Asnes Mountain Race 48 SKIN

[Nitram Tocrut]

I kick myself in the ass for not getting the MR48 waxable when they were still available, I would’ve liked to try those out.

I think they are still available from Sportsalbert in Germany if you don’t mind the shipping.

[Musk Ox]

Musk Ox had me at “ These are the conditions these skis are made for, I think. They slide better in the wet stuff than they do on hard ice, more approximating grip wax.”, that’s exactly what I was looking for.

They are super convenient.

I'd also recommend going for the longer ones if you're somewhere between two lengths on the size chart, especially if you expect to carry a load.

[chris_the_wrench]

Recently, Ive become really interested in adding a pair of the mountain race 48 skins into my quiver. Im thinking they would be great for some long day(6 hour) skiing on fire/forest roads out in the west where I live. I understand they wont(atleast with my skill level) descend that great but the light weight appeals to me for the really rolling terrain. These roads can be everything from skiing in car tracks, snowmobile tracks, groomer tracks and totally untracked. Beyond my daily skiing, Ive been really thinking about doing a winter ‘epic’ like fat pursuit or similar.

I cant find any in us online retailers just varuste. Are my expectations right for these skis? Any us retailers?

Insights?
Thanks

[beeeweee]

Recently, Ive become really interested in adding a pair of the mountain race 48 skins into my quiver. Im thinking they would be great for some long day(6 hour) skiing on fire/forest roads out in the west where I live. I understand they wont(atleast with my skill level) descend that great but the light weight appeals to me for the really rolling terrain. These roads can be everything from skiing in car tracks, snowmobile tracks, groomer tracks and totally untracked. Beyond my daily skiing, Ive been really thinking about doing a winter ‘epic’ like fat pursuit or similar.

I cant find any in us online retailers just varuste. Are my expectations right for these skis? Any us retailers?

Insights?
Thanks

From others on this forum, Neptune Mountaineering is the only retailer of Asnes products in the US. If they don’t have it (and it looks like they don’t), then you’ll need to order from out of country.

[Musk Ox]

Im thinking they would be great for some long day(6 hour) skiing on fire/forest roads out in the west where I live. I understand they wont(atleast with my skill level) descend that great but the light weight appeals to me for the really rolling terrain. These roads can be everything from skiing in car tracks, snowmobile tracks, groomer tracks and totally untracked. Beyond my daily skiing, Ive been really thinking about doing a winter ‘epic’ like fat pursuit or similar.

Are my expectations right for these skis?
Insights?
Thanks

Yes, basically. They're based on the early 2000s Åsnes Holmenkollen skis, which were lightweight skis used for everything from expeditions to multi-day races and pottering about in the fields round your house, redesigned with an eye on races like the Expedition Amundsen. So for their weight and geometry they're actually pretty versatile and definitely nippy. They're not exactly the best for climbing in deep snow, but they're a lot of fun on rolling hills, certainly, if you're not a hurry, and they fly on the solid stuff.

[chris_the_wrench]

@Johnny originaly posted that he ran them with plates and nis bindings, you still? Or anyone else running these with nis plates and nnn bindings vs nnn bc? Move bindings?

[Johnny]

I had NIS plates the first season only... Then came the advent of 700g NNN-BC boots the year after... Everything else became suddenly totally obsolete... Why bother with NNN or 75mm when you can have twice the power for half the weight?

[chris_the_wrench]

I had NIS plates the first season only... Then came the advent of 700g NNN-BC boots the year after... Everything else became suddenly totally obsolete... Why bother with NNN or 75mm when you can have twice the power for half the weight?

Which boot is that?

Thanks

[Johnny]

Which boot is that?

Your choice...!

[Capercaillie]

There is also Crispi Nordland NNNBC at 730g per boot in size 43.

These skis are light and narrow enough for step/skate turns and any other lift-the-whole-ski technique to be efficient, so depending on your ski style you might not need the extra support of NNNBC boots. Alfa Horizon APS NNN is only 530g per boot in size 43 and a lot better insulated than the Crispi Nordland and Alpina Montana (haven't tried other NNNBC boots). Very comfortable for longer tours. You might save a bit of weight vs NNNBC bindings as well.

I have a skin ski (Atomic Savor 48) with a 100% mohair skin and would not recommend skin skis for forest roads. Mine are very slow and grabby descending moderate slopes of ungroomed snow. It's just not fun. On groomed trails, in tracks, and on steep hardpack they work great. Descending soft or variable snow, or bumpy hardpack, not so much.

The other downside are the adjustable bindings. If you are climbing/descending slopes long enough that you do want to adjust the bindings, AFAIK other than Rottefella Move, you need to take off the skis to adjust them. Older Fischer bindings even needed a special tool. Not much more time to put on nylon insert skins that are going to climb far better, and then have a smooth ski for the descent. The adjustable bindings are also inherently more fragile. Apparently Rottefella Move bindings can simply come unglued:

viewtopic.php?t=3473

For classic (narrow) touring skis, I think waxable ones with an insertable skin are much more versatile. I don't know if I am going to sell my skin skis, but I definitely won't be buying another pair.

What I would like to buy is either a waxable MR48 or the new Madshus Panorama T50 that came out this season. Both are 3/4 length steel edged. T50 is waxable and has a 60-50-55 sidecut, with a claimed weight of 1380g for the 192cm (it's unclear to me whether that's actually 192cm or 195cm from Madshus' website). MR48 is 1520g claimed for the 200cm. T50 is $305USD with an included insert skin from Varuste, which seems like a good deal. I haven't seen any reviews of it. Would really like to see those two skis compared. I don't know of any other comparable skis. You can get last season's Panorama M50 on sale right now at SkatePro and Varuste; same specs but weigh in at around 1800g.

One thing these narrow skis are good at is single-track mountain bike and hiking trails, if you get them in a shorter length. I have an 82cm/32in inseam (inseam, not your height, is the important thing here) and have fun skiing single-track on 195cm Alpina 1500T and 194cm Atomic Savor 48. My 205cm Fischer TN66 are not fun there at all. I think the shorter length combined with narrow width makes shallow angle snowplow and herringbone work on very narrow trails, and short skis grip better climbing. Less glide and slower on flats and descending, but that will give you the option of linking forest roads and single-track trails.