Crossing Lake Mille Lacs, MN Feb 2021

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fgd135
Posts: 470
Joined: Sun Jan 19, 2020 2:55 pm
Location: Colorado
Ski style: Yes, sometimes.
Favorite Skis: Most of them
Favorite boots: Boots that fit
Occupation: Yes

Re: Crossing Lake Mille Lacs, MN Feb 2021

Post by fgd135 » Sun Apr 25, 2021 12:54 pm

Woodserson wrote:
Sun Apr 25, 2021 11:49 am
fgd135 wrote:
Sun Apr 25, 2021 9:56 am
Epoke 1000's are my favorite of all time touring skis!
WHY do you do this to me.

WHY
Those Epoke 1000's ski like a dream, you definitely need at least one pair, or three, actually, a waxable, a waxless. and a mica-base waxless. You can never have too many pair of skis...
About once a year, my wife asks "what's the deal with all those dang skis hanging in the garage"...lucky for me there are enough skis in there to camouflage any new additions...a couple of years ago I did comply, and downsize a bit, got rid of 5-6 pair, she didn't even notice, jeez.
Last edited by fgd135 on Mon Apr 26, 2021 9:26 am, edited 1 time in total.
"To me, gracefulness on skis should be the end-all of the sport" --Stein Eriksen

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joeatomictoad
Posts: 371
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Location: Houston, Texas, U.S.A.
Ski style: Yes, please.
Favorite Skis: Nordica Enforcer 93; Icelantic Saba Pro 117; 22D HH & Vice
Favorite boots: Scarpa T1
Occupation: I make sure ships float.

Re: Crossing Lake Mille Lacs, MN Feb 2021

Post by joeatomictoad » Sun Apr 25, 2021 2:13 pm

fgd135 wrote:
Sun Apr 25, 2021 12:54 pm
...lucky for me there are enough skis in there to camouflage any new additions...
Loving this saturation technique. Feels like I just had a mini-masterclass in relationship management.



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borchjd
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Re: Crossing Lake Mille Lacs, MN Feb 2021

Post by borchjd » Mon Apr 26, 2021 10:28 am

I have the Epoke 900s and the 1000s and definitely agree, the 1000s are great. Mine, however, have lost some flex - or at least maybe they don't seem to have as stiff of a camber as a more modern ski of that size and shape. Nevertheless, it is fantastically stable, even with my big size 14 feet. I glued the leading edge of a kicker skin onto the ski and taped around the front to hold it in place. It held for the entire 15+ mile journey and I was able to remove it without damaging the base afterwards. For sure a great ski I'll have for many more years.



User avatar
fgd135
Posts: 470
Joined: Sun Jan 19, 2020 2:55 pm
Location: Colorado
Ski style: Yes, sometimes.
Favorite Skis: Most of them
Favorite boots: Boots that fit
Occupation: Yes

Re: Crossing Lake Mille Lacs, MN Feb 2021

Post by fgd135 » Mon Apr 26, 2021 5:59 pm

Long ago, I was told by an Epoke sales rep that the ski cores were laminated then cured in 5-pair stacks, and that in the five pair of finished skis, some would have more camber than others, which was intentional and predictable--so different skier types and wt.s could be served by a handful of ski sizes. Flexing two pair of 900's or 1000's (or maybe 700's?) of the same size, you can discern the difference in wax pocket camber. So your pair of 215's might not have lost camber, but might've been a softer pair of 5 to begin with...
Didn't mean to hijack your thread! Lake skiing seems breathtaking.
"To me, gracefulness on skis should be the end-all of the sport" --Stein Eriksen



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borchjd
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Re: Crossing Lake Mille Lacs, MN Feb 2021

Post by borchjd » Mon Apr 26, 2021 7:09 pm

Neat. Thank you for that bit of history. Lake skiing is great! Honestly...if anyone wanted to try the Mille Lacs trip and experience a tiny bit of what a polar explorer might go through, it's only 1.5 hours north of the Minneapolis airport and a 2 day trek once you're on the lake (if conditions are good). I highly recommend!



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chris_the_wrench
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Re: Crossing Lake Mille Lacs, MN Feb 2021

Post by chris_the_wrench » Thu Sep 23, 2021 6:44 pm

I just happened to travel by this lake today during a big road trip my wife and I are doing. First time Ive ever been there. That is such a beautiful and HUGE lake.

Very cool trip you did!

-Chris



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