkably decent on consolidated snow due to its camber and stiffness.
BTW- I don't know why Fischer insists on calling these "199cm"- they are really 195cm in length (near identical to a 195cm Madhsus Eon for example- perhaps a tad longer). Fischer should make the 78 and the 88 in a longer length IMO. Many skiers with the same objective that you have (which I would argue is the objective of most people looking at skis in this class- they are not looking to Telemark ski on the 88...)
Fischer needs to make the 78 and the 88 in a "209cm" (what everyone else calls 205cm) for the skiing you describe.
I would definitely prefer a "209" 78/88 for the skiing I do with them. (BTW- I much prefer the performance of my 205cm E-109 Crown Xtralite to both the 78/88 but it suffers from the same soft, rockered shovel and tip as the E99 Xtralite).
BTW- at my weight, I really don't find the 88 any better than the 199cm 78 in deep snow- it might make a difference if you are heavier...
I do find metal edges to be pretty helpful in some of the situations I've encountered. Your information is extremely valuable. Almost all the skiing I do is breaking trail with short climbs and short descents. Sounds like the 88 would be okay, The 54 would be better, and the e99 not so good. I mention these three because they are the ones I've seen readily available. I'm primarily looking on Neptune Mountaineering and a store called skate pro out of Denmark. I'll check my local shop today and see what I come up with.
Re: Excursion 88 length
Posted: Wed Dec 30, 2020 6:28 pm
by kniepisler
FWIW, I am 6'2" and roughly 275. I have both the S98 in 189cm and the Excursion 88 in 199cm. If I'm doing rolling terrain then I'm going to reach for the Excursions all day long. They track so much better than the 98's and the extra length gives me enough float to keep the tips above any crust. That said, they aren't shapely enough to take on a prolonged steep decent so if there's serious hills in the forecast, then the 98's win the draw.. hope this helps....
KP