Xcountry gear

I want to buy some used gear on ebay . Just want to jerk around when it snow..
That said, what should I buy..many types of bindings and skis out there..
thanks

Where do you want to ski?  Backyard?  Park?  Adirondacks?  At a center with groomed tracks?

I have another round of questions after this, but start there.

walking trail through a park/golf course....

Ungroomed?

Hilly or flat?

ungroomed ...mostly flatish

Do you have any interest in XC skiing beyond that, or is that all.

Pretty much any ski will work for that.  A 'touring' skis a little nicer if it's not been groomed (as opposed to a track ski).  They'll typically be a little wider, maybe like 55-65mm at the tip and often shorter, but if it's flat, I wouldn't go short at all.  I'd go traditional length (not sure how tall you are).

I actually usually ski stuff like that with this ski:

http://nextadventure.net/fischer-e89-crown-cross-country-skis.html?gclid=CjwKEAiA58a1BRDw6Jan_PLapw8SJABJz-ZWyK65Kxf8ek18ZpeWgewmIyWRgK3S8xYC8vZMqE6A-hoC-Ljw_wcB

Mine are 205cm and I'm 5'-10".  Metal edges are overkill for the golf course, but I ski all sorts of stuff with these.  Everything from Santanoni trail (like in the other thread) to ADK truck trails to my local park.  If it gets icy I appreciate edges.

What I really love about the is they are pretty damn fast for a waxless ski.  They have a hearty initial camber which gives them a nice kick.  A friggin' bear to make them turn unless you step though.  The waxless pattern has pretty decent grip.  I actually like the Madshus one better, but the skis are softer and more sluggish.

Bindings on these could go either way.  You can use regular old NNN touring bindings and floppy boots or go with NNN-BC and have options for stiffer soled and more supportive boots.

For what you plan on doing NNN touring will work fine.

http://www.sierratradingpost.com/rottefella-nnn-basic-touring-nordic-ski-bindings~p~9094t/?utm_source=GooglePLAs&utm_medium=PaidShopping&utm_term=Rottefella_NNN_Basic_Touring_Nordic_Ski_Bindings&utm_campaign=PCGOOGLES6¤cy=USD&codes-processed=true

When I do XC skiing in tracks, I seem to find people who can't operate these damn things though.  They get a chunk of ice in their boot or in the binding clamp and they are fussing around with it.  It's easy to fix, but the NNN-BC manual bindings I use don't seem to ever do it, or at least I've yet to have them ice up.

Here's a non metal edge touring ski:

http://www.amazon.com/Madshus-100-MGV-Ski-Multi/dp/B0081F27X4?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=ur2&tag=dsa001-20&linkId=N5ZSSMAJKHXCWHGK

Only up to 200cm though.  There are also cruiser skis but they tend to be 190cm and less.  They are OK but you lose a lot of glide going to such a short ski.

thanks for your help..
now i know what to shop around for

Best thing I found on eBay:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/FISCHER-Double-Crown-Cross-Country-Skis-NNN-Touring-Bindings-195-CM-Waxless-/391375652608?hash=item5b1fce8700:g:IO8AAOSwAKxWXf~h

Lots of skis, mostly either old ass bindings, 3 pins (OK but boots are limited unless you go to BC boots), SNS bindings (limits you on boots).

Again size is important.  195cm would be good if you are light and kind of short.  5'-6" range.  140-150lbs.  They'll work if you are taller and heavier, but just not as good.

i am 5 9  160#

200 to 205 would be ideal.

I saw an OK pair of 200s on ebay but I think they had 3 pin bindings on them.  You can always change the bindings or buy a pair of soft pin boots.  I can give you a decent list of those if you decide that's what you want to do.

NNN gives you a little more of natural stride.  It's more like jogging.  3 pin is more like walking.  It's obvious why racers went to NNN but for rec skiing it doesn't amount to much.

Sometimes I really wonder how much you save by buying an old pair of beat skis with out of date bindings.  If you can find a pair locally and they feel like they have some spring in them, get 'em.  As long as they aren't really skinny track skis or skate skis, you should be OK... but most of those types of skis will be wax base.

I'd stay away from wax for rec skiing; there's a lot of waxless skis out there that will work.

i wouldn't get a pair of skis without metal edges again for playing around in the parkls, fields and woods - opens up a lot of terrain options with no down side. NNN and (i would assume NNN-BC) is alot more fun for getting you kick and glide on for sure! I split my time equally between my  skinny NNN setup and epochs/3 pins

I agree.  All my skis have metal edges.  Mainly for when I need to bust crust but they also are fairly impervious to rock strikes when it's thin.  A small nick I can clean up with a gummy stone might be de-laminating the base on a non-metal edge ski.

I'm also far more into NNN-BC because the boot options are 100x better.

All that stuff tends to cost more money though.  And if you are truly just skiing golf cart trails, it might be more than you need.

Thing is, if you like, you'll probably want to ski more stuff.

Those E89s are a screamin' deal new.  Really high quality skis.  If I had the wax version I'd take it on a polar expedition (if I was planning one).

I cannot recommend these boots enough for NNN-BC:

http://www.alpinasports.com/product/alaska/224

Support and comfort.  Waterproof.  Very stiff sole can control a ski well.  I've not met one person that owns them and doesn't love them.  Worth every penny.

Yes metal edges.

My two cents:

Not a fan of NNN.  It's not a heavy duty piece of equipment.

Three pin is so much simpler and easier to turn. Might be harder to find in your size tho.

If you must NNN then definitely go NNN BC.

Metal edges why not?

The setup I am recommending:

Leather BOOT (vs shoe or slipper)
Three pin binding.  Rotte super telemark is best (do they still make it?)
Karhu XCDGT equivalent, Fisher e99 or maybe or maybe S Bound

This set up is 95% as good on a golf course (100% IMO) and will allow you to grow.  And if you practice you can turn it. Vs NNN. Forget it.

Harvey wrote

Leather BOOT (vs shoe or slipper)

Yes - preferred.  Harv I don't think you've tried the good NNN-BC boots.  If you could try a Svartisen NNN-BC or Alaska, I think you might change your mind a bit about the system bindings.  I used to think your way too, until I tried.  I love them for my thinner skis.

Harv can you fit in a Euro 44?  If I ever get to ski with you I want you to try my Eons, Alaskas, and NNN-BC Magnum.  I think you'll be surprised compared to your old gear.

Harvey wrote

Three pin binding.  Rotte super telemark is best (do they still make it?)

Yes - best one out there IMO.  Cost about $50 and the action is better than the Voile.  Skis on the left have NNN-BC Magnum, skis on the right have Rotte ST.  Same ski, both ski great with either.

Harvey wrote

Karhu XCDGT equivalent, Fisher e99 or maybe or maybe S Bound

Karhu XCD-GT changed over the years, but the last incarnation became the Madshus Eon.  Same skis in my picture above.  IMO, the perfect ADK cruisers.  They do everything pretty well (or compromise everything).

Fischer e99s are great skis.  Expensive as all heck though.  If you can find 'em on clearance like the e89s are, get 'em.  They ski great.

S Bounds in the skinny version are now the Traverse 78 and the Excursion 88.  The Eon kind splits these skis in the middle.  I have the S Bound 78 from last year.  I like it a lot.  It's like the Eon but I think the scales work a little better on hills.  I haven't had enough skis on them yet this year to decide but in some snows the Eons friggin' suck.  They just don't hook up at ALL.  Crusty or really cold it seems.  My S 98s climb like Mtn goats, and the scales on the 78s are the same, just less width.  Skied them in some really nasty crust earlier this year and they seems to hold good.  Wish I could have done a direct comp to the Eons, but my gut says they are better.  The new version you can get the little easy skin.  I don't know that I'd mess with that on a waxless ski, but everyone I've talked to that has them says they work great.  I like the Asnes system better - wax base with clip on skins... makes more sense to me.

One other thing to note, and I didn't mention it because Jason didn't mention skiing in prepared tracks, but should you find yourself ever wanting to do that (BREIA, Lapland Lake, Cascade?), typically the max width is 70mm.

Even so, the 55mm width skis work better, the 65-70mm shovels just barely make it and pop out on tight corners.

Another top tip:  Places like Garnett Hill groom flat for skating but if you are doing traditional on that, the wider boards tend to want to sideslip.  The skinny dudes slice right down in and track straight.

If you ever ski a trail that people walk and posthole, a little wider ski is better.  Gives a little more stability against rolling your ankle on an uneven surface.  And yes people in suburbia are dicks, they walk in ski tracks all the time.

Breaking trail with some of those skinny slicers is murder as well.  Even a ski like the Eon doesn't float you that much.

Just something to keep in mind in terms of the tradeoffs between wide and skinny for touring.  Turnin' is whole 'nother thing.

PS Now that I've said what I don't like about the Eons...

I've decided I'm going to sell mine and stick with the Fischers.  For the terrain I ski, I need the extra grip!

$200 with NNN-BC bindings?  195cm.  Got a few scrapes, all my skis do.  Probably about 10-12 skis on them.

I'm probably going to sell the version with the pins on them.  They've only been skied once.  If you make me a good offer I'll leave them mounted for you.