My goal is mostly winter backcountry travel. Basically: snowshoeing sucks.I want to keep hiking and camping through the winter. I already have all the other gear and have done a fair amount of winter backpacking and even some mountaineering. I want a setup I can grow into as I move into higher angle terrain, but I want it to be okay for random rambles in rolling terrain and cross country flats. I don't see myself doing too much intense downhill and don't care if I can "charge hard" or "send it" or whatever. I get that a "one size fits all" / "quiver killer" setup will come with trade-offs. I've basically narrowed it down to three options:XCD - I suppose this will be better at the XC side, but comes with a limit on the terrain angle. I get the sense that most of the D in XCD is just "telemark on shitty skis", which from my understanding is harder than all the other options here if you aren't already a competent free-heel skier."Skishoes" - aka Hok Skis / OAC / Glidelites / Skinbased skis. This seems ideal in theory, especially in that they are intended as "less shitty snowshoes", but I think come with the same tradeoffs as XCD, just a lower barrier to entry and lower efficiency. Most reviews of these from experienced skiers say they suck, but I am not an experienced skier.Ultralight AT setup - thinking a low tech binding on an touring ski with climbing focused ski boots. Again, the focus here is not so much on downhill as it is on "getting around the backcountry in winter", but I think such a setup probably has no upper limit on the angle or terrain it can be used in, limited only by my experience level. Drawbacks are this is obviously more expensive (though I found a pair of high end mountaineering ski boots at the local used gear shop for like, nothing, and they're relatively comfy) and might be overkill. I live in the /out/ paradise of Northern Idaho. So the terrain is all over the place.I have literally zero interest in resort skiing.
>>2881652i've been trying to figure out my set up as well and dont know much yet- but I will say noridc skiis (bicambered) are def more efficient on the flats and gentler terrain. wide with metal edges but still kick and glide. They are much harder coming downhill. I never learned to tele but even with a metal edge its hard af. So, all I do know is I want/need to be able to lock my heel down if I am going to be doing any elevation...even if the flats look like a slog. does that make any sense?
>>2881665Yeah, there's a reason nobody free-heel skis downhill anymore, except for old guys and hipsters who are so good at alpine they get bored and take up telemark. It's a hard skill.
Are you using your snowshoes right? Heel lift makes a big difference. I used my snowshoes like a dumbass without unlatching the back, which was really tiring.Skis aren't worth it in woods if you don't have a clear path... I think. Honestly a lot of the skis vs snowshoes debate is sour grapes from the snowshoes side. Skis with skins are really efficient, and you can carry lightweight crampons when the terrain doesn't suit skiing. I don't know enough to help with specifics, I only snowshoe.>ultralight AT setupI'd probably do this if I were to get into snowshoeing.For backpacking consider a pulk too. Winter is heavy.
The Voile BC series of skis have fish scale on the bottom so you can run them over rolling terrain without needing to put skins they are sort of the perfect blend for traveling over snow. I use them with Tele Bindings but many people use them with AT bindings or even the Alfa Free XCD bindings.This guy on youtube covers a lot of current optionshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMze4vazlg0
>>2881652You live near my neck of the woods and want to do the same things as me. Asnes out of Norway makes good skis for this sort of thing, it is very popular there. You can get down some surprising terrain with an XCD setup and some forethought. Just moved down here so not sure what snow conditions will be though. Powder+skinny skis can be rough, but packed snow+wide skis will be rougher.
I don't ski, I snowboard. But I'd recommend a ski touring set up with skins (not the skiis with built in skins but the kind you can put on). You say you're not interested in going downhill but for hiking/camping/exploring in the mountains its an awesome form of travel when you can slide across snow instead of walking (which is why snowshoeing is gay).
