Usually I have been using Fischer Country Crown ski waxless size width is 60mm tip - 52mm waist - 57mm tail. 205 cm long no metal edge.

What is your ski and preferred size.

Snowshoe people- model and size you prefer.

Have not made it to the BW in winter yet, still on the "bucket list". But I prefer snowshoes to skis these days. I make my own, wooden traditional style. For regular walks through the woods, I use a Michigan style. When I hike out to ice fish on lakes or rivers I prefer my Ojibways.

quote Knoozer: "Have not made it to the BW in winter yet, still on the "bucket list". But I prefer snowshoes to skis these days. I make my own, wooden traditional style. For regular walks through the woods, I use a Michigan style. When I hike out to ice fish on lakes or rivers I prefer my Ojibways."

That is a good feeling to walk in your own shoes.

I've got a pair of Atlas 1030 snowshoes

quote OldFingers57: "I've got a pair of Atlas 1030 snowshoes"

I got a pair of them(1030) also and love them,love the binding for the boot,you could do summersaults and it will stay on. Crampon(sp) great foe hills. A good shoe for all day. Does sink quite a bit in super deep snow tho. But wouldn't never trade them.

Also have the 14 x 48 inch Michigan style in wood and leather-there about 45 years old and semi-retired.

Floatation on the Michigan is much better than the Atlas 1030,but the binding setup and manuevabilty(sp) and ease of walking in the 1030's makes up much the difference.

They need a Michigan or Objiway snowshoe with the modern binding and that would be one nice setup. Suppose a person could make a hybrid shoe.

My skis are currently a pair of Bonna 2000s (wooden). I'm on the lookout for something a bit wider for backcountry though.

For snowshoes, mine are Ojibwe-style built from the Country Ways kit.

I made my own skis a few years ago. 3" wide by 8' long. They are really the way to go for travelling the unbeaten path.

This summer I picked up a pair of old Norwegian wood skis. Similar to Tony's Bonnas probably. They are not quite as wide/long as my home made skis but will be good on crusted snow.

I use Berwin bindings with a Mukluk.

For snowshoes I have a pair of traditional Ojibiways. I'd never take them across a lake though...just too slow. I use them on brushy/hilly bushwhacks. Although I love traditional things, these snowshoes are really too heavy for my taste, and if I was buying another pair, I'd get the biggest pair of modern snowshoes I could find.

Madhus Annum skis performed flawlessly for me last winter, lots of float to take me over the slush.

From their information
With 109-78-95 dimensions, the dramatic, progressive Madshus Annum sidecut enables the ski to initiate and carve turns like pure telemark skis, while the taper design prevents it from hooking at the end of your turn. Combine with 75mm 3-pin bindings and stiff all-mountain backcountry ski boots and you'll be able to traverse any mountain to find the best remote deep powder gems.

quote DanCooke: "Madhus Annum skis performed flawlessly for me last winter, lots of float to take me over the slush.


From their information
With 109-78-95 dimensions, the dramatic, progressive Madshus Annum sidecut enables the ski to initiate and carve turns like pure telemark skis, while the taper design prevents it from hooking at the end of your turn. Combine with 75mm 3-pin bindings and stiff all-mountain backcountry ski boots and you'll be able to traverse any mountain to find the best remote deep powder gems."

I bought Fischer E109's late last year, choosing to go longer vs fatter. But there is part of me that thinks you are right on with the fatter skis. If you are breaking trail, I think you maybe use the least energy with the absolutely widest skis. I am still trying to decide on a second set of skis - either the Fischer S-bound 112's or 98's.

I have not put bindings on the E109's yet. Because, it is hard to find the right boots. I like the idea of NNN BC, but seems like they can freeze up. So now I am looking at 75mm Crispis. If I can them in my size. They are quite hard to find. Seems like Neptune Mountaineering may have them this winter, and maybe Midwest Mountaineering. But looking for decent nordic BC boots feels like looking for a purple unicorn.

It would be interesting to take different skis-length-width and test to see which give you the best flotation. In soft snow there is a initial depth you sink no matter type of ski or snowshoe,but after that it can make a big difference.
Ther also got to be a weight of ski causes more work even if you get more floatation.
I have the nnnbc binding in a manuel. I think it is much more efficient than a 3 pin. Yes it can freeze up at times,did put a little WD40 into the binding and it helped some. Do I constantly freeze up,no. Like slush and cold conditions or maybe changing conditions.
I think over the last 20 years,maybe 8 times I had to take my boot of and the ski together.
The new NNNBC manuel binding might be better now. Would I switch to 3 pin,no I would not and I still got old ski with 3 pin.
There is a lot of people tho who would rather use 3 pin.

Need more people to jump into the discussion.

I love talking about winter travel and gear.
I have been a long time skier, downhill, telemark, a fair amount of backcountry travel through mountains on skis and flatter ground. cross-country trails and golf courses, snow and hills i serch out. Have used many different types of skis, bindings, boots, lots of older stuff.
The cross country gear, is mostly made for tracked trails. lighter gear for faster travel on sculpted snow. using in the backcountry, makes the experience less enjoyable if hauling gear and super cold.
There is some better set ups for off the trails, and more adventure in the wild lands. some of these have been talked about above. Can not speak to the + - of the NNNBC. never invested it that style of gear. have always had the 75 mm style boots, so no need.

For the skis, my most recent is the Marquette back country ski. Made in Michigan. injection molded. 30% snowshoe 70% ski 100% fun. short wide ski with large fish scales. Front Double rocker so flat surface is not so bad. these come with screw inserts so a berwin binding or a 75mm binding just screws in. no drilling.
Fun and easy to get around, any small hill brings out the kid. a person that is not a skier can still enjoy how these work, or long snowshoes if you want with downhill glide. Down fall is they are heavy. and with a plastic or beefy leather 75mm boot the weight is more than most. indestructible. not a classic ski. 10 miles of slogging across lakes to ice fish, may not be the ideal ski.
Also a heavy leather boot or a plastic T3 Scarpa boot drives these great.

marquette backcountry ski



These look like a great ski for all kinds of winter travel. mostly for fun. much lighter and better quality of a ski than the marquette. more of a skiers ski. light plastic boot as well to drive these.

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Bindings. I do use a 3 pin 75mm binding. with a cable back. The cable really helps with ski control, and when stepping up on to a rock, log anything, the cable helps to pull the ski to the boot. so the ski just does not dangle freely, only from the pins.

voile

Boots, find something that fits. this is where a lot of the cost comes in. a light plastic boot like the T3 from scarpa, now the T4? works very well. soft flex and will not get wet like a leather boot. Garmont did the excursion. good boot. black diamond has some soft flex telemark boot.

All this is maybe more of a skiers gear. maybe for of the fun of it, up and down snow covered hills anywhere. Not so much of a flat slog to a fishing spot. But that's not what I do.

I have also started snowshoeing the past few years, because of young kids. The wife made some trad snowshoes. lace on the feet, no crampon, mostly flat travel, ice on some rivers not so good. the kids and myself use the tubs style and MSR plastic shoes. lots of grip for ice or steep up hills. the kids make the snowshoe adventure fun. still would rather be sliding on the snow than walking through it.

Think snow, and lots of it.

Schells