Home / Community / Knowledgebase / Ask Andy / Touring Skis

Community

Touring Skis

«

Previous topic

|

|

Next topic

»

You need to be logged in to get access to the forums. You can do so here

Author	Message
Michael Rae Moderated by: Andy Perkins	Monday 09 November 2009 6:39:04 pm Hi Andy and any others who have more experience than me (opens up the field a lot) in choosing touring skis. I have finally decided to take the plunge and buy my first pair of touring skis and now the problems really start...how long? how fat? how stiff? which manufacturer? the list is endless... I like a slightly stiffer ski and am therefore interested in the Scott Crusair not least because I can try out Scott Mission skis at the Hemel Hempstead SnowCentre via a try before you buy service which Snow and Rock offer there and hopefully get an idea how the Crusairs might feel by trying another similar? ski in the Scott range. I don't care how the ski performs on piste nor for that matter do I want the perfect powder ski, I am more intereted in something which will handle difficult snow conditions and be light when skinning up. All advice welcome
Andy Perkins	Monday 09 November 2009 11:10:19 pm Hi Mike I went into Snells on your behalf and asked about touring skis for 2010. The guy there took me through the range they have so far, though there are more arriving in the near future, particularly those from Stockli which might have something worth looking at. First of all, it's important to note that manufacturers and retailers alike aren't holding a great deal of reserve stock. This means that if you decide on the model and length you want, don't delay as it may be difficult finding stock later in the season. With that in mind, it would be worth considering the following: Dynafit Seven Summits: 78mm under foot. Snells will have demo models mounted with touring bindings so you'll be able to test them. similar very light weight but more tolerant than the Dynastar Altitrail Powders I've been using. Movement Spark Light: 82mm under foot. I've only skied the Flame before and found them twitchy, but the man assures me these are more tolerant. Dynastar Sultan 80: 80mm under foot. the successor to the Legend 8000, but with a tighter turn radius and a more progressive flex. Dynastar Sultan 85: 85mm under foot - the centrepiece of the Legend range, a lot more versatile than the Mythic Rider Scott Crusair - very stiff, so will need precise handling. Handle with care! I can find out how they compare to Scott Missions, but I suspect the Crusair will be more of a handful. Watch this space.....
Michael Rae	Wednesday 11 November 2009 4:55:17 pm Hi Andy, I emailed Scott Skis questioning the stiffness of the Crusair ski and see below the reply from Herve who funnily enough is based in Chamonix. Sounds like a good ski if perhaps for a more extreme skier than I. I also like the sound of the Sultan 85 having tresearched it a little. Hello Michael, My Name is Hervé I take care of SCOTT skis since 10 years as the product manager. CRUSAIR is a project ski for freeride mountaineering programm . This combines an ease of hike because of the weight and dimention and a huge capacity of ski in hard steep couloir big snow and all condition possible off pist in the mountain. Its not a stiff ski Its not a specific ski It’s a versatile performance ski for all terrains and condition. I developed that ski last season with collabvoration of mountain guides group alpine ( 10 guides in 5 Europeen countries) at list I did a guide ski which allows all type of snow and terrainm without compromises. With 1600 g this is not a super light hiking ski ; I wouldn’t do a fledge for hiking but more a true steep skiing weapon. During development the validation of that ski last season was done through my group of guides + few extreme skliers alpinists and climbers. We agreed that the CRUSAIR is 100% a new concept between mountaineering and freeride. Its forgiveness and stability in steep slopes ( north face Aiguille du Midi or North East Les Courtes Brenva eperon in Chamonix massif ) proved that the CRUSAIR is well born and fits well into the target. Have a good ride, With kind regards, Hervé
Michael Rae	Thursday 19 November 2009 6:25:49 pm Hi All, Since my last missive I have tried out some Scott Missions against some Watea 84s at the Hemel Hempstead ski slope. The Wateas, though not a touring ski as they are very heavy, gave a good reference point as they were voted all mountain ski of the year. The Wateas were very supple under foot and felt really comfortable to ski on but did not give a lot of feedback and did not seem to give a lot of push back against effort - excuse laymans language. Apparently they give more feedback at higher speeds and at the limit are better than the Missions. Someone who has tried both said that the Wateas were better when you are stood at the top of an icy shute...never intending to do that this information is immaterial to me at least! The Missions felt much more responsive, gave more feedback and felt that they pushed back more on release of pressure ie a generally more lively ski which is tending to edge me towards the Scott Crusair. I have also been advised by the shop where I am buying to go for the 166cm length rather than the 176cm length. Easier kick turns on the way up and more manouverable on the way down without too much loss of flotation. Also the 176cm will go faster in powder which already being my problem the shorter slower ski does seem more prudent. Only downside is that the new Eagle binding may not come with a wide enouigh couteaux so I may have to fit Expore bindings. Anyone with knowledge about any of the above most welcome to comment.
Michael Rae	Sunday 20 December 2009 7:04:36 pm Hi All, I finally bit the bullet and made a decision - Scott Crusair 176cm with the new Eagle binding and dedicated Colltex skins. Crusair is very light with good torsional rigidity due carbon fibre top sheet and if it skis anything like the Scott Mission will do me just fine. It has been a long journey with much advice on choice of length, a decision not made any easier by the fact that today's curent generation of shorter fatter (85mm plus) underfoot touring ski have the same total footprint area as old style longer narrower touring ski. By this I mean that even though I am 1.8m tall the advice from the shop I bought from ( John at Snowfit Ltd Brundall Norwich - very helpful by the way and cheaper than normal prices by design) was tending to recommend the Crusair 166cm. In the end I went with the advice of Herve, who definitely recommended the longer ski - Andy, who said I was going to notice a big difference whichever length I chose ( diplomatic speak for "I hope you know what you are doing choosing a ski like that" I think) and my own gut feeling that as I already have a propensity for face planting a little more ski in front of me might be no bad thing. Eagle binding because it is lighter than the Freeride and has a new easy walking mode, improved ski release pad under the front of the foot and more compact couteaux than the Freeride. The Crusair has two rectangular holes at the front of the ski which allows the new Colltex clip system to click right in in what appears to be a very secure front end location... no more watching the front of the skin peeling sideways off the front of the ski on an icy 45 degree traverse just when you don't want it to and cannot work out how to put it back on again without falling and sliding ....ANDEEEY!!! Not that I have ever actually experienced this scenario yet, just that I no longer need to wake up in the middle of the night worrying that I might... Anyway new skis will be trialed this Jan, report to follow. Mike.
Michael Rae	Thursday 28 January 2010 6:48:18 pm Just an update, have now tried new Crusairs off piste at Meribel. Very very good.If anyone is considering new skis give these ones some thought. Very light, easy to turn and smooth in 10cm powder over chewed up crud. Also performed well in deeper powder. Excellent on piste also - held a full carve at relatively high speed and pressure with no chattering or releasing. Mike Rae.
Ivan Sellers	Wednesday 05 January 2011 12:04:27 pm Have the Crusair 179. Am 96 kilos and 183 cm tall so needed a more solid ski and am an aggressive skier so also wanted again something a bit stiffer. I cannot say I am disappointed, especially in powder. On the packed snow they are agile but a little less easy and reflexive than bandits for instance.
Michael Rae	Thursday 06 January 2011 2:20:48 pm Glad you like the Crusairs Ivan! I felt a little apprehension after giving them such a good reference last season but having skied them again this December at Lech and successfully negotiating windblown crust, semi transformed snow and lovely powder I still think they are very good and as you say lovely in powder. I am only 75 kilos and 5ft 11in but do not find them stiff at all and like you I opted for the longer 179cm Crusairs. They have so much rebound that I am sure they actually gave me a bit of air on one powder pitch this Dec and earned me the description of being a freestyle skier from the group instructor ... though I don't think he meant it as a compliment ....