recommendations for all-round ski to multi-task between commuting andoff-trail touring?

Hi all,

I've been skiing many years but haven't bought new gear in over a
decade. My old touring skis have delaminated and I'm looking for
replacements. I have perfectly servicable classic racing skis and
skating skis; what I'm looking for is something that I can both
commute with and do off-trail touring with.

Commute in my case means 10k each way to and from work along trails
that are shared at points with walkers and snowmobiles. Conditions
will either be deep fresh snow or skiing over and around icy crud.
There may be some sort of track to follow about 5% of the time. I'll
always be carrying a 10lb pack. Being able to switch to a skating
style over some of the crud would be handy (and being able to edge
into the ice a bit would be handy). This is 70% of the intended use.
When snow conditions on my route permit, I will use classic racing
skis and skating skis; otherwise the commute would represent 95%
usage. This also means that these skis will almost never be used in
those sorts of conditions (e.g. after moderate fresh snowfalls). It'll
pretty much either always be deep snow or icy crud that I'm skiing on.
Durability of the base is more important to me than wax holding; I
only need to go 10k between waxing and I'm not racing anyone. If the
skis are destroyed in a season I won't be happy.

Recreational off-trail touring is 20% of my intended use; wooded,
rolling hills, no pack (maybe 5lbs in misc stuff, water, etc.),
varying snow conditions.

The remaining 10% would be off-trail backpacking, usually breaking
trail in mixed snow conditions, usually carrying 40lbs on my back.

I weigh 170-175lbs depending on the day. So 70% of the time I'd be at
185 total weight, 20% of the time at 180lb, 10% of the time at 215lb.

Do any of you have some suggestions as to skis I might look into that
would present a reasonable compromise? I think I'd prefer something a
little better off-trail than my old skis, which were somewhere around
53-48-52 )ish. I'd like the length to maintain some glide on my
commute otherwise I'll be exhausted for my working day. I'm thinking a
110cm ski no wider than 60mm at the tip and somewhere around 50mm
underfoot would be about right.

Oh yeah, I may be old fashioned but there's no way I can be convinced
to use a waxless ski so please don't suggest one no matter how good it
is for your own needs. :-)

Whatever I get I will have to buy sight unseen and untried, as where I
live (Ottawa, Ontario,Canada) no stores have any such skis in my size
(which is really irritating and bound to set of my usual rant against
Retail, but this is not the time or place). So, the only way I can get
skis is to mail order them. I'd be interested in recommendations for
mail-order shops too; any place that can ship a pair of skis to my
location for under a hundred bucks in shipping costs would do.

Is it hopeless?

On Dec 20, 11:05*pm, wrote:
Hi all,

I've been skiing many years but haven't bought new gear in over a
decade. My old touring skis have delaminated and I'm looking for
replacements. I have perfectly servicable classic racing skis and
skating skis; what I'm looking for is something that I can both
commute with and do off-trail touring with.

Commute in my case means 10k each way to and from work along trails
that are shared at points with walkers and snowmobiles. Conditions
will either be deep fresh snow or skiing over and around icy crud.
There may be some sort of track to follow about 5% of the time. I'll
always be carrying a 10lb pack. Being able to switch to a skating
style over some of the crud would be handy (and being able to edge
into the ice a bit would be handy). This is 70% of the intended use.
When snow conditions on my route permit, I will use classic racing
skis and skating skis; otherwise the commute would represent 95%
usage. This also means that these skis will almost never be used in
those sorts of conditions (e.g. after moderate fresh snowfalls). It'll
pretty much either always be deep snow or icy crud that I'm skiing on.
Durability of the base is more important to me than wax holding; I
only need to go 10k between waxing and I'm not racing anyone. If the
skis are destroyed in a season I won't be happy.

Recreational off-trail touring is 20% of my intended use; wooded,
rolling hills, no pack (maybe 5lbs in misc stuff, water, etc.),
varying snow conditions.

The remaining 10% would be off-trail backpacking, usually breaking
trail in mixed snow conditions, usually carrying 40lbs on my back.

I weigh 170-175lbs depending on the day. So 70% of the time I'd be at
185 total weight, 20% of the time at 180lb, 10% of the time at 215lb.

Do any of you have some suggestions as to skis I might look into that
would present a reasonable compromise? I think I'd prefer something a
little better off-trail than my old skis, which were somewhere around
53-48-52 )ish. *I'd like the length to maintain some glide on my
commute otherwise I'll be exhausted for my working day. I'm thinking a
110cm ski no wider than 60mm at the tip and somewhere around 50mm
underfoot would be about right.

Oh yeah, I may be old fashioned but there's no way I can be convinced
to use a waxless ski so please don't suggest one no matter how good it
is for your own needs. :-)

Whatever I get I will have to buy sight unseen and untried, as where I
live (Ottawa, Ontario,Canada) no stores have any such skis in my size
(which is really irritating and bound to set of my usual rant against
Retail, but this is not the time or place). So, the only way I can get
skis is to mail order them. I'd be interested in recommendations for
mail-order shops too; any place that can ship a pair of skis to my
location for under a hundred bucks in shipping costs would do.

Is it hopeless?

Before everyone jumps on my typo, I meant a 210cm ski, not 110. :-)
And I don't mean to imply by this that there aren't other silly
mistakes in my posting, which I will leave to the able pedants of
usenet to point out. grin

Whoa, quite a description!

Your mission seems somewhat like mine.

The Fischer BC Country (waxable) 210cm is what I just bought. 60mm,
wood core. They might be hard to find, but they're hopefully out
there. My shop only got one pair (for me, on special order) so they
don't have more to send you. This ski has a single camber which I'm
not thrilled about at this point---but it might shine in crud and
uneven trails. With double camber one might need a more sure ground to
kick off of.

But I haven't really skied on them much and can't say they've won me
over or even if they're durable. They seemed to be the closest to my
mission that I could readily find (at my fave pro shop).

REI seems to have them: http://www.rei.com/product/742488

Still, this does seem like the exact mission that my OLD skis would
have shined on and which I've been posting about here recently and
last year. I want skis that are great for expert skiers for allday
light touring. Mine absolute gems were Fischer Touring Light Aircore,
1990. Wood core plus "air". They lasted me 17 years of abuse. They
were very light, 60mm, fast, double camber. My new skis seem like
tanks in comparison, though they fill the same slot in the brand line-
up. I used to skate with them, too, when the terrain permitted. I
don't think my new heavier, more slat-like skis will be as fun to
skate with, but who knows. But I'm all over the next pair of my old
skis that show up on eBay! (I've NEVER seen them there.)

Some folks here MIGHT think I just whine for the old days (or they
like to flame that way, anyway), but I think the makers might have
shifted expectations and quality levels---I recall paying $180 for my
GREAT old skis in 1990. My new Countrys are only, what, $140. The new
cap construction maybe allows a cheaper ski at a lower price---but
from what I can tell it's also a FAR LOWER quality of ski. But who
knows maybe the single camber will win me over. The extra weight sure
doesn't nor does the non-lively feel. Anyway, they say single is good
for crud.

Good luck! Let us know what options you discover!

I've been worried that this is a neglected part of the market. Now,
hardly anyone uses tour skis for daily job commuting, but I've said
that experienced skiers skiing on self-made/casual/hiking trails
probably make up the majority of skiers. But most of them aren't
lifestylists. They're one-set owners. They're all-rounders, not
destination skiers. They go out into their neighborhood and ski a few
times a week, year in and year out. I think it's a big and neglected
midrange. But maybe I'm wrong! I also hear that the new midlength skis
are now serving this sector quite well. I've never tried such a ski.
I've had 2 pros tell me they're good.

Here are skis in the midlength all-trail dimensions that you could
demo. I dunno if I'd want to buy sight-unseen, but who knows... I
looked these up online recently and I believe the Madshus was
availalbe waxable---I dunno about the others.

1) Rossignol EVO Trail (68/60/65)

2) Salomon Snowscape 7 64mm

3) Karhu Escape 60/55/56

4) Madshus - 60 or 64 ?

--JP

PS: Good luck!

I envy you the opportunity to commute by ski, even if on rough trails.
I'd suggest looking at something a little shorter that will still get
you good glide, but be easier to handle (the diff in glide between 210
and 205 is minimal). You might also ask over at rec.skiing.backcountry.

wrote:

Hi all,

I've been skiing many years but haven't bought new gear in over a
decade. My old touring skis have delaminated and I'm looking for
replacements. I have perfectly servicable classic racing skis and
skating skis; what I'm looking for is something that I can both
commute with and do off-trail touring with.

Commute in my case means 10k each way to and from work along trails
that are shared at points with walkers and snowmobiles. Conditions
will either be deep fresh snow or skiing over and around icy crud.
There may be some sort of track to follow about 5% of the time. I'll
always be carrying a 10lb pack. Being able to switch to a skating
style over some of the crud would be handy (and being able to edge
into the ice a bit would be handy). This is 70% of the intended use.
When snow conditions on my route permit, I will use classic racing
skis and skating skis; otherwise the commute would represent 95%
usage. This also means that these skis will almost never be used in
those sorts of conditions (e.g. after moderate fresh snowfalls). It'll
pretty much either always be deep snow or icy crud that I'm skiing on.
Durability of the base is more important to me than wax holding; I
only need to go 10k between waxing and I'm not racing anyone. If the
skis are destroyed in a season I won't be happy.

Recreational off-trail touring is 20% of my intended use; wooded,
rolling hills, no pack (maybe 5lbs in misc stuff, water, etc.),
varying snow conditions.

The remaining 10% would be off-trail backpacking, usually breaking
trail in mixed snow conditions, usually carrying 40lbs on my back.

I weigh 170-175lbs depending on the day. So 70% of the time I'd be at
185 total weight, 20% of the time at 180lb, 10% of the time at 215lb.

Do any of you have some suggestions as to skis I might look into that
would present a reasonable compromise? I think I'd prefer something a
little better off-trail than my old skis, which were somewhere around
53-48-52 )ish. I'd like the length to maintain some glide on my
commute otherwise I'll be exhausted for my working day. I'm thinking a
110cm ski no wider than 60mm at the tip and somewhere around 50mm
underfoot would be about right.

Oh yeah, I may be old fashioned but there's no way I can be convinced
to use a waxless ski so please don't suggest one no matter how good it
is for your own needs. :-)

Whatever I get I will have to buy sight unseen and untried, as where I
live (Ottawa, Ontario,Canada) no stores have any such skis in my size
(which is really irritating and bound to set of my usual rant against
Retail, but this is not the time or place). So, the only way I can get
skis is to mail order them. I'd be interested in recommendations for
mail-order shops too; any place that can ship a pair of skis to my
location for under a hundred bucks in shipping costs would do.

Is it hopeless?

Originally Posted by

I envy you the opportunity to commute by ski, even if on rough trails.

I don't. It's a lot easier across a lake. Plus, on a lake you can switch to a kayak after breakup.

I buy skis for the Canadian Ski Marathon, which means that I have "good" and "rock" (i.e., the old good) light touring skis. In the early '90s I used these for a 7 km commute across the greenbelt from Kanata to Nortel 'cos that's what I had. In my next job I used the rock skis for a 1 km commute within Kanata. (No, it didn't make sense; it was the principle of the thing). I now drive to the shore of lac des Chênes and commute 4 km across the lake--on my good light touring skis. (Due to the heavy snow and warm weather, though, it may not happen at all this year.)

Light touring skis have always worked for me, even when I was breaking trail in drifted snow. After the third pass pretty well any skis will do. My one suggestion is to discourage walkers from stepping in your tracks if possible. Across the greenbelt, I used to break a trail and people would walk on it. So I'd cut another trail beside the first and people would walk on that too. If your route allows, start in a direction that nobody wants to go so they don't follow you. They'll stay in a previously stomped trail if it's at their feet.

The other advantage of light touring skis for Ottawa commuting is that at least half a dozen local shops have good inventories and expert staff to fit you.

Cheers -- John