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12/02/2022 07:39PM  
Debated putting this in the winter camping forum, but it seems like it'd get more traffic here and it's gear-focused as well.

Curious to know what everyone is using for skis these days. I know Alti Hoks were quite popular for a while. Anyone using standard backcountry touring skis or XC skis (assuming you'd need a set that's fairly wide?

I have nice groomed trails right here by home and have been thinking of getting into it for a while. Would be nice to have a pair I could use for winter camping in the BWCA, off trail around home, and on the trail when I just want some exercise.

Already have snowshoes and have gone that route before. Looking for something that might be a bit more enjoyable and allow me to get around a bit faster (especially on the lakes).
 
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12/03/2022 07:28PM  
I have used standard wax and wax less for years. Now I would recommend something like the Rossignol Posi BC 80.
If doing a lot of lake travel and not breaking trail in 2 feet of snow you can go with something like I mentioned or a little narrower. Also, I would go wax less. these s with the skiis mentioned you at least get some glide. Hoki's you won't.
 
Minnesotian
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12/03/2022 08:26PM  

I went through this last winter. I ended up getting a pair of Fisher E99 from Craigslist. I freaking love them for backcountry winter camping. Plows through powder and keeps me floating easily. If you get a newer pair, they are now called Transnordic 66. They are waxless with permanent skins. I recommend waxless as it is one less thing to have to dial in for winter camping. They are wider, but can still just fit in groomed tracks.

Whatever you end up getting, the thing I learned was to figure out what boot you want and the corresponding binding first. I ended up getting a backcountry binding and backcountry boots. They are warm, waterproof and I can have them on while putting up camp. With the binding, I can easily get in and out of the skies without having to bend over or fiddle with anything. But with this binding, you must be very aware of slush possibly icing over the mechanism.

I found these two threads very helpful:


https://bwca.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=forum.thread&threadId=981610&forumID=116&confID=1

https://bwca.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=forum.thread&threadId=688517&forumID=116&confID=1
 
12/03/2022 08:47PM  
I like an above-ankle leather boot which at times is hard to find. I would go with the 3 pins or a BC NNN binding which I love (note some NNN binding can freeze up and maybe a little more trouble getting off). Still like them and put a little deicer on the binding. I think a bootstrap is going to be much slower-yes being able to wear a well-insulated boot is nice.

Side note: Always bring plenty of nice dry socks.
 
12/03/2022 11:39PM  
I'm not suggesting you get what I've got, it's an old system that I know works for me but for someone looking for a setup these days I think I would go with something narrower (and I assume probably lighter) like Pinetree and Minnesotain have suggested. Mine are too wide for in-track use.

But just for context (i.e. one example of what can work for winter camping in the bwca), I have some old Karhu Catamounts, waxable, with steel edges and a width profile of 85/70/80 (190 long). They have great flotation for the range of conditions likely to be found on the lakes, but occasionally snowshoes are better, like when the snow is really fresh and deep on the lakes.

I used kick wax at first with them, but the last several years I have been using kicker skins which work really well (the waxable base is nice for applying the skins, but maybe they would stick to a waxless base just fine also).

I started out with NNN BC bindings and BC ski boots, which were good, but I switched to Berwin bindings a long time ago, which allows me to just bring one pair of boots (mukluks) for skis, snowshoes, and in-camp use.

That might be the one down side to narrower skis, I don't think universal bindings/any old boot can be used on them. But if you're OK with bringing ski boots (which can also be used with snowshoes) and separate in-camp boots, then it's not a problem.
 
12/04/2022 08:44AM  
Preemptively treat your bindings with lock de-icer as a slush defense. Makes a huge difference. However, the push-button or automatic bindings are less-desirable as they are more prone to icing up. Nothing worse than skis caked in slush and ice that you can only remove by taking off the boots.
 
12/04/2022 09:10AM  
Banksiana: "Preemptively treat your bindings with lock de-icer as a slush defense. Makes a huge difference. However, the push-button or automatic bindings are less-desirable as they are more prone to icing up. Nothing worse than skis caked in slush and ice that you can only remove by taking off the boots."

True,I think if you go with the NNN binding get a manuel one. Good advice.
 
12/04/2022 07:27PM  
The a metal edge is nice for ice or an icy trail.
 
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