Mini U/L Skis

Hi Steve

I feel your need. But I think it is such a niche market no-one has bothered.

Fwiiw, we recently discarded our 3-pin systems. Our boots had got too small to be wearable any more and you can't buy light low-cut 3-pin leather boots anymore. The 3-pin system has gone 'Telemark'. I am *NOT* going to tour in plastics!!!

We have switched to NNN-BC bindings and boots. Yeah, serious cost to re-equip two people, but in fact the current NNN-BC boots are much lighter, and the current XC skis are SO much easier to turn. Yes, you can walk in the NNN-BC boots and you can snow-shoe in them too. OK: not as light as joggers.

So we hired for this last Australian season. We were converted, despite the cost.

Cheers

That would be my dream ski. I've done some looking myself but alas I don't think they exist.

I'll be watching this thread with interest……..

>Is there a small XC ski available?

Yes. :)

http://www.hagan-ski.com/hagan/kollektion/category-browse?category_id=11&subcategory_id=31

See the Tour Extreme. It weights just 850gms!!!

Wow, I thought there would be a bunch of comments about how I didn't search hard enough and there were ALL KINDS of little XC skis…bummer. I wonder if I should just cut down some long ones amd add a universal binding…so much work though. :(
Huzefa, I don't understand the website (not my language) but it seems those bindings are what I am looking for. They weigh 950 grams per pair. I couldn't decipher much info on the skis though. Other then the weight, which is fine at 890 grams, I didn't see if that is for 1 ski or for the pair.
Are they custom made? I have a feeling that they will cost a fortune…and shipped from Austria/Scandanavia? Any Austrians on this board?

Yeah, well, for a start I think that's 850 g per ski. I might be wrong of course …
Second, they don't mention bindings: you are on your own there and I do NOT think snowboard bindings are going to work! So it's either 3-pin, NNN-BC or even heavier AT.

Cheers

Steven, I used to have a pair of hybrid skis called Bushwhackers. They were about waist high and 6 in wide, with a fish scale bottom…very popular with the trappers back in Montana as they were kind of a cross between x-c skis and snowshoes and used a 3-pin binding. I rue the day that I sold them! I wish I could tell you who carries them. Good luck!

Jawohl Steve,

Ich bin fast Austrian, hab ich nur noch ein L dabei. Kann ich was fur dir uebersetzen?

Rod

Well, I am an Austrian, and I can translate some text for you.

After looking at the Hagan-Website I saw it is indeed an Austrian company, but there is also an English version of the Website, for example for the HAGAN Extreme –>click

On the Website under Dealers I didnot find any dealers in the USA, only in Canada – The Mountain Equipment CO-OP.

I am no skier, but usually you buy the skis and the bindings separate, and a guy screws them together at the ski-shop.

hikingharry

MEC does stock some Hagan models but not this one.

There is some interesting discussion on Hagan Freedom skis in this thread:
http://www.telemarktalk.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=966

I think this market is wide open again. I would really like something like this. There was a company that worked out of Whistler, BC, that made a product called a “Yupi”. However, the company is out of business and I never got around to buying a pair of their skis. I’m not sure if Kahru still makes the Meta, either.

With all the cool ski boards out there, I think the key is the bindings. It would be nice to get a pair of bindings that fit regular boots. I’m not sure if there are any out there (I thing both the Yupi and Meta had this). Maybe the answer is to find the most “walkable” ski board boot and combine it with a “skate” style skiboard. Personally, I would like this in the spring, when the snow is rather consolidated. That way, I don’t have to worry about the skis being too small. Even so, I would rather sink in with my skis than sink in with my boots.

Ross, while searching old BPL threads, I saw a post from you regarding the yupi thingymabobs but the link no longer worked. I can't seem to find any info on them…any chance you have a pic or link so i can get an idea of what we are talking about.

I'm having trouble finding a link too. It was reviewed by Cross Country Ski Magazine. If you have access to a library that subscribes to it, you may be able to find it here:
http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-20513397_ITM

Since the company is out of business, there web site doesn't work. But, anyway, they were short (about two feet I would say) and wide (8 inches maybe) with metal edges. As such, they were relatively heavy, but performed well in a variety of conditions (snow conditions are necessarily great here, we get a lot of slush, followed by occasional crusty conditions or we might get lucky with a bunch of powder). The binding was like a snowboard binding, in that they could fit most boots.

The more I think about it, that might be the way to go. Get the shortest, fattest skiboard you can find and then mount snowboard bindings on it. You would have to skate, but there a bunch of skiboards designed for that anyway.

I think this is a picture of the Yupi skishoes.

That's what I am looking for! I wonder how much they weigh…and how well you could glide on them.

Here is a link to an old thread about Karhu skis that aren't made anymore but some used ones may be found, on ebay :-)

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/thread_display.html?forum_thread_id=5027&disable_pagination=1

How about kids skis?

http://www.pronto.com/Echos-Parabolik-Ski-Blades-p_1074510128-PP

Michael, I read that one. I like them but the only problem is that from what I have seen on youtube, they don't really glide on a flat surface…more just for climbing up and riding down…but they do have potential!

They have these across the street from me…I'll be checking them out tomorrow!

http://www.mec.ca/Products/product_detail.jsp?FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302735371&PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524442621625

Steve let us know how those skies go!