Hello all,
Laurence C from Quebec. As many here, even after reading all, still struggling between Nato and Ingstad BC, if someone can help.
Here is the context, if you are not a big reader, just jump to the last paragraph
I started making small ski "expeditions" (5-10 days, 120-250 km) in the Appalachians maybe 10 years ago (2-3 times per winter). I did it with old Fischer in tracks cross country skis (don't recall model), old NNN fix, flimsy boots, jeans, a way too heavy backpack, and used climbing skins. A lot of climbing steep hills and of going down mountain (like steps or zig zag way of going down with a lot of trees (a lot of falls, face first, or on the sides, loosing control because of fear of the speed, because of bumps, because skis slow down all of a sudden because going under the snow, or because it was the best way to stop, and a lot of hard time getting up). More often that other, snow could be over the knee, with often some kind of a crust on top, sometime skiing under it and breaking the crust with the leg (ouch) or having to pull the skis over it because the ski didn't try to go up on its own (ouch leg joints) and then break it with the ski (like walking with big shoes). Often we had to do like 100 meters of trail breaking each, and relay. Sometime we found ice, or skidoo tracks or even frozen ski tracks that we had to fit it in some way. All of that to say, I like those small expeditions, even if sometime I got to walk with a cane for some weeks after
. I'm getting older, got a child, and am not in shape anymore but I have a bit more money and want to continue doing that. I think I could do it with plywood tied to my feet but I feel luxurious now.
In between I got myslef Asnes Amundsen (Gamme were out of stock here) for ski tracks (because sometime I find tracks and wish to fit in) and flat things (the best I could afford, money and knowledge wise, was better than what I had). I did one small expedition with it, was good although I had problems with my skins (the tip rubber/metal material was not adapted and was scraping snow and slowing me during all trip, ouch) and I wish skis could float on snow or at least try to go over.
So now I'm looking for an all-rounder, looking to go from A to B where a lot of different obstacles will come up and snow conditions change. Hard to predict situation in remote areas over 10 days. I don't mind not going fast at all. On flat, those easy moments can go an hour or two longer, I have headlamp. Still, since I'm not alone in those trips, I also want to be able to follow those who have longer narrow skis I guess (is the Ingstad that slow, I mean really that slow?). I'd like to climb well, sliding while going up is a total energy lost. Mostly, I'd like to go down well (to have a good control if I need to turn or to slow down, on ice and on most kinds of snow, to avoid skis digging down in snow until I stop or fall). More often than not, I have to break trail in not easy condition, heavy snow that don't hold my weight, breaking hard crust, name it. I read Nato is good at breaking trail... but is it if there is snow way over the knee? My fear of having a relatively large wide ski or tip, is to feel like I have a shovel when I need to pull the ski outside of the snow (it is muscle breaking with a narrow ski, so I can't imagine). So for those conditions, is the nordic rocker (Ingstad) better or is the Nato unrockered but upward tip better? This is my main concern here. I'd like the tip to go upward on it's own, but in a useful way (like I can imagine it can be unproductive sometimes).
I understand there is no one-best-ski for all, but while I'm out many days I don't have access to a quiver of skis.
Thanks for reading and sharing your wisdom,
L