New skis for Finnish Defence Forces

[lowangle al]

[quote="lowangle al" post_id=60495 time=<a href="tel:1682337527">1682337527</a> user_id=172]
[quote=mca80 post_id=60487 time=<a href="tel:1682296638">1682296638</a> user_id=3361]
[quote="lowangle al" post_id=60481 time=<a href="tel:1682286304">1682286304</a> user_id=172]
Skiing is art and photography is art, it's only natural they go together. If skiing is just a sport to you, then I see your point.

Do you also play mandolin while skiing?
[/quote]

I can play the ukulele on anything up to doulbe black diamonds, but unfortunately can't take a photo at the same time.
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Pff, not a true multi-media artist then!
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True dat brudda.

[Theme]

Guys, guys, GUYS. Enough?

[Manney]

The bindings are interesting… not talking about wires, similarity to Voile blah blah that people gush over.

Talking about functionality… ability to take a wide range of footwear. Easy going from trail to camp to cabin… snowshoeing, etc. Nice to have option of hundreds of boots and not care about toe, heel , sole etc. Just a welted boot… as long as sole isn’t crazy thick. A little thin could be solved with a simple insert… vice grips.

Provision for added toe strap too. Finnish army was thinking, building on earlier designs. Spring attachment hooks.. heavy, self clearing with an ice cap. Binding lever… lots of leverage but flat, form fitting. Domed heal plate… self clearing, long. Could see this binding appealing to hunters… functional skiers.

Edit… more, different data below. NATO Military Ski System… download from the NATO Support and Procurement Agency. One ski looks like the Finnish skis at first glance… but have metal edge, different binding. Certainly not Asnes Combat NATO. Another ski shown (Jager Bundle) have different tip… metal reinforced.

06. Military Ski System Illustrative pictures.pdf

(2.43 MiB) Downloaded 642 times

[fgd135]

Used skis are sold in Millog's surplus store SA-Kauppa which does not do deliveries. Like 20 dollars a pair. Sometimes they get unused skis, but usually they are very worn. I found some in decent condition when I went through their shipping containers a few years back.

I enjoyed that SA-Kauppa web site, even if they don't ship, thanks for mentioning it. If I'm ever back in Finland, I think I could spend half a day there, searching thru bins, looking for fun collectibles, old skis and poles, n' stuff.

[fgd135]

Please people don't ski with no bindings...

Freda Langell, a fixture, an icon, in Summit County, had a great story about witnessing a tourist at Keystone, (or maybe it was Copper Mtn) walk up to a base lift wearing new ski boots, and carrying new poles, and skis "without any bindings". He stopped, put his skis on the snow, and "he couldn't figure out how the things were supposed to work". She told it with such sincerity that it was/is still totally believable.

[Manney]

More info trickling in on the KSF Scout and binding system….

Length 230 cm/7 ft 6.5 in
Dimensions 90-75-82 mm
Grip zone 70 cm (scales)/2 ft 4 in
Construction poly cap, urethane foam and wood core, edgeless
Weight 3150g (pair)/6.94 lbs (pair) without bindings
Bindings 1200g (pair)/2.64 lbs (pair)

Civilian version available in the autumn. Civilian version has graphics (see photo below) and lacks the holes in the shovel featured in the military skis. Slightly narrower heel tab too. Doesn’t appear to have the metal guard of the military version.

Available for pre-order now (no further info given).

Military order of 8200 skis and accompanying sets of poles to be delivered in 2023 (KSF and Peltonen submission won the competition to supply Finnish forces).

Source: https://juoksija.fi/hiihto/hiihtovarust ... iliversio/

Enlarged photos showing tip and tail.

[Manney]

More news here

https://yle.fi/a/74-20028593

[Theme]

Sweet. A boring but at least not too flashy top sheet

Weight of the skis is similar to 250cm long basic forest skis

The bindings are definitely a no-go for me. Almost twice the weight of the old ones. I'll probably try these with the Xplore system. I wonder if there is a reinforced binding area, weight could suggest so. Probably just plywood though

One more article here:

https://yousport.fi/2023/05/14/nato-ost ... ontekijaa/


Presale is suggested to have started. No sign of that, would probably need to e-mail the factory

[Manney]

Yeah, the ski weight is high all things considered… no steel edge, foam core etc. Must be some reinforcement around the binding area. Maybe a really heavy duty cap construction too. Or maybe foam in place of air core (foam weighs more than air).

I like the top sheet design. Fancier than all white but suggests linkage with the military version. Would have liked to see Finnish winter camo pattern tho… would have hidden user wear very well and looked radical.

My ski budget got tapped out this year… two new sets of skis, a new pair of boots, some outerwear. Will have to enjoy reading others’ reviews next season.

[Theme]

Eyy, I am in the process of getting a pair. Actually a few as it is a group order.

They have different weight scales for the ski! Different stiffness classes:

soft (50-80kg)
medium (65-100kg)
and hard (90-130kg)

Nice. Currently prices on retail sale are within 400-450e a pair, just for the skis. They are trying to keep it higher, though. But I think about 400 is as much as customers are willing to pay here. Longest 300cm Järvinen costs 370 retail which was the most expensive forest ski this far.

If I learned anything from the previous military skis, the stiffness class 80-100kg was a bit too stiff for me at a mere 70kg+15kg pack. Still, probably have to go with the medium now, as it is a foam core ski, presumably not as stiff

Color is also way better than some product images suggest. This is from a retailer.