Ski Review- Åsnes Amundsen BC

[lilcliffy]

Åsnes Amundsen BC- Old Roald the Faithful!

What can I say- I truly love this ski (the red one with old Roald on it)- the Åsnes Amundsen BC.

Totally stable.
Totally efficient.

Over many decades and many, many skis- the Amundsen BC is the most universally efficient backcountry-cross country ski I have ever used.

Yes- there are specific conditions where other designs are more efficient-
But, the Amundsen always works- and always performs well.
And despite its railway efficiency- point em at the South Pole- tracking- the Amundsen BC is so light that it is no problem on hills as long as you are prepared to make step/striding/jump turns.

Perhaps continue with what the Amundsen BC is not-

The Amundsen BC is-

Not a highly cambered ski- it is not as cambered as the Sverdrup/E99-XL/E109-XL.

Not rail-stiff over its entire length- the shovel and the tail have some flexibility to them.

The Amundsen BC is longitudinally-stiff and stable- offering superb stability and support- in all snow conditions. But the extremity of the shovel- and to a lesser extent the tail- have some noticeable, subtle flexibility.

Note that Åsnes has made a number of different designs with “Amundsen” attached to it-
For example, the Amundsen Fram is not the same design- the Fram is even stiffer and has a higher camber.

Apparently at one time Åsnes was producing three different “Amundsen” skis- the Amundsen, the Amundsen Expedition, and the Amundsen Fram!

My understanding (please correct me if I am wrong) is that the Liv BC is the same design as the Amundsen BC.


Specs:

Lengths→ 170 to 208cm
Sidecut→ 67-57-62mm
Edge→ full-wrap steel edge
Tip→ traditional- triangular, raised
Shovel→ no rocker; subtle flexibility
Camber→ long- low profile- stiff
Flex→ longitudinally stiff
Tail→ straight. Flat. stiff- with some subtle flexibility
Base→ sintered, smooth; track groove
Skin-lock/X-skin kicker skin insert

I am using the 208 Amundsen BC with NNN-BC Manual bindings- mounted at balance point- and Alaska BC/Guard BC/Guide BC boots. I use hard grip wax and kicker skin when required.

I mostly use the Amundsen on gentle to moderate terrain on backcountry ungroomed forest trails and woods roads- though there are many steep tight climbs and descents in the mix.

I get a lot of beautiful soft fresh snow to ski on- and when the snow is truly deep I do not take my Amundsen-

But when the snow is not ideal (i.e. hard and refrozen, breakable crust) I tend to stick to trails/woods roads and the Amundsen has become my trail ski of choice- in this application I even prefer it to my beloved 210 Gamme 54…

I agonized over selecting length in this ski- primarily because I was expecting this ski to be much more cambered than it is. In the end I bought both a 201 and a 208- on clearance- and much prefer the 208.

For reference, I am 178cm (5’10”) tall and physically fit 84kg (185lbs).

Performance- Cross-Country

This ski is a superb straight-forward backcountry-cross country touring ski.
This ski has railroad- point it at the Pole- tracking efficiency.
It has enough camber for kick wax and/or kicker skin to effectively release when striding forwards.
Yet, it is not so cambered that it is difficult to pressure and get adequate grip.
This the best snowmobile track (i.e. consolidated hardpack snow) track trail ski I have ever used.
This ski is remarkably stable and decently efficient in very deep snow (though not as good as the wider Combat Nato/Ingstad).
This ski breaks trail very well.
The Amundsen BC is the very best XC ski I have ever tested in breakable crust.
I can easily climb steep trails- usually with just grip wax- but need kicker skins on difficult snow (e.g. icy refrozen; warm wet).

Performance- Downhill

This ain’t a downhill ski- not even remotely.
This ski has almost no sidecut and an incredibly long effective edge- I can only imagine how wide the turn radius is of a 208 Amundsen BC!!!

HOWEVER- this ski is very light- I can easily ski down steep-tight trails using step/striding/jump turns.

Amundsen BC versus Gamme 54 BC

You don’t know until you know…

Until I bought the 208 Amundsen BC- my absolute favorite trail ski was my 210 Gamme 54 BC.

What I can tell you is that the Amundsen BC is a better straightforward XC ski than the Gamme 54 BC.

The Gamme 54 BC does have more sidecut and a slightly rockered shovel- it is certainly easier to initiate a proper downhill turn and has a “shorter” turn radius.

HOWEVER- how long is the turn radius of a 210 Gamme 54? Certainly not short enough to make any difference when coming down a steep tight trail in a northern forest!

If I was touring above treeline in hilly-steep terrain- the turning advantages of the Gamme 54 would kick the Amundsen’s butt-
BUT- in my local BC trail skiing context- the Gamme 54 is not a better ski downhill.

The truth about Nordic rocker-

I remain unconvinced that Nordic rocker provides any general performance advantage for straightforward XC skiing.

(Nordic rocker definitely improves downhill performance- and it clearly facilitates climbing up and over frozen polar ice rubble…)

Last winter I skied an incredible number of kms on forest trails and roads-
We had extreme mid-winter temperature fluctuations- keeping me out of the glades more than usual.

My regular touring partner and I switched back and forth between the 210 Gamme 54 BC and the 208 Amundsen BC over the season-

One of the things we both noticed is how much more resistance there was with the rockered Gamme 54 when breaking trail through very cold, soft snow. Again- I would never have noticed this without the Amundsen to compare to it side-by-side.
The rockered shovel of the Gamme presents a wider, flatter surface to the snow- increasing resistance when breaking trail- especially in very cold soft snow.
The non-rockered tip of the Amundsen carves a channel for the rest of the ski to follow- almost like it is cutting its way through the snow- like a knife- peeling the snow apart for the rest of the ski to follow.

Don’t get me wrong here- the Gamme 54 BC is a superb BC-XC ski.

You don't know until you know!

Conclusion
While the Combat NATO ski remains my most versatile Nordic BC touring ski for my local environmental conditions-
The Amundsen BC is superb. I love this ski. I love it more than I thought I would.
And if I did not get all of the fresh snowfall that I do- the Amundsen would be the best touring ski in my shed.

Gareth Davies
Dec. 23rd, 2022
Snow Glade Farm
Stanley, New Brunswick
Canada

[Stephen]

@lilcliffy, nice write up and (Asnes promo), as usual!


Any idea how the BC version compares to the Fram version?
Specifically, you mentioned stiffer and more cambered.
They seem to have the same specs.
At least now, the Fram is offered in waxless, only.
Maybe it was offered in wax in the past?

[lilcliffy]

Just to be clear- I am not sponsored by Asnes- this post/thread is not intended to be an "Asnes promo".
This is purely me sharing my experiences and passion for skiing.
............
Yes, the Asnes Fram was offered in a wax version at one time "Amundsen Fram BC".

[Theme]

Just to be clear- I am not sponsored by Asnes- this post/thread is not intended to be an "Asnes promo".
This is purely me sharing my experiences and passion for skiing.
............
Yes, the Asnes Fram was offered in a wax version at one time "Amundsen Fram BC".

Thank you Gareth for the great interviews. I actually only just got done reading the Combat Nato review thread and then saw this. Super!

I have only shortly tried on a friend's Amundsen Fram Waxless 187s. Felt more efficient than my 190 Ousland. Not much else I can say.

I can still find some Amundsen Fram BC wax base skis in some Nordic stores. I am definitely more of a BCX guy, rather than BCD. Although I do have the FT62X waiting to be mounted, to see if I like the sport - skills carry over both ways. For the coming years, I am considering a wider distance-oriented nordic touring ski, and your reviews are helping a ton!

It is no coincidence the Amundsen series is the most universally recognized nordic touring ski in this part of the world. Your review is right on point. You can see most people skiing "Vita Bandet" in Sweden on them. It is an 800 mile ski through the Swedish Fjell chain. Heck, I wish I had them (or my new MR48S) while I was at it. Still need to try the MR48S on spring snow and crust to see if they would do the job for an even longer tour. If not, it would be very easy to go with the Amundsen. It is not going to let you down. But if the MR48S works for me, an Amundsen would be too close to that in my quiver. Time will tell.

[GrimSurfer]

Stiffer, more camber makes sense with a wax base.

[riel]

Stiffer, more camber makes sense with a wax base.

I suspect the real reason for stiffer, and more camber is skins.

People don't pull their sleds with fishscales or kick wax. They use either long skins (little glide), or short skins (some glide) depending on the terrain the expect to encounter that day.

A taller camber can lift (much of) the kicker skin off the ground while gliding, making travel more efficient.

[GrimSurfer]

That’s probably true. I wouldn’t want to pull with scales. Skins? Yeah, all right.

I don’t think it’s a 1:1 relationship through. A waxable (no skin) racing ski can have a hard camber. To the right skier (an expert at loading, driving, and unloading quickly and efficiently), this can be lightning quick.

Tall vs short means less to me than camber stiffness. A millimeter is as good as a meter for a wax pocket on a highly compressed surface. Quite often though, you’ll see a balance between the two because it has broader appeal to a wider audience.

[Mikerj]

Åsnes Amundsen BC- Old Roald the Faithful!

PXL_20221223_175615268.jpg

What can I say- I truly love this ski (the red one with old Roald on it)- the Åsnes Amundsen BC.

Totally stable.
Totally efficient.

Over many decades and many, many skis- the Amundsen BC is the most universally efficient backcountry-cross country ski I have ever used.

Yes- there are specific conditions where other designs are more efficient-
But, the Amundsen always works- and always performs well.
And despite its railway efficiency- point em at the South Pole- tracking- the Amundsen BC is so light that it is no problem on hills as long as you are prepared to make step/strifing/jump turns.

Perhaps continue with what the Amundsen BC is not-

The Amundsen BC is-

Not a highly cambered ski- it is not as cambered as the Sverdrup/E99-XL/E109-XL.

Not rail-stiff over its entire length- the shovel and the tail have some flexibility to them.

The Amundsen BC is longitudinally-stiff and stable- offering superb stability and support- in all snow conditions. But the extremity of the shovel- and to a lesser extent the tail- have some noticeable, subtle flexibility.

Note that Åsnes has made a number of different designs with “Amundsen” attached to it-
For example, the Amundsen Fram is not the same design- the Fram is even stiffer and has a higher camber.

Apparently at one time Åsnes was producing three different “Amundsen” skis- the Amundsen, the Amundsen Expedition, and the Amundsen Fram!

My understanding (please correct me if I am wrong) is that the Liv BC is the same design as the Amundsen BC.


Specs:

Lengths→ 170 to 208cm
Sidecut→ 67-57-62mm
Edge→ full-wrap steel edge
Tip→ traditional- triangular, raised
Shovel→ no rocker; subtle flexibility
Camber→ long- low profile- stiff
Flex→ longitudinally stiff
Tail→ straight. Flat. stiff- with some subtle flexibility
Base→ sintered, smooth; track groove
Skin-lock/X-skin kicker skin insert

I am using the 208 Amundsen BC with NNN-BC Manual bindings- mounted at balance point- and Alaska BC/Guard BC/Guide BC boots. I use hard grip wax and kicker skin when required.

I mostly use the Amundsen on gentle to moderate terrain on backcountry ungroomed forest trails and woods roads- though there are many steep tight climbs and descents in the mix.

I get a lot of beautiful soft fresh snow to ski on- and when the snow is truly deep I do not take my Amundsen-

But when the snow is not ideal (i.e. hard and refrozen, breakable crust) I tend to stick to trails/woods roads and the Amundsen has become my trail ski of choice- in this application I even prefer it to my beloved 210 Gamme 54…

I agonized over selecting length in this ski- primarily because I was expecting this ski to be much more cambered than it is. In the end I bought both a 201 and a 208- on clearance- and much prefer the 208.

For reference, I am 178cm (5’10”) tall and physically fit 84kg (185lbs).

Performance- Cross-Country

This ski is a superb straight-forward backcountry-cross country touring ski.
This ski has railroad- point it at the Pole- tracking efficiency.
It has enough camber for kick wax and/or kicker skin to effectively release when striding forwards.
Yet, it is not so cambered that it is difficult to pressure and get adequate grip.
This the best snowmobile track (i.e. consolidated hardpack snow) track trail ski I have ever used.
This ski is remarkably stable and decently efficient in very deep snow (though not as good as the wider Combat Nato/Ingstad).
This ski breaks trail very well.
The Amundsen BC is the very best XC ski I have ever tested in breakable crust.
I can easily climb steep trails- usually with just grip wax- but need kicker skins on difficult snow (e.g. icy refrozen; warm wet).

Performance- Downhill

This ain’t a downhill ski- not even remotely.
This ski has almost no sidecut and an incredibly long effective edge- I can only imagine how wide the turn radius is of a 208 Amundsen BC!!!

HOWEVER- this ski is very light- I can easily ski down steep-tight trails using step/striding/jump turns.

Amundsen BC versus Gamme 54 BC

You don’t know until you know…

Until I bought the 208 Amundsen BC- my absolute favorite trail ski was my 210 Gamme 54 BC.

What I can tell you is that the Amundsen BC is a better straightforward XC ski than the Gamme 54 BC.

The Gamme 54 BC does have more sidecut and a slightly rockered shovel- it is certainly easier to initiate a proper downhill turn and has a “shorter” turn radius.

HOWEVER- how long is the turn radius of a 210 Gamme 54? Certainly not short enough to make any difference when coming down a steep tight trail in a northern forest!

If I was touring above treeline in hilly-steep terrain- the turning advantages of the Gamme 54 would kick the Amundsen’s butt-
BUT- in my local BC trail skiing context- the Gamme 54 is not a better ski downhill.

The truth about Nordic rocker-

I remain unconvinced that Nordic rocker provides any general performance advantage for straightforward XC skiing.

(Nordic rocker definitely improves downhill performance- and it clearly facilitates climbing up and over frozen polar ice rubble…)

Last winter I skied an incredible number of kms on forest trails and roads-
We had extreme mid-winter temperature fluctuations- keeping me out of the glades more than usual.

My regular touring partner and I switched back and forth between the 210 Gamme 54 BC and the 208 Amundsen BC over the season-

One of the things we both noticed is how much more resistance there was with the rockered Gamme 54 when breaking trail through very cold, soft snow. Again- I would never have noticed this without the Amundsen to compare to it side-by-side.
The rockered shovel of the Gamme presents a wider, flatter surface to the snow- increasing resistance when breaking trail- especially in very cold soft snow.
The non-rockered tip of the Amundsen carves a channel for the rest of the ski to follow- almost like it is cutting its way through the snow- like a knife- peeling the snow apart for the rest of the ski to follow.

Don’t get me wrong here- the Gamme 54 BC is a superb BC-XC ski.

You don't know until you know!

Conclusion
While the Combat NATO ski remains my most versatile Nordic BC touring ski for my local environmental conditions-
The Amundsen BC is superb. I love this ski. I love it more than I thought I would.
And if I did not get all of the fresh snowfall that I do- the Amundsen would be the best touring ski in my shed.

Gareth Davies
Dec. 23rd, 2022
Snow Glade Farm
Stanley, New Brunswick
Canada

Nice review.

Of the dozen or so skis I have hanging on my wall the Amundsen is my favorite. This may be my 4th or 5th season on this ski. I’d buy it again. Falls nicely between my e109 and my traditional Fischer Country Wax/Crowns.