zero/multi waxless skis

After being in several races in the past two years where racers on
zero or multi type waxless skis have done very well, I'm considering
adding a pair to my bag. Any words of wisdom out there? What I've
read and heard indicates they should be fitted softer than I would
have guessed, and that the way in which they are "haired up" can make
a big difference in how well they work.

Randy

Hi Randy,
'Softer' closing flex? 'Softer' half-weight? Softer than what? It is
almost a meaningless term.
The Zeros I've come across have had low camber heights, so in that
regard, they are already 'soft'. I'm guessing the ski designers feel the
thickness of the hairs are less than the thickness of multiple layers of wax
and design in the lower camber for Zeros.
My Fischer Zeros were fitted on a ski flex bench at a shop. The rubber
inlay hairy area is completely off the surface, when my weight is evenly
distributed, as it would be when gliding. But the closing flex number is
about as high as my Carbonlite Plus skis. The closing flex number of my
Carbonlites is much higher than I would have guessed I could use, but they
too were fitted on a bench and work great. So in that regard, my Zeros are
'stiff'.
The first pair of Zeros were picked 'by the numbers' from a warehouse.
They were very draggy and unusable.
So, if I could offer any words of wisdom, it would be the same as any
pair of ski you'd purchase. Know what you are looking for in a ski, then go
to a shop with knowledge staff that stands behind their sales. Since you are
looking for a ski that is for temps around freezing, they should be able to
find you a good one and flex it out for you on a bench.
Zach Caldwell has researched Zeros for use at the Olympics next year up
in Callaghan and probably knows more about Zeros than anyone in North
America. He'd be a good one to set you up and he stands behind his work.
--

Paul Haltvick
Bay Design and Build - LLC
Engineering, Construction
FSx Midwest - Fischer / Swix Racing

wrote in message
...
After being in several races in the past two years where racers on
zero or multi type waxless skis have done very well, I'm considering
adding a pair to my bag. Any words of wisdom out there? What I've
read and heard indicates they should be fitted softer than I would
have guessed, and that the way in which they are "haired up" can make
a big difference in how well they work.

Randy

On Mar 31, 10:12*pm, "Norski" wrote:
Hi Randy,
* * 'Softer' closing flex? *'Softer' half-weight? *Softer than what? It is
almost a meaningless term.
* * The Zeros I've come across have had low camber heights, so in that
regard, they are already 'soft'. I'm guessing the ski designers feel the
thickness of the hairs are less than the thickness of multiple layers of wax
and design in the lower camber for Zeros.
* * My Fischer Zeros were fitted on a ski flex bench at a shop. The rubber
inlay hairy area is completely off the surface, when my weight is evenly
distributed, as it would be when gliding. But the closing flex number is
about as high as my Carbonlite Plus skis. The closing flex number of my
Carbonlites is much higher than I would have guessed I could use, but they
too were fitted on a bench and work great. So in that regard, my Zeros are
'stiff'.
* * The first pair of Zeros were picked 'by the numbers' from a warehouse.
They were very draggy and unusable.
* * So, if I could offer any words of wisdom, it would be the same as any
pair of ski you'd purchase. *Know what you are looking for in a ski, then go
to a shop with knowledge staff that stands behind their sales. Since you are
looking for a ski that is for temps around freezing, they should be able to
find you a good one and flex it out for you on a bench.
* * Zach Caldwell has researched Zeros for use at the Olympics next year up
in Callaghan and probably knows more about Zeros than anyone in North
America. He'd be a good one to set you up and he stands behind his work.
--

Paul Haltvick
Bay Design and Build - LLC
Engineering, Construction
FSx Midwest - Fischer / Swix Racing

wrote in message

...



After being in several races in the past two years where racers on
zero or multi type waxless skis have done very well, I'm considering
adding a pair to my bag. *Any words of wisdom out there? *What I've
read and heard indicates they should be fitted softer than I would
have guessed, and that the way in which they are "haired up" can make
a big difference in how well they work.

Randy- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Be very careful. I ordered a pair of Atomic Multi's from a Mid West
online xc ski shop with state of the art flex testing equipment "Fit
Is Everything". Well the skis were horrible. Like the other writer
states mine were beyond grabby and were useless. I received store
credit form the shop. I would order Zero's through BNS Sports in
Boulder. Nathan can help you from his own experience and Zach's.

On Apr 1, 4:47*am, ADK Skier wrote:
On Mar 31, 10:12*pm, "Norski" wrote:





Hi Randy,
* * 'Softer' closing flex? *'Softer' half-weight? *Softer than what? It is
almost a meaningless term.
* * The Zeros I've come across have had low camber heights, so in that
regard, they are already 'soft'. I'm guessing the ski designers feel the
thickness of the hairs are less than the thickness of multiple layers of wax
and design in the lower camber for Zeros.
* * My Fischer Zeros were fitted on a ski flex bench at a shop. The rubber
inlay hairy area is completely off the surface, when my weight is evenly
distributed, as it would be when gliding. But the closing flex number is
about as high as my Carbonlite Plus skis. The closing flex number of my
Carbonlites is much higher than I would have guessed I could use, but they
too were fitted on a bench and work great. So in that regard, my Zeros are
'stiff'.
* * The first pair of Zeros were picked 'by the numbers' from a warehouse.
They were very draggy and unusable.
* * So, if I could offer any words of wisdom, it would be the same as any
pair of ski you'd purchase. *Know what you are looking for in a ski, then go
to a shop with knowledge staff that stands behind their sales. Since you are
looking for a ski that is for temps around freezing, they should be able to
find you a good one and flex it out for you on a bench.
* * Zach Caldwell has researched Zeros for use at the Olympics next year up
in Callaghan and probably knows more about Zeros than anyone in North
America. He'd be a good one to set you up and he stands behind his work..
--

Paul Haltvick
Bay Design and Build - LLC
Engineering, Construction
FSx Midwest - Fischer / Swix Racing

wrote in message

....

After being in several races in the past two years where racers on
zero or multi type waxless skis have done very well, I'm considering
adding a pair to my bag. *Any words of wisdom out there? *What I've
read and heard indicates they should be fitted softer than I would
have guessed, and that the way in which they are "haired up" can make
a big difference in how well they work.

Randy- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Be very careful. I ordered a pair of Atomic Multi's from a Mid West
online xc ski shop with state of the art flex testing equipment "Fit
Is Everything". Well the skis were horrible. Like the other writer
states mine were beyond grabby and were useless. I received store
credit form the shop. I would order Zero's through BNS Sports in
Boulder. Nathan can help you from his own experience and Zach's.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Atomic seems to have dropped the Multi.

I got my Atomic Multis from Zack/Nathan during the fall 2007 to fit
between my Atomic "cold" and "warm" pairs. The Multis worked well for
me during the 2008 McCall MWC mid distance classic (15 km for my age
group) although my time would say otherwise. Others were either going
hairies or "fishscales" The Multis stayed ice free with decent grip
until the tracks started glazing. They seemed to be gliding as well
as anyone elses skis on the test slope.

Nathan/BNS's McCall report:
"Rain began sprinkling down at midnight Friday just as we finished all
of the race pairs for the next day. Around 4:30AM, wet snow began
falling - hard - and by 5:30 when we were busy changing the final
layers we had just put on a few hours ago, there was already 3 inches
on the ground....

"Getting good kick wax when the temps are around freezing is a
challenge becuase very slight changes in temperature result in
dramatic physical changes to the snow due to the phase change from ice
to water. Waxes in this range tend to have very small windows where
they work well and often a wax that is great one minute will be
terrible five minutes later....
http://www.bouldernordicsport.com/Ho...7/Default.aspx