Despite what the calendar says we are not in winter mode around SW Montana! Crosscut Mountain Sports Center has about 3-4km of “open” trails and in-town/south of town (Sourdough) is dead.
The machine has been turning out batches of skis to the local nordic community as word gets out! Thanks for supporting this endeavor.
We were down in West Yellowstone over the weekend at the Rendezvous Ski Trails. All trails are open and there was even snow on the tree boughs.
Nordic Ski Structure/Grind Testing: What I Found
I tested three pairs of matched skis, all prepared and zeroed using the same process. Each pair featured a different grind structure. The variations included layered cuts of different depths and frequencies, a cold/fuzzy stone pattern, and a warm/clean cut pattern.
Conditions
The snowpack was cold and dry. No new snow had fallen in the past seven days. Snow temperature measured 5°F in the sun at the start and 10°F at the finish. Skies were clear, and the snow was fresh without any noticeable transformation.
Each pair completed a 2km loop twice and six glide-outs per set.
A Note on Structure Testing
Structure testing has an important limitation worth naming upfront. It only tells you how a ski performs on that specific day, in those specific conditions. You can compare what’s in front of you, but you can’t always know if you’ve taken a step forward or back from a known benchmark.
To add context, I also brought two additional pairs — not matched — that I’ve raced on historically and always liked. Each was prepared by a different grinder in North America. In total, I tested five pairs of Fischer skis across the same 2km loop.
Results
Quick spoiler: all five skis finished within 80cm of each other on the glide out. Here’s how each one broke down.
Ski A-3 tested best in the glide out. It also had the best overall free-feeling release while skating. Furthermore, it performed consistently in both shade and sun on the 2km loop. Overall, it felt great from start to finish.
Ski A-2 tested well in the glide out. However, it produced an unusual sound during skating — almost like a zipper — when the tip returned to contact with the snow. I’ve never noticed that on any other ground ski, whether my own work or someone else’s. This was a three-layer cut with progressively shallower depths and added lines as depth decreased.
Ski A-1 was a close call. It tested well in the glide out and had a great release feel. On course, though, it performed better in the shade — on cold, intact corduroy — than in open sunny spots. That sensitivity stood out.
Ski 123 is historically my go-to in cold, hard conditions. It compared very closely with A-3. I even skied a loop with one A-3 and one 123 — swapping feet both ways — and noticed no meaningful difference. That result was encouraging.
Ski 671 had the best free-release feeling of all five skis. It also felt like it accelerated more quickly during the glide out. And yet it fell short in all six glide outs. Every time, it felt like it would surpass the mark — and every time, it didn’t. Honestly, I’m still not sure what to make of that result.
Conclusion
I ruled out A-2 based on the noise alone. If I were picking race skis on the day, I’d go with A-3 or 671. A-3 felt great and — full disclosure — I made it. 671 earns consideration purely for the freedom of its release feel.
A-1 was also very good. However, given the warming conditions during the test, I see it as a liability on a day with direct sun. In cloudy, overcast, or low-angle sun conditions, it would be an excellent choice.
As for the bigger picture — I’m not sure I’ve taken a definitive step forward in ski grinding. What I do know is that I’m producing compelling grinds that compete at a high level in North America, and especially here in the Rocky Mountain West.
Thanks for reading!
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