Snowshoe-ski hybrids vs shorter XCD/bc nordic skis

Maybe OAC XCD 160 ‘s ?

See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbFli9cHg28

I can’t help feeling that they would glide like a brick. Yeah, sure, they might be OK if you want to walk, but that is not the point of XC skiing. A little bit of glide down the hills with some turns can be fun.

Cheers

As Dave C. wrote in his review of the Hoks, they are really suited for “places where glide is not a salient attribute and maneuverability uphill and down is essential for safe passage.”

What I’m most interested in is doing trips that span both this terrain and places where glide comes more into play – more closely approximating backpacking routes, with some offtrail use.

Shape and camber end up being relevant to the maneuverability question.  The 145s Hoks for example, have very little camber and the tapered tips and tails, which made them very easy to whip around for sudden stops.  I’ve never seen them in person, but I’d assume the S-Bound 125s have more camber and are generally stiffer overall.  More versatility for sure, but not a specialist woods/narrow trail/bushwacking ski.

Haven’t tried Hoks but I have a fair amount of experience on 170 and 169 length XC skis, and I can tell you that for me on those length skis, thick forest equals profanity. They are not the thing for thrashing around the woods, Shorter is always better in the trees, and if I were to get something like the Hoks I’d be thinking the shortest thing they have.

And I think that’s the one kind of terrain that something like the Hoks – what I think of as a sliding snowshoe – is well suited for. Anything more open, real skis are better.

It all depends on the terrain and what you want to do. There are really two pieces to the ideal snowshoe/ski hybrid: the binding and the ski. The binding is very important if you plan on using the ski the way that many people use snowshoes: Carry the ski, then use them. It is quite common for my buddies and me to go out in the Spring, hike a few miles, then encounter deep snow. A good snowshoe/ski with a good binding would be great for this. Not only is it easier than carrying skis (since they aren’t as long) but if the binding works with regular (hiking) boots then you’ve saved yourself the weight of extra ski boots. The problem is that most bindings that fit regular boots aren’t very good. The only one that I know of that is any good is home made (and I’ve looked at a bunch — although none in the last couple of years).

On the other hand, if the plan is to essentially ski from the car, then I would be hesitant with these. I don’t like the permanent skin. Kickers are pretty cheap, and full on skins aren’t too bad either. Meanwhile, if the terrain is like it is around here (Northwest U. S.) you have a huge variety of slopes. These ski fine if you are headed down a fairly steep hill, but once you hit the flats, they are just too slow. They make a bunch of very nice waxless skis these days (many of them wide). They won’t be as short and stubby as these necessarily, but they will glide much better (and ski powder and crud a lot better as well).

I’ve owned Hoks for several years, and I rarely use them. The one nice thing is that they fit easily in the trunk of a car. This means that if I’m with someone who wants to go snowshoeing, I can bring mine along in a full car without a ski rack. The problem is, the terrain is usually so tough that I would rather bring snowshoes (which have built in crampons).

A bit late for this thread but here what i know about the OAC KAR 147.

I have tried them with regular boot, 75mm duckbill leather boot and even my Fischer Travers Carbon Skimo boot (with Dynafit bindings).

They have more glide than Hok but less grip. They float. They are short so they turn easily. Very fun in the wood. They are slower going downhill so i like them for myself. With a stiffer boot like my Travers, they are a lot of fun in steep and thigh terrain. I found myself very good on this ski!   Yes they are slower than my Fisher Sbound 98 BUT for 80% of what i do, they are perfect. I would not do a 35km day but easily a 15-18km day.

They are very fun to use.