2015 Åsnes Combat NATO

[The GCW]

Here, this might interest You or another...

https://denver.craigslist.org/spo/d/lit ... 51909.html
Posted 13 days ago.

Asnes Combat Cross Country Touring Skis - 210cm - $120 (Centennial)

Asnes Skis
model: Combat
Backcountry / Cross Country / Touring Skis
Steel Edges
Never Mounted, just the skis, no bindings
size: 210cm
One small cosmetic ding (pictured)
Best way to reach me is via TEXT at 3zero3-8zero7-two55four, Thanks, Bill

[Inspiredcapers]

Thanks for looking GCW- those look like the USGI’s I already have. He’s marked the price up quite a bit, pretty sure they’re $30 for two pairs from Coleman’s. I’m looking for the lighter version with the snakebite for the X skins.

[Bohemian]

Which 75mm bindings would you recommend for the Combat Nato:

-3-pin straight on the ski?
-Voile 3-pin-cable straight on the ski?
-Voile 3-pin cable traverse?
-3-pin on some form of riser?

Are risers & cables worth the extra weight on these skis?

Thanks!

[lilcliffy]

Personally- I would't buy a 3pin binding without the cable- even if I rarely used it.
Personally- I wouldn't want a riser on this ski (I personally don't like being elevated from the ski deck when Nordic ski touring).
I would only want a riser to faciltate clamping the cable down when not in use.
(Not that I really care about just leaving the cable flopped on the ski deck when doing low-vertical uphill/downhill laps.)
I don't have a 3pin binding on this ski- but, if I did, the cable would be in my pack most of the time.
............
AWESOME touring ski.
...........
Was out for a mesmerizing tur today with this ski on the fresh dump of March snow→ MAGIC.

[Bohemian]

Thanks!
You're very lucky with nice fresh snow this time of year. In our area around the 3-country point Germany / Austria Czech Republic it is already quite warm: very soon even the base of 60cm at 1300m will be mostly gone. Rain instead of snow.

Last month I got the fairly unique chance for a lucky purchase of a bunch of these skis (all 195cm) from the Netherlands of all places, originating from an auction, sold off by someone who was actually looking for other auction purchases but also ended up with this stash and wanted to get rid of it all whilst not having a clue what it all really was. Got a purchase contract and paid by bank transfer, so nothing illegal. The bases look like new or almost new but all topsheets have plenty scratches and even some cuts from poor transportation (the seller had sent me a picture of how he had transported the lot: all thrown in the back of a panel van... ... forturnately some of the skis were in proper bags and the rest on top of the boots... ).
Some came with OAC universal bindings which have the same hole pattern as 3-hole telemark / 3-pin. Some had Switchbacks mounted which are too wide and heavy for this ski: the plastic plate under the switch lever was sticking out sideways + got lifted up a bit = ice buildup. Also most of the hardwire rods are bent from bad transport... But the 4 hole pattern from the Switchbacks can be used for the risers of a 3-pin cable traverse binding, hence my question in my previous post.
Oh, and 2 pairs have NNN-BC magnum bindings, of which 1 pair has on 1 ski damage at the tip (steel edge bent a little + tip opened up a little bit: I think easy to fill with epoxy).
So far 1 set with NNN-BC has been sold + 2 sets (1x with 3-pin mounted in the holes of OAC + 1x with OAC) have gone to a friend.
I'll keep 3 pairs for myself, partner and visitors, of which 1 pair with universal bindings.
Not sure yet what 75mm bindings to put on those 2 sets, got the whole summer time for that, probably used or new 3-pin cable. I can always fill old holes with epoxy.
In total we had 8 pairs with x-skins + some new and nearly new boots (unfortunately all too big for me) + a stash of Rossi BC100 skis. The remaining 2 pairs of Aasnes skis will go to local ski buddies.
(Some of the Rossignols may end up in the for sale part here but sending will cost an arm and a leg.)

I've tried out the Aasnes skis twice so far, with 3-pin bindings and was well impressed on the forest roads but even going down on quite hard skislopes with the ski march boots went better than expected. With backpack, boots & clothes I must be around 70kg, which is supposed to be the lower end of the scale or these skis. I had good grip when properly stomping down and glide was fine, also with the short nylon skins.

Looking forward to some long tours with these trail breaking machines next winter!

Just one strange thing: nowhere can I find info on the 195cm version of the combat nato ski: all info I can find is about 190 and 200cm. No idea what model year these are. Profile 84-62-74.
Serial numbers all starting with 1/195 106XXX.

[lilcliffy]

@Bohemian
Very interesting story!
Also interesting that you have 195cm versions of this ski...
I will continue to look out for this ski from surplus sales!
It is a superb, incredibly versatile BC Nordic touring ski- the one ski that I would keep if I had to have only one!
(Don't tell my wife that!)
Gareth

[Inspiredcapers]

Finally pulled the pin (went with XP bindings) 🤣 and bought the NATO. Went for a ride to Waterton last week and as I was cruising up to Red Rock Canon I realized I wanted to ski in along the river and hit some side trails this year…I really like Gamme but I think he’d struggle in the deeper stuff as I’m touring.

Seriously excited!!!

[Bohemian]

@lilcliffy : Update: these combat Natos are definitely a newer model than yours: I think production year 2021, like the boots from that same auction lot. They do have rocker and tapered tips. Let's see how they will perform as trail breakers: hopefully we'll get a few proper dumps when I won't be away working!
The pair I had tried last winter with used Rottefella Extreme 3-pin bindings got sold to a friend for use at his cottage in Finland. Got a pair of the same ready for mounting 3-pins with the Alico Artic green suede boot in mind. Got hold of some more NOS 3-pin bindings this year: old Voile 201 (old logo), old HD mountaineer, 1 more set of NOS R'fella Extreme and a bunch of NOS Black Diamond XCD. Thinking of either the HD mountaineer or the BD XCD to mount on my personal set of these Combat Nato skis. Finally getting round to removing the rust of the edges and properly prepping them all... Not intending to sell any more of the remaining skis of that auction lot. For now the ones I want to conserve are waxed with simple yellow glide wax, to be stripped before XC(D) use. The pair I'm preparing for myself is now prepped with swix green as base wax as I can't get hold of white here, need to order that online somewhere if/when anything else needs to be ordered. Telemark Pyrenees didn't have it when i ordered my boots today. Anyway, I think for my area I can do without the white, however on icy stuff even green gets worn off straight away on the glide zones. Here we often get ice on the lower shadowy parts of our hills, usually after sunset on the last bit to get back to the car..
EDIT: "not selling" is about the Combat Nato skis. I'd like to sell most of the Rossi BC 100 from that auction lot.

[lilcliffy]

@Bohemian
Thank you for the update!
Gareth

[Woodserson]

Interesting rando-tech set-up here on a pair of NATOs