Asnes Mountain Race 48 SKIN

[Musk Ox]

Oh man, I miss snow so much. That is such a great picture, thank you!

I want to make a small correction to your post *ahem ahem* since I am proud owner...

Mrs M. Ox took MR 51s

I believe you mean... MT 51s

Like, the best trad ski ever? Of which I have a pair of in my basement? The ones that scream sophistication and panache, stability and strength? OooooOOOoooOOoooOoooo!

I do indeed. The MT 51. C'est ça. Bless all those who follow in their broken trail and thank you for this important correction.

EDIT: Just to clarify, I was the winner yesterday when we got to the top only for reasons of waxing! The built-in skins were made for those really variable conditions: ice, loose drifts of old snow, crust, fresh snow, and changing temperatures when the sun came out. I'd have preferred the MT 51s otherwise, I think.

[Woodserson]

I do indeed. The MT 51. C'est ça. Bless all those who follow in their broken trail and thank you for this important correction.

EDIT: Just to clarify, I was the winner yesterday when we got to the top only for reasons of waxing! The built-in skins were made for those really variable conditions: ice, loose drifts of old snow, crust, fresh snow, and changing temperatures when the sun came out. I'd have preferred the MT 51s otherwise, I think.

So, let's be honest, here. The difference between the two skis is 3mm in the waist and 2mm in the tail. We are not talking about dark gaping chasms of difference here. I would have a very hard time justifying the MR48-Wax when I already have a MT51-Wax in the quiver.

EDIT: WOAH WOAH, I didn't realize that the MR48 is almost 200grams lighter than the MT51 in the same length! That is something. (760 vs 951 according to Asnes)

That being said, I feel like I really need a MR48-Skin. NEED.

Dan, (ex?)-Neptune employee who we've all seen in his youtube vids has a nice post about the MR48-Wax which I just bumped into recently. He also has a good write-up of his Amundsen Challenge somewhere else on the blog. Interestingly enough, he mounted them with NNN, instead of BC, a decision he grappled with for a bit. I am a pro at nailbiting while straddling this line on this class ski and I get it.

https://altabackcountry.com/2019/04/17/ ... ntry-skis/

Best line:

"This is something I miss with just straight track skiing – the ability to be deep in nature, away from people. On the other hand I love the light, fast and free feeling of a fast classic or skate ski. It seems the Mountain Race skis offer the best of both worlds: wild and fast freedom. It is an intoxicating combination."

[Musk Ox]

So, let's be honest, here. The difference between the two skis is 3mm in the waist and 2mm in the tail. We are not talking about dark gaping chasms of difference here. I would have a very hard time justifying the MR48-Wax when I already have a MT51-Wax in the quiver.

I know. I know. I do know. And yet. I'm constantly falling down on steep hills and my wife doesn't. It has to be the skis. There's no other explanation. I mean, it can't be a lack of skill on my part, that is impossible. I'm only partially joking.

I have a pair of both the waxed and skinned flavour of the MR 48. It wasn't entirely by intention (I grabbed a bargain) and I do wish I'd just saved up a bit and bought something radically different, but it's hardly the end of the world. The built in skins have definite advantages in certain circumstances.

Generally It isn't exactly a revelation to say that the MR 48s are nimble in the extreme. Tap dancing shoes, a total delight in appropriate conditions (following freshly-broken trail, fresh snow of a certain depth, consolidated snow, windpacked snow, white snow, snow that has fallen from the sky).

The MT 51s, with a near-identical geometry, seem to scratch over lumps and holes better and be generally less scary on scary bits. Subjective and unquantifiable comments. But there you go.

Edit: I really agree with that review! They're so much fun.

[fisheater]

Sounds like a fun ski, and the article had me thinking I could use a ski like this. Fortunately for my wallet, while we do have some straight track skiing in Michigan, I think the Gamme are fast enough for my little amount of groomed skiing.
I found the paragraph at the start of the article to ring very true with me. Please remember this comes from a man that skis is southern Michigan. I deal with warm snow much more than I like. I’m also thankful for that warm snow, it is much better than no snow.

It is also a waxable ski. In the U.S., when people buy backcountry nordic touring skis, they almost always buy waxless skis. Most of these skis handle poorly, to the point where they really detract from the enjoyment of the sport. It’s kind of like…if mountain bikers were all still riding fully-rigid 26″ inch bikes with steep head tube angles. Yet in America, waxless backcountry nordic skis are pretty much the name of the game. Things have not evolved much and as such the sport has stagnated in this country.

I believe the preponderance of waxless skis for Nordic skiing has basically rendered the sport irrelevant. I’ve said a few times this year that I’m not a real good cross country skier. I’m not bragging, I am kind of surprised how much I enjoy my cross country pursuits. My first Nordic touring set up was S-112’s and T-4’s. I skied the trails looking to connect open hillsides, and power line opening that went downhill. I decided to pick up some Åsnes surplus skis cheap, just to try wax. What a difference! Now I am skiing trails with a Gamme 54, it’s a different sport altogether. I was forced do to limited snowfall, to ski park trails. Now the park consists of 1200 acres, and it has some hilly terrain, it’s just for me I prefer not to ski gravel paved trails. Even through it is a very pretty area, the paved trails just lend too much civilization for me. However it does attract cross country skiers. The cross country skiers bring me to the point. I was flying by every skier I saw this year. I was stopped numerous times, people asking about my skis. I even had a gentleman in his seventies say that maybe he should take his old Europa’s out of the attic. The cross country skis sold to most people in this country are not very good, and certainly not very fun.
Holy thread drift! Oh well, it’s fishing season and I still have skiing on my mind.
Cheers

[Woodserson]

I know. I know. I do know. And yet. I'm constantly falling down on steep hills and my wife doesn't. It has to be the skis. There's no other explanation. I mean, it can't be a lack of skill on my part, that is impossible. I'm only partially joking.

I have a pair of both the waxed and skinned flavour of the MR 48. It wasn't entirely by intention (I grabbed a bargain) and I do wish I'd just saved up a bit and bought something radically different, but it's hardly the end of the world. The built in skins have definite advantages in certain circumstances.

Generally It isn't exactly a revelation to say that the MR 48s are nimble in the extreme. Tap dancing shoes, a total delight in appropriate conditions (following freshly-broken trail, fresh snow of a certain depth, consolidated snow, windpacked snow, white snow, snow that has fallen from the sky).

The MT 51s, with a near-identical geometry, seem to scratch over lumps and holes better and be generally less scary on scary bits. Subjective and unquantifiable comments. But there you go.

Edit: I really agree with that review! They're so much fun.

These threads get long, and I totally forgot Johnny's description back on post #1:

Yes, they are fast. And also SUPER LIGHT! They are not the lightest of the lightest skis you can find on the planet, but the difference is hardly noticeable for skis you would pay twice the price to save a few grams. The MR48 SKIN is really amazing at only 775g per ski at 200cm! (25% lighter than the Gamme!) Remember this is a wood core ski with ¾ steel edges, not a cheap Chinese noodle. To keep weight at the minimum, I mounted them with Xcelerators (91g) and NIS plates (62g). So that makes a stunning 3.45 lbs per feet, including skis, bindings AND BOOTS! WOOOAAAaaaahhh…! Without a doubt the lightest setup I have ever had. They also have a very nice Nordic Rocker, but not as important as other Asnes BC skis.

The extra 200grams of heft in the MT51 is what makes it scratch over lumps and holes with a bit more assertiveness than the MR48, which makes your description of "tap dancing shoes" straight-on.

Regardless, both are great skis and it's obvious I need a pair of MR48's to round out my collection. Now as long as I don't lose my job...

[athabascae]

NNN BC is the only way to go on these, in my opinion!

Dan, (ex?)-Neptune employee who we've all seen in his youtube vids has a nice post about the MR48-Wax which I just bumped into recently. .... Interestingly enough, he mounted them with NNN, instead of BC, a decision he grappled with for a bit.

An old question, but thought I would chime in that I had some old NNN BC bindings that I mounted on mine and its like they were made specifically for them - like peanut butter and jelly. Quite svelte compared to the magnums on my Ingstad. I use Alpina Traverse boots with this setup so far, terrible support compared to my Alaskas, but warm, comfy, and with a reasonably flexible sole. Pretty happy with the MR 48 (wax) and NNN BC combo.

[zoomin]

I just received my Mountain Race 48 in 200cm length. I'm 83-84 kg and Asnes suggests this size for 70-90kg.
Well, first time skiing with them I forgot to bring my kick wax so I put the nylon skins on.
I might as well have had snowshoes on my feet. I was starting at the groomed nordic trails, looking to stride and glide to the un-groomed trails out back. They would not budge.

The store i bought them from marked my kick zone based on my weight and the skin was trailing off behind it (behind my heel) and i know I should trim that back but the problem here was worse than that.

Have I misunderstood what these skis are? are those skins really only for climbing? Or have I just got the wrong size - maybe I need the 210cm ones?

I have Fischer e99 and they allow me to diagonal stride on the groomed nordic tracks out tot he backcountry trails. They are not fast and are heavy but I am not dragging the skins when I do this.

I hope to get out with some kick wax today, but I also wonder if I should not ski on them again so I can exchange them (I only *skied* on them for 400m).

Thanks.

[Musk Ox]

@zoomin, the nylon X-Skins are definitely no substitute for wax on the flats.

Nylon's pretty much for climbing, yes. Pulling heavy loads.



I can certainly imagine that an uncut nylon X-Skin on a groomed trail on the green MR48s will be next to useless. 

The mohair X-Skins glide better on the groomed trail, but they're not a satisfactory substitute for wax either. I absolutely butchered a pair of 45mm mohair skins before they would offer any glide on hard snow on my 190 MR48s, though, rendering them pretty much useless, as a pretty foolish experiment (I weigh about 79kg... I should have bought the 200s).

X-Skins, generally, no matter how short you cut them, aren't so satisfactory on groomed trails on any of the skis I’ve tried them on. But I've found them very nice, borderline great, elsewhere.

The mohair 40mm Race X-Skin on the waxable MR48 worked all right in a few centimetres of cover on hardpack. And it was positively great in deeper snow and for climbing.



The green MR48 is a delight when it’s waxed on consolidated snow. It’s not so delightful with skins on hard snow, and must be really annoying with full length nylon skins.



People have used them on polar expeditions with skins. I had the most fun with the MR48 on freshly broken trail and in the trees and up high in powder on the hard stuff. I found that I only used skins on them for going uphill and when the conditions made waxing intolerable. I bought a pair of the yellow MR48 Skins for those conditions.

Should probably just say that this thread is the MR48 Skin thread, not the green MR48 thread by the way!

[Stephen]

I am about 84kg with pack and skied the MR48 in 210 and thought it worked well. Nice ski.
I didn’t ski them much and sold and replaced with Gamme in 210.

[3pinjohnnie]

I'd like to buy the waxable version of this ski, but La Cordee only carries the skin version. Does anybody know whether you can peel off the skins if you dont like them and use kick wax? Is the base milled to accommodate the skins, or is it just flat? I wouldnt hesitate to buy the skin version if there was an off ramp.
As much as I love them, my 210 cm OG Ingstads are overkill for most uses. But more Asnes is the only acceptable alternative!