How to choose backcountry skis

Winter sports, Trekking, How to choose -guides, Backcountry skiing by Varuste.net / Toimisto-Jorma, 19.11.2020

Terrain is the most importat thing you need to take into account when you buy backcountry skis.

Skis for forest

In the forest and on flat terrain, the skis need to carry the skier over snow. This is why forest skis are normally long and wide. There are different types of bases: traction pattern, wax, grip coating and skin. Skis with traction pattern have a very good traction and they are easy to maintain. The wax base has the best slide when the waxing has been done well. We can warmly recommend the best and most functional forest skis in our selection, Metsä-series from Peltonen.

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Sports‪»Skiing‪»Backcountry skiing‪»Skis‪»

Peltonen Metsä Skin

Campaign price starting from 306,35 €

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Available in stock

Forest skis are used with (winter) boots and suitable bindings. A few examples of good forest ski bindings:

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Sports‪»Skiing‪»Backcountry skiing‪»Backcountry bindings‪»

Finngrip Erä touringbinding

Campaign price starting from 72,24 €

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Sports‪»Skiing‪»Backcountry skiing‪»Backcountry bindings‪»

Finngrip Erä touringbinding (split model)

Campaign price starting from 74,02 €

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Skis for mountain

In the mountains, especially in spring, it is good to use skis with steel edges since the wind and the spring sun make the snow quite hard. The metal edges create traction when skiing on a sloping surface. Mountain/touring skis are normally shorter and narrower than forest skis since in the mountains, you don't need so much flotation. There are touring skis with traction patterned base and with wax base. Some models, such as Fischer EasySkin ExtraLight, also have removable skins.

In mountain skis you usually have BC bindings, which are more solid than normal ski bindings, and ski boots that are compatible with the bindings. You can also use light telemark bindings and combatible boots.

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Alpina Alaska NNN-BC

Campaign price starting from 260,40 €

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Lundhags Guide BC (NNN-BC)

Campaign price starting from 204,24 €

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Alfa Outback A/P/S 2.0 GTX Mens (NNN-BC)

Campaign price starting from 376,96 €

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Alfa Guard Advance GTX Mens (NNN-BC)

Campaign price starting from 282,42 €

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Sports‪»Skiing‪»Backcountry skiing‪»Backcountry bindings‪»

Rottefella NNN-BC Manual

74,90 €

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Sliding snowshoes

What are they? Sliding snowshoes combine backcountry skiing and snowshoeing. The skis are wider and shorter than normal mountain skis. There are fixed skins in the middle of the base. The steel edges make downhill skiing remarkably easier.

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Sports‪»Skiing‪»Backcountry skiing‪»Skis‪»

OAC Kar 149 + EA 2.0 bindings

Campaign price 349,00 €

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OAC Wap 129 + EA 2.0 bindings

Campaign price 349,00 €

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OAC XCD GT 160 + EA 2.0 bindings

Campaign price 314,90 €

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Short introduction to Skinbased skiing

Poles

For hard snow, the length of the pole is calculated by multiplying the length of the skier with 0.83. A skier of 180 cm should use a pole of about 150 cm. Softer snow requires longer poles and bigger baskets.

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Sports‪»Skiing‪»Backcountry skiing‪»Deep snow poles‪»

Peltonen Metsä Poles

Campaign price starting from 51,06 €

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Skins

Touring skis often need extra traction for upphill climbs. The most handy solution is having separate skins. When skiing with a pulka, the skins are useful even on flat ground.