Telemark Talk / Telemark Tips Forum

Ira wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 29, 2021 4:48 am

Hello community,
I'm new to this community. I’m a high-beginner or low-intermediate skier from California, an hour NW of Tahoe (with lots of melt-freeze cycles due to temps cycling above and below freezing). I’m now considering, for the first time, going with 2 sets of skis (for different conditions) -- the S-bound 112 for deep snow conditions, and a slightly narrower but still solidly backcountry waxless nordic touring ski for other conditions and variable snow (84mm-98mm tip). I wanted to ask advice about Asnes Ingstad waxless (84/62/74) vs. Fischer S-bound 98 (98-69-88) for the “mid-width” older-snow, melted and refrozen snow, sierra cement, and shallow-snow option (to complement the Fischer S-bound 112 being the deeper-snow ski in the quiver). I did spend about 5 plus hours reading various threads on Tele-talk mentioning these skis, but still have questions.

I ski almost daily (an hour a day, for exercise and recreation) during snow-season. I ski only ungroomed areas, backcountry forest service roads, and empty campgrounds. Due to hand disabilities and chemical sensitivities, I only ski waxless / fishscale. Since I ski only ungroomed areas, I’m not seeking anything narrower than the Ingstad. I spend 90% of the time on kick-and-glide but control is important to me for safety.

I want to have good kick and glide (which favors the Asnes Ingstad due to its less aggressive fishscale pattern) but also want to remain in good control on low-angle descent in variable-snow conditions (including icy/crusty ones), so wondering if the less aggressive Asnes pattern would lead to skiing out of control on forest service road descents on firmer-snow days? I only use leather boots (such as Fischer BCX 675) with 75mm Rotefella Super Tele Bindings (I might try cables too). I’m considering Alpina Alaska boots as well.

Due to foot/ankle problems, I don’t ski aggressively. Mostly just ski up a forest service road then ski down my same tracks, sometimes taking one ski out of my own tracks to snowplow/slow down (if the snow is older/harder/slicker), turning slightly to avoid snowshoe tracks or uneven areas. I don’t ski steep areas, but on icy days even a slight grade can quickly increase speed more than I like. I’m hoping to learn Tele Turns someday but right now the terrain near me doesn’t lend itself to that (there are steep drop-offs on the side of the forest service road, which is too narrow for zig-zag turns at my skill level). It’s great if the ski can someday be used for Tele Turns even if I’m not able to do those turns yet.

The first skis I ever purchased were Madshus Epochs (2014), and I really disliked them and quickly returned them because they felt too much like snowshoes (not enough glide), and the scales gathered sierra cement (even with Purl Sunflower Speed Paste wax) and got Rossignol BC-90’s instead (which worked better but unfortunately the tails delaminated in the first season, and continued to delaminate each year). Given those experiences, I’m not looking to go back to Madshus or Rossi. Also, in soft snow I create “steps” when breaking trail on the way up and the Rossi tips are not quite rockered enough to avoid getting lurched by those steps on the way down (I ski down my own up tracks) -- so I have to go up and down the same tracks a few times to smooth them out before it’s fun. And my old Rossi’s seem to gather snow on the tips creating a heavy snow shovel effect (shoveling Sierra cement). So the floating rocker of the Ingstad sounds beneficial.

I realize the Ingstad has less grip than Fischer, but does it also have less grip than Rossignol BC-90?

Would Ingstad shed sierra cement better than Fischer’s?

Given the factors above, which would you recommend to complement the S-bound 112 (i.e. for conditions other than deep powder) -- the S-bound 98 or the Asnes Ingstad?

Also: re skins. I’ve never used them before, but considering trying them. I don’t go up anything steep enough for skins, but on icy days they would help. I find if I struggle going up, excess speed is an issue going down, so wouldn’t use skins unless I can use them both ways. Neptune mentioned the all-mohair skins have some glide can be used to slow down descent on the Instad -- has anyone used the mohairs on descent in icy conditions (perhaps in rolling terrain, small hills) and was the descent lurchy or result in sudden stops?

Is there any place between Sierra City and Truckee, CA that demos the Asnes Ingstads?

For Asnes Ingstad, I’m looking at 175cm due to height/weight (169 for Fischer)

One other factor: I have access to the 112, and to the Asnes in my size, but of the 98 I'd have to wait a while (not available in 169).

The Asnes, if used, is non-returnable, so would love to learn from other folks' experience of that ski!

Thanks so much everyone for your patience with this almost-beginner skier (I realize I’ve asked a lot of questions).