First Impressions: Black Diamond Glidelite Ski (“Snow Trekkers”) Review (Video)

Up in Munising, Michigan, we have a lot of ice climbs along Lake Superior that are a far distance from the trail head, or even down an unplowed road followed by some additional trail hiking.

Making the slog into those climbs with a pack full of ice climbing gear can be tedious.  I can’t help but wonder if skiing in with these vs traditional Nordic XC Skis wouldn’t work better.  I could *probably* just pop my mountaineering/climbing boots right into the bindings.

My climbing boots are really rigid, though.  They wouldn’t have the flex that a Nordic boot & binding would have, so I’m curious, but not 100% confident.

Thanks for the video. Anyone who has used good snowshoes (ex. MSR Lightning Ascent) in deep, untracked snow can instantly see how much better these BD skis are for that travel. By “better” I  mean less effort and much more speed.

As pictured the BD skis have a form of the old Balata style binding which fits almost any boot, from felt pacs  to trail runners. Personally I’d get BD’s slightly longer metal edged version with a Voile’ release bindings and my Scarpa T3 boots for more control on turns. But well fitting Balata bindings like my Canadian Army version would work for felt pacs in below zero weather. To easily change between the two types of bindings one needs to have epoxied into the skis threaded inserts.

Are you wearing a gaitors over the Forty Below Light Energy TR overboots as I observe snaps and a yellow lower boot covering in the video,  and the picture of the Forty Below Light Energy TR overboot shown in the link looks different?

ALSO….Have you tried different shoes with the ski bindings to compare fit and control with those skis?

Been using the OAC KAR 147 with steel edges for the past five years. Also used the AS HOK before. Have used the shorter and longer versions WAP 127 and GT 160… And the 140 is just perfect for pulling pulk and occasional downhill. Yes, I’m from Finland and the factory where these BD and OAC skis are made is just 20km away from my home ;-).