Originally Posted: January 2022
Updated: April 2024
Fischer S-Bound 88 Backcountry Nordic Skis
Voile Switchback Telemark Bindings
Rossignol BC X-11 Nordic Boots
Black Diamond Ascension Climbing Skins
Black Diamond Razor Carbon Ski Poles
General Comments
In the context of this gear review, backcountry nordic ski touring takes place on ungroomed forest roads and rolling mountainous terrain. Although I am an avid telemark skier, the gear discussed herein is best suited to making horizontal progress rather than vertical progress. This differentiates the activity from backcountry telemark ski touring, which takes place on generally steeper mountainous terrain.
Backcountry nordic ski touring is one of my favorite kinds of skiing because it involves spending a lot of time in the mountains and getting great exercise while exposing myself to almost no avalanche risk (always applying good judgment, of course). Because of the limited risk, I feel entirely comfortable ski touring alone. Sure, I always prefer to ski with other people, but if I had to find a ski partner for every trip, I would do a lot less skiing!
To further illustrate what this particular activity involves, here are several trip reports for good examples of backcountry nordic ski tours:
- Monument 83 Lookout Ski Tour (Chuchuwanteen Mountains, BC)
- Talapus Lake & Olallie Lake Ski Tour (Lower Snoqualmie Range, WA)
- Sun Top Lookout Ski Tour (Clearwater Mountains, WA)
- Keechelus Ridge Ski Loop (Keechelus Mountains, WA)
- Dutchman – Three Creek Ski Traverse (Deschutes Mountains, OR)
In addition to backcountry nordic ski touring, I enjoy cross-country stride-skiing and skate-skiing on groomed trails; cross-country/backcountry hybrid skiing on a combination of groomed and ungroomed trails; backcountry telemark skiing and snowshoeing in steeper mountain terrain; and even some downhill telemark skiing at lift-assisted resorts.
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Affiliate Disclosure: My gear reviews may contain affiliate links, which means that if you purchase something that I’ve linked to, I might get a small commission at no additional cost to you. Be assured, though, that my reviews are unbiased and involve only gear that I (or a mountain partner) have used extensively. For all items, I discuss the cons as well as the pros.
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Gear Review Summaries
Fisher S-Bound 88 Ski Pros & Cons
Pros:
- Moderate width and sidecut (88-68-78) provide a good compromise between touring efficiency and flotation.
- Offtrack Crown fishscale base gives good traction on flat or gently sloping terrain.
- Readily accommodates most types of climbing skins.
- Full-length metal edge offers good control on hard snow.
- Nordic (double) camber optimizes kick-and-glide technique on gentle terrain.
Cons:
- Moderate sidecut and nordic camber are not ideal for telemark turn performance compared to many other mountain skis.
- Offtrack Crown fishscale base is a bit slower for downhill gliding compared to a smooth base.
Bottom Line: Excellent ski for short- or long-distance touring on forest roads and over rolling mountain terrain when downhill performance is not a high priority.
Product Link: Currently out of production; would need to be obtained as a clearance or used item, but presumably will be back in production during the 2022-23 season.
Similar Products & Links:
Salomon Escape Outback 83 nordic skis (83-61-72 sidecut is slightly narrower overall than S-Bound 88, giving it less floatation but similar function)
Madshus Panorama M62/Eon nordic skis fka Karhu XCD-GT skis (83-62-70 sidecut is slightly narrower overall than S-Bound 88, giving it less floatation but similar function)
Rossignol BC 80 Positrack nordic skis (80-60-70 sidecut is narrower overall than S-Bound 88, giving it less floatation but similar function)
Madshus Panorama M68/Epoch nordic skis fka Karhu XCD 10th Mountain skis (99-68-84 sidecut is wider at tip and tail than S-Bound 88, giving it more floatation and making it better suited to telemark turns)
Rossignol XP 100 Positrack nordic skis (100-80-90 sidecut is wider overall than S-Bound 88, giving it better floatation)
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Voile Switchback Binding Pros & Cons
Pros:
- Wrap-around stainless-steel toepiece provides excellent durability and reliability.
- Walk mode allows 50 degrees of pivoting with zero resistance.
- Ski mode provides slightly active control for telemark turning, especially with plastic boots.
- Solid heel rods are convenient and durable.
- Compression springs turn easily to allow quick adjustment for different boot sizes.
Cons:
- Much heavier than a conventional three-pin binding.
- Compression springs tend to turn and loosen when touring.
Bottom Line: Excellent all-purpose nordic binding for a wide variety of backcountry skiing situations, including long tours on forest roads and over rolling terrain, as well as downhill telemarking with leather, combo, or plastic boots.
Product Link: Voile Switchback telemark bindings
Similar Products & Links:
Voile Switchback X2 telemark bindings (a slightly heavier and stronger version of the Switchback, but identical in function)
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Rossignol BC X-11 Boot Pros & Cons
Pros:
- Soft forefoot area with internal lacing system provides high level of comfort for most users.
- Hinged plastic cuff provides good lateral stability and forward motion.
- Vibram lug sole provide decent traction for approach hikes.
Cons:
- Sole lacks adequate torsional resistance for serious telemark control, especially with larger boot sizes.
- Buckles are prone to icing up in transitional snow (older models only).
Bottom Line: Very good composite-material boot for long-distance ski touring on forest roads and over rolling terrain, where all-day comfort is more important than downhill performance.
Product Link: Currently out of production but could likely be found in some retail stores.
Similar Products & Links:
Alpina Alaska 75 nordic boots (more robust and warmer than the BC X-11, but perhaps at expense of touring comfort)
Fischer BCX Transnordic 75 telemark boots (more robust and warmer than the BC X-11, probably giving more downhill telemark control but perhaps at expense of touring comfort)
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BD Ascension Skin Pros & Cons
Pros:
- Nylon plush provides a good compromise between traction, glide, and durability.
- Ascension adhesive is legendary for its long-term sticking power, especially in cold weather.
- Simple tip and tail fixtures allow easy adjustment of length and attachment to skis.
Cons:
- Relatively heavy, bulky, and stiff compared to many other current options.
- Can be difficult to separate skins in cold weather.
- Tip fold tends to come apart when drying skins indoors (older models only).
Bottom Line: Excellent climbing skins for all-conditions terrain where durability and performance are more important than light weight and suppleness.
Product Link: Black Diamond Ascension climbing skins
Similar Products & Links:
Black Diamond GlideLite climbing skins (lighter, slimmer, and suppler than Ascensions, with slightly better glide but slightly less grip)
Pomoca Climb 2.0 climbing skins (quality skins with mohair/nylon plush from a long-time company)
Contour Hybrid Mix climbing skins (quality skins with an innovative adhesive that has been well received by testers)
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BD Razor Carbon Pole Pros & Cons
Pros:
- Two-section configuration provides good adjustability for differing terrain conditions.
- Aluminum/carbon composite design provides good combination of strength and lightness.
- Flick-Lock clamp (old model) and Flick-Lock Pro clamp (new model) provides reliable and secure locking mechanism between sections.
- Dual-density handle is comfortable and has breakaway strap (new model).
- Extended handle (old model) and ring (new model) allows for choking up on sidehill traverses.
- Indexed ferrule facilitates use of Three-Quarter Powder Baskets.
- Available in two sizes (100-125 cm and 115-140 cm) to accommodate most skiers.
Cons:
- Two-section poles are inherently a bit heavier and less reliable than one-section poles.
- Carbon fiber poles tend to fail by cracking rather than bending.
- Tall skiers might find the maximum length (140 cm) to be inadequate for efficient kicking and gliding.
Bottom Line: Excellent combination of strength, lightness, and adjustability for ski touring over a variety of terrain.
Product Link: Black Diamond Razor Carbon Pro poles
Similar Products & Links:
Black Diamond Traverse Pro poles (an all-aluminum two-section ski pole that includes same features as Razor Carbon Pro pole but provides a greater length range)
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Full Gear Reviews
Fisher S-Bound 88 Ski Review
I’ve been using a pair of Fischer S-Bound 88 backcountry nordic touring skis for about 10 years and have come to regard them as my “workhorse” skis. Although these skis are currently out of production, many of my following review comments apply to several other ski models, including the Alpina Discovery 80, the Madshus Panorama M62 (formerly known as Madshus Eon and Karhu XCD-GT), the Madshus Panorama M68 (formerly known as Madshus Epoch and Karhu XCD 10th Mountain), the Rossignol BC 80 Positrack, and the Rossignol BC 100 Positrack. Fortunately, skis that have been out of production for several years can often be procured from clearance or used-gear sites.
All skis within this genre have several important characteristics: a moderate width and sidecut, with a tip width on the order of 80 to 100mm and a waist width on the order of 60 to 80mm; a full-length metal edge; a fishscale no-wax pattern on the base; and a Nordic-type camber consisting of either a double camber or camber-and-a-half.
In general, a narrow ski with minimal sidecut is better for straight-line touring performance on firm snow because it tracks well and reduces drag, whereas a wide ski is better for breaking trail through deep snow, and a large sidecut aids in downhill turning performance. I have found that the moderate width and sidecut of the S-Bound 88 skis are ideally suited to my preferred style of skiing; they provide a good compromise between touring efficiency and flotation on flats and uphills, and are good for downhill gliding with some large-radius turns thrown in. The full-length metal edges are greatly appreciated on crusty or icy snow, and the Nordic camber helps with kick-and-glide efficiency.
In my experience, the classic fishscale-pattern base is the best overall option for backcountry touring. This pattern was developed by the Trak Ski Company way back in the 1970s and has changed only slightly over the past decades. Although Trak skis are long gone, their fishscale base lives on in the form of Fischer’s Offtrack Crown base, Rossignol’s Positrack base, Madshus’ Omnitrack base, and others. The “positive” relief texture grips better than the “negative” incut textures, especially on transitional (near-freezing) snow, with only a small trade-off in terms of slightly more drag on low-angle descents. Once the downhill gradient increases a bit, the ski base begins to plane, such that the pattern drag becomes imperceptible. When the uphill gradient exceeds the gripping ability of a fishscale base, I recommend attaching an adhesive climbing skin to each ski rather than fighting with slippage.
Appropriate ski length is determined primarily on the basis of your weight, but this reference weight should include both you and your typical backcountry ski touring pack. When fully laden, my scale weight increases from 170 pounds to nearly 200 pounds, and I use a 189cm ski. This length lands in the upper end of the manufacturer’s recommended range, giving me a little extra flotation for trail-breaking in deep snow. If I were more concerned with maneuverability and ease of turning, I would size down 5 or 10cm. Long skis are, or course, more of a hassle to carry on a pack, but I have found a fairly simple way to reduce the hassle factor. How to improve an A-frame ski carry system
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Voile Switchback Binding Review
I’ve put in more than a decade of backcountry ski touring on my first-generation Voile Switchback bindings, through a wide variety of snow and terrain conditions. No binding is perfect, but these come closer than any other nordic binding I’ve ever used. They combine touring ease, good downhill performance, and robust construction into an elegantly simple 3-pound package. You can find lighter-weight Nordic-style backcountry touring bindings on the market (for example, Voile still makes several different models of the venerable three-pin binding), but none of them inspire me with the confidence of the Switchback.
The heart of this binding is a one-piece wrap-around stainless-steel toepiece that provides a level of durability and reliability far exceeding that of a traditional three-pin binding. Furthermore, the smooth interior of the toepiece allows a much cleaner boot entry because there are no pins to collect snow. Each heel assembly consists of two “hardwire” (non-braided) heel rods, a plastic heel clamp, and two sealed compression springs. Given the type of boots I’m using and the style of skiing I’m doing with these bindings, I fully expect them to last a lifetime. No doubt, my body will wear out long before my Switchbacks.
2023 Update: After more than 12 years of extensive use, I recently blew out a spring cartridge during a ski tour. Using some tools and wire from my backcountry repair kit, I was able to effect an emergency repair and get back to the trailhead. Once home, I ordered a used replacement spring yoke from Freeheel Life, thereby getting my binding back to full function. However, this experience probably indicated that the spring cartridges are the weakest part of the entire binding, so I do expect that another cartridge could blow out in the future.
In uphill “walk” mode, the Switchback becomes a free-pivot binding with a healthy range of about 50 degrees. This allows zero-resistance striding while either skinning uphill or kicking-and-gliding over flat terrain. Such a feature is especially advantageous when wearing stiff plastic boots and/or breaking trail through deep snow because it allows the ski tips to float up rather than being pushed down. It also offers a skier the ability to execute uphill-facing “snap turns” in addition to downhill-facing “kick turns.”
Switchbacks are converted to downhill “tele” mode by sliding each front lever to the right using either a ski pole or finger, and this can usually be accomplished without removing your skis. However, in transitional snow conditions, it is common to develop a tiny ice dam against the rear surface of each toepiece. When this happens, you will need to flick it out, again using either a pole or finger. Once put into downhill mode, I find that Switchbacks provide an adequately “active” level of performance for my softer boots on mellower terrain. Hard-charging telemark skiers might find them to be more “neutral,” but this skiing genre is focused on touring rather than charging. (My go-to kit for backcountry telemark skiing is a Switchback X2 binding with a Garmont Excursion boot and Karhu Guide ski.)
Switchbacks are available with three different heel rod lengths to accommodate a wide range of boot sizes. In each case, small-scale adjustments are made by rotating the compression springs either clockwise to tighten or counter-clockwise to loosen. This is an easy operation. In fact, it is so easy that the compression springs tend to rotate very slightly while touring, which can lead to a gradual loosening of the heel assembly. Some skiers might not be bothered by this, but I found it to be sufficiently annoying to warrant a fix. How to keep cable/rod bindings from loosening during a ski tour
All Switchbacks are designed with a 1-inch riser under the toe and heel. This design accommodates the lock-down mechanism and provides better leverage for downhill performance, thereby eliminating the need for shimming up the binding as was popular in the early years of telemark skiing. However, these risers can lead to another annoying problem: boot sag. By supporting a ski boot only at the toe and heel, the boot tends to sag in the middle, effectively shortening the boot such that the heel clamp slips off. This problem is most pronounced with large-footed skiers wearing softer boots, but see my Trailcat Tips page for a simple fix.
Another feature included with all Switchback bindings is a dual set of climbing wires—a short wire mounted on the front of each heel riser, and a longer wire mounted on the rear of each heel riser. These wires prop up the boot heels, which helps to reduce calf strain on steep ascents. Although I use climbing wires on my backcountry telemark bindings, I found them to be less useful for backcountry touring on gentler terrain. A downside of wires is that they tend to collect snow and promote the formation of “snow cookies” under the boot heels. For these reasons, I removed my climbing wires and have never missed them.
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Rossignol BC X-11 Boot Review
I own several different nordic ski boots that cover a wide variety of purposes, ranging from Salomon Pilot boots for cross-country skiing to Garmont Excursion boots for backcountry telemark skiing to Scarpa T1 boots for downhill telemark skiing. When it comes to backcountry ski touring on forest roads and rolling terrain, I always grab my Rossignol BC X-11 boots. They have their shortcomings, but I’ve found them to be unmatched for all-day touring comfort.
In general terms, the BC X-11 utilizes the same hugely successful design as all of today’s skate-skiing boots. It starts with a cushy inner “shoe” that laces snugly around the forefoot with a cordlock system. This inner shoe is covered by a flexible outer boot that zips up high on the ankle for weather resistance. A stiff, hinged, plastic cuff with two buckles wraps around the instep and lower ankle portion of the outer boot. This composite-material design provides a high level of comfort along with good lateral stability and forward motion.
Many boots in the Rossignol line are available with either a traditional 75mm “duckbill” (Old Nordic Norm, or ONN) sole or a new-generation NNN-BC (New Nordic Norm Backcountry) sole, but the BC X-11 comes only with a duckbill sole. This is appropriate because the NNN-BC binding would not likely be robust enough to handle the stresses applied by such a beefy touring boot. The Vibram outsole has a low-relief lug pattern that provides decent traction for short approach hikes over snow or dirt trails.
Although the BC X-11 looks like a respectable telemark boot, I’ve found that sole simply does not have enough torsional stiffness for adequate telemark control. This problem is more pronounced with larger boot sizes, so skiers with smaller feet might find the boots to be adequately stiff. I have large feet, but I accept the low torsional stiffness as the price of supreme comfort. For backcountry tours that involve more serious telemarking, I always use my plastic Garmont Excursion boots.
When using the BC X-11 boots with binding risers or shims, the flexibility of the sole can lead to another annoying problem: boot sag. By supporting a ski boot only at the toe and heel, the boot tends to sag in the middle, effectively shortening the boot such that the heel clamp slips off. This irritating problem increases with increasing boot size, such that small-footed skiers might not have an issue. For us big-footed skiers, there is a fairly simple solution. How to keep ski touring boots from over-flexing in cable/rod bindings
As a closing comment, I will point out that the BC X-11 can be worn while driving a car—something that I can’t do with plastic telemark boots. This is worth noting because the small buckles are prone to icing up in transitional snow. I’ve had many occasions when I simply could not loosen the buckles and was forced to drive home with my boots on. Newer BC X-11 models utilize a single velcro strap rather than two buckle straps, so this will no longer be a problem.
BD Ascension Skin Review
Ascension skins have been widely considered to be the gold standard for adhesive climbing skins over the past several decades and have only improved since Black Diamond purchased the manufacturing rights many years ago. The Ascension glue is legendary for its sticking power, which somehow (magically?) increases as the temperature drops. The nylon plush is equally lauded for its excellent balance of traction, glide, and durability. I have been using several different sets of Ascension skins for over 25 years and can vouch for their quality. Other manufacturers have closed the gap in recent years, but Ascensions are still held in the highest regard.
Black Diamond’s main improvement to the original product was the addition of their STS tail attachment, which consists of a slightly stretchy plastic strap and a small metal hook—simple, adjustable, effective, and far better than their previous Clip-Fix tail attachment. The STS system accommodates about 5cm to 10cm of variation between ski lengths, which is useful if using the same skins on two or more pairs of skis. Perhaps more importantly, it allows for micro-adjustment of the skin tension, which can slightly change with outdoor temperature and skin age. Like all elastic components of any type, the tail straps do wear out and break over time. Conveniently, Black Diamond sells replacement straps for about $15 per pair.
The original Ascension skins were attached to a tip loop by means of folding them over a bar. This was simple, effective, and allowed for length adjustments of 20cm or more. Later, Black Diamond introduced a screw-on tip loop that eliminates the need to fold over the front of the skin. I own skins with both old and new tip systems and can report that they each have pros and cons. A minor annoyance associated with the old system is that the front of the skin tends to unfold when being dried in a warm room (see: How to keep stiff climbing skins from unfolding when drying). The new tip attachment system is sleeker, more secure, and reduces front-end snow buildup, but it eliminates your ability to adjust the skin length at the tip; once the tip loop is attached, future length adjustments must be made at the tail. If your skins are permanently dedicated to a certain pair of skis, then this is a non-issue.
One common complaint about Ascension skins is that the adhesive is so sticky in cold weather, separating one skin from another can be very difficult. This was not such a problem decades ago, when skis and skins were relatively narrow. As skis became wider over the years, skins became wider—and more difficult to separate. Black Diamond effectively mitigated the problem by putting a no-glue strip down the center of each skin.
Another common complaint about Ascension skins is that they are relatively heavy, bulky, and stiff when compared to many of the newer models. Yes, that famous durability comes at a price. In response, Black Diamond began offering a lighter, slimmer, and suppler skin called GlideLite. I haven’t personally tried them out, but several friends have given them a thumbs-up. If my Ascensions ever wear out, I’ll look closely at GlideLites as a replacement.
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BD Razor Carbon Pole Review
When I started backcountry skiing 50 years ago, there were no sport-specific ski poles. Instead, you simply grabbed a pair of fixed-length “downhill” poles and charged into the wild. Nowadays, specialized backcountry ski poles are available in a wide variety of configurations and materials. There are one-section (fixed-length) poles, two-section poles, and three-section poles; there are telescoping poles, folding poles, and telescoping/folding hybrid poles; there are aluminum poles, carbon fiber poles, and aluminum/carbon composite poles; and all of these various offerings include some set of features and/or accessories. The choices are almost overwhelming!
My preferred option for backcountry skiing is a two-section adjustable pole with a carbon-fiber lower shaft. This design offers several important advantages: First, compared to a one-section pole, the adjustability of a two-section pole allows me to shorten both poles when skinning straight uphill, to lengthen both poles when kicking-and-gliding on flat terrain, and to create uneven pole lengths when making a long sidehill traverse. Second, a two-section pole is both lighter and more reliable than a three-section pole, simply because there is no joint or extra material in the lower region. Third, the use of carbon fiber for the lower section further reduces the “swing weight” of the pole, which might seem insignificant during the first hour of a ski tour but becomes much more noticeable after several hours of active poling.
Over the past two decades, I’ve been using Life-Link Variant Composite ski poles during all backcountry tours. These two-section aluminum/carbon poles have served me very well but, sadly, are no longer made. When I needed to add a new pair of ski poles to my quiver several years ago, I purchased a pair of Black Diamond Razor Carbon poles, as that they were the closest thing I could find to my beloved Life-Link poles. Since my purchase, Black Diamond has modified this pole and renamed it the Razor Carbon Pro. My review comments below address both the older design and new design.
The Razor Carbon and Razor Carbon Pro are two-section telescoping poles with an aluminum upper shaft and a carbon fiber lower shaft. Both shaft sections seem to provide a good compromise between lightweight and strength; I’ve had no bending or breaking problems despite fairly rigorous usage. The poles feature comfortable dual-density handles with adjustable wrist straps, and they are available in two lengths: (100-125 cm and 115-140 cm). Being 5’10” tall, I have found the longer size to adequately cover my desired range of adjustability for different terrain conditions. However, skiers who are more than 6’0” tall might find them too short for efficient kicking-and-gliding on low-angle terrain. Too bad Black Diamond doesn’t offer this pole in three different sizes.
A unusual and nice feature of Razor Carbon and Razor Carbon Pro poles is that the bottom ferrule is indexed to accommodate Black Diamond’s Three-Quarter Powder Baskets. These baskets are cut away in the forward quarter to prevent them from catching on snow when climbing steeply or moving quickly, much like a modern cross-country ski pole basket. This might seem like an unimportant feature until you are miles into a long ski tour that involves lots of kicking-and-gliding. Some skiers will also appreciate the fact that the cutaway tab can be used to manipulate certain binding or boot levers.
There are three main differences between the older Razor Carbon poles and newer Razor Carbon Pro poles. First, the older poles have a supplemental handle that provides a better grip when choking up on one or both poles, such as during a sidehill traverse. In contrast, the newer poles have a simple “choker ring” for this purpose. I like the older design better, but this really strikes me as a minor issue. Second, the older poles employ Black Diamond’s venerable Flick-Lock clamp, which has been in use for several decades and has proven to be very reliable. The newer poles, however, employ the latest-generation Flick-Lock Pro clamp, which consists of a low-profile cast aluminum lever and thin steel sleeve. I have extensively used many types of mechanisms on my various trekking poles in rugged environments, and I can confidently say that the Flick-Lock Pro clamp stands far above all other mechanisms in regards to reliability, compactness, durability, ease of use, and even esthetics. Lastly, the new poles include a lockable breakaway strap, and although I have not gotten an opportunity to use it, I can see the benefit.
All in all, I rate the older Razor Carbon ski poles very highly for all of my essential criteria. They are light, strong, adjustable, and well-detailed. The same goes for the newer Razor Carbon Pro ski poles except that they offer the added bonus of employing the best clamping mechanism available on today’s market. Taller skiers who are planning to use either model for kicking and gliding on low-angle terrain might be unsatisfied with the maximum length of 140 cm, but that will be a matter personal preference.
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