Altai Tao

[Lhartley]

[Krummholz]

@Lhartley

The Altai Tao is now available on the US Store, https://us-store.altaiskis.com/product/ ... r-2024-25/
The Cad Store shows out of stock.

I kind of like the “Hunter on skis and Ibex” graphic on the tail.

Specifications:

Length – 165 cm.

Dimensions – 121-100-118

Weight – 5 lb. 3 oz.

Integrated climbing skin

Stainless inserts for 3 hole bindings

Binding retention plate

Wood core/Steel Edges

Slight rockered tip and tail

Price: $289.95

[lilcliffy]

Beautiful and very cool ski-

I don't know if I completely get it though...

A turnier and longer Hok?

[Krummholz]

@lilcliffy

Yes, a longer and turnier Hok, with some side cut, so closer to a downhill ski, but not quite a Kom. It is built like a Hok, ie same materials.
First took them out skinning through some deep powder, and moved along pretty easily until the slope got to 15 - 20 deg or so and had to switch to doing steps. Then hit a crusty snowmobile track and I was zipping along. Going down in powder, 10 deg slope took mostly striding to keep going. 15 - 20 deg was slow and steady, but that was fine as I was in tight trees. Going down a snowmobile track was fast. On a crusty south facing 10-15 deg slope got going enough to make some turns.

[fedster]

Are the Taos any faster on a snowmobile track compared to the Hoks?

[lilcliffy]

Cool ski- great to have so many options!!

Looks like I would have more fun on the Tao- vs the Hok- as a downhill ski-
but, the Toa would not replace the Hok as a work/field/bush ski for me, as it is not avaialble in shorter more manoverable lengh for dense forest...
So- to me- the Toa seems more akin to the Kom than the Hok- an option for those that would rather an integrated skin than a scaled base.

[Krummholz]

It depends on if you have the 125, or the 145, like mine. The Tao is 165 and has a little more glide due to the longer black lengths. It would be a big improvement over the 125. The big improvement of the Tao is sidecut and rocker. The Hok has zero. I have found the skin is better on ice/crust than a scaled ski. No difference in powder. The skin does have more drag on the down than a scaled ski.

I snuck off an hour before work to do a few laps on this right-of-way just outside town. It just snowed 8” for a total of about 20” of powder. I could have used another 5 deg of slope to keep a constant speed. I had to use a packed down section to get the speed up before cutting into the powder. So far a fun ski for doing laps. Worked 6 days straight over the holidays, hope to get more snow time after this weekend.

[lilcliffy]

@Krummholz
Please forgive me if I missed this in this thread-
what boot are you using with the Tao?
Also- you have NNNBC on the Hok? What BC boot?
......
For reference, I have the 145 Hok- no interest in the 125.

[Inspiredcapers]

I already have too many skis, I already have too many skis…

[riel]

I already have too many skis, I already have too many skis…

Are you sure?

How can you be sure?

Can you think of any way to experimentally verify your hypothesis?