Lots of people have asked what my XC ski setup is. So I decided to give it a quick review for those wondering. First off I’m a big guy. So I needed something strong that would also help me stay on top of the snow when I break trail in the woods. But also wanted to be able to take it on a groomed trail. Basically an all around ski.
The Setup
First of all I should note that I’m new to this sport. I’ve alpine skied for over 30 years but the first time I put my BCX skis on, I fell right on my ass. It was like learning to ski all over again.
At first even snow plowing was a difficult feet. Now that I’ve had a little practice I’ve become more comfortable with them. Although turning and stopping are still a bit of a challenge.
I’ve had these skis for a few years now. I have take them around some local xc tracks and around some golf courses and had a lot of fun with them. I’ve also taken them out in the woods in areas I would snowshoe and they worked great.
We have had a good winter, especially in southern New Hampshire this year. I had a chance to take them out on some groomed and ungroomed trials around the state. Pine Hill, Beaver Brook, Bear Brook State Park, Jackson Ski Trails, Nansen Ski trails and others all had great conditions and allowed me to try my skis in different terrain. Many times I was pushed beyond my comfort zone and lived to tell the tale.
The skis them selves have metal edges like an alpine ski. They also have a large section on the middle of the ski called the “Crown” or the area with the “Fish Scales”. This is the area that gives you traction when going uphill.
These skis also have an accessory called an EZ Skin. This is a more aggressive set of scales that you stick to the bottom of the ski for increased traction when going up steep hills.
The BCX 6 boots are very comfortable and waterproof. This is important when you are breaking a trail in deep snow. My feet and ankle feel very secure in these boots and that is important to me. Lastly, I really like the laces for the boot get covered by a zipper so I don’t have frozen lace knots.
The Bindings are manual bindings but are easy to get into. They are beefy and strong and have worked perfectly so far.
The reason I got the Fischer S-Bound 98 skis was because I planed to do more back country exploring. Similar to what I would do on snowshoes. This is where these skis are the most fun. The flotation is great on fresh snow. Even deep snow. These skis were made to blaze a trail.
On groomed trails I am still a little clumsy. These skis do not fit in a track either so if you are looking to fly around a groomed corse these are not for you. But if you are looking to just have a fun time on the trails. These are a blast. I’m still getting better at turning and stopping but much better at it then at the beginning of the season.
I would like to take these skis out onto a open hill with some fresh snow to practice my down hill turning. It would be great to experiment with different kinds of turns if I had to room to play around. Maybe I’ll bring my skis with me the next time I go downhill skiing and practice with them for a while. We will see.
2 Comments
Tom · February 2, 2024 at 1:46 pm
Great review! I appreciate your honesty, like you I am not a great skier so your comments on being able to control them are greatly appreciated. I live in the central Wyoming and ski the country around our house, which is flat and sage brush but the snow get hard packed and like skiing the trails you pictured so being able to turn and stop are important. Thanks!
Outdoor Odyssey · February 24, 2024 at 12:34 pm
Hi Tom, Yes. I do love the S-Bounds. They are great for exploring especially in fresh powder.