BETTER Than SNOWSHOES // Black Diamond GlideLite Trekker Ski Review

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[@GearPriority]

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[@Evintos]

Black Diamond Glidelite 147 are rebranded OAC KAR147 and the Glidelite 127 is a rebranded OAC WAP 127. The Glidelites currently still use the 1st Gen OAC EA Binding. A relatively inexpensive upgrade if you want a little more control is the OAC Heel guide. That'll give a ledges for the heel section of the EA binding to "hook" onto allowing more of your foot to steer the ski.

[@Ryan_hey]

Another option is using the classic 3pin style of bindings, like those made by Voile. You don't technically need to shell out the money for a 3pin boot because there is a company called "Nordic Step" which makes a sort of shoe harness which basically outfits your boot with the necessary binding attachment, be it 3pin, NNN, or NNN-BC. Altai Skis has a 3pin binding WITH a heel riser (climbing wire) made by Voile specifically for Altai skis.

[@BackcountryExposure]

Definitely the best info out there on these skis to date. Still getting used to mine and learning how to turn on them. Good stuff Justin!

[@GearPriority]

Thanks Devin! Can't wait to hear your thoughts on them!

[@synthwavedirtbag]

How are you liking them? have you had them out much this season. love mine.

[@keenanrudichuk6876]

I have skied on these for a couple years now. They are not snowshoes and not dh skis BUT they are super fun. I suggest a telemark style turn in them in powder conditions - They tele pretty good once you get it. Nice review Justin🤘

[@synthwavedirtbag]

Agreed, I have a lot of people asking me to compare them to snowshoes. But to me, they are more of a backcountry nordic ski - really fun!. I now want to get a proper XCD kit.

[@susannewilliams]

get yourself some finngrip easy bindings for those babies, for any soft boot. Way better than those bindings that are also noisy over time. You won’t regret it. I use Altai Hoks. These have been around a few years and the whole concept comes from traditional Altai Mountain skiing. Also worth putting a Voile or other 3 pin telebinding.

[@jivinmiles6352]

Im 25 and hitting the slopes for the first time this year! I’ve skated, skateboarded, wakeboarded, surfed, longborded, and ice skated all my life. I thought I wanted to snowboard but considering I am a fisherman, hiker, and backpacker as well I decided skis would be a much better fit for my lifestyle. THESE ARE MAKING ME SO EXCITED TO HIT THE SLOPES. IM GOING TO COVER MMMMIIILLLLESSS IN THESE BAD BOYS. 😊

[@robertwoodhouse406]

I have owned a set of Altai 125's for 4 years and love them for just getting out into backcountry off trail. They are much better than snowshoes for covering ground with less effort allowing me to go for many miles and get to places in a few hours that a snowshoe trip would be a multiday event. The ability to use any boot I desire makes such a comfort difference and normal boot use like you mentioned is one of the best things I like about this setup. The bindings on the Altai's are very flexible which makes getting them on edge almost impossible and I wonder if the bindings are more ridged on the Glidelite's. The short length makes for a bit of a balancing act going down hill like I see in your video, but I learned to take a telemark position in most downhill situations that provides much better balance. I see a lot of comments directed at the lack of downhill ability in these skiis and that's correct without attaching better bindings and boots but that's also not the job of these. These act like a hybrid in a way due to the great floatation and ease of maneuverability in the woods. Great review, I think you really hit the mark on where these types of skis shine and their limitations. They have made a huge impact on my wintertime enjoyment in the mountains of Maine and my snowmobile sits dormant much more often these days. Thanks, and have fun out there.

[@GearPriority]

You nailed why these skis are awesome! They really make getting out quick and easy.

[@JustinBaker2567]

You should mount them with ski bindings and use them with some leather ski boots like the alpina alaskas. Ski bindings wont twist and bend on you. There is no disadvantage to that other than the cost.

[@happyoutside2558]

I just got my first pair of Altai hok skis. A friend who lives in mountainous snow country uses them. They almost replace her snowshoes entirely, but not if the crust is too hard and icy on a steep slope. Then you might need the metal spikes on a snowshoe. Altai skis is a tiny company making high quality skis for the back country in Curlew, Washington.

[@Ryan_hey]

@@JustinBaker2567 Voile makes a classic-style 3pin binding for Altai skis, and "Nordic Step" also makes a 3pin shoe harness to outfit a normal hiking boot for use in a 3pin binding (that way, you don't need a 3pin ski boot).

[@sagehiker]

I have the 127 cm for two seasons. I would not recommend the 127s but would the 147s. The steel edge makes a world of difference especially on the downslope. The 127s are still superior to longer snowshoes IMO. Another ski to look at is Altai Hok. My home ground is Bighorn Mountains Wyoming.

[@Ryan_hey]

For those that want a shorter ski with a metal edge, Altai makes a 125 with steel edges (as well as a 145). In fact, the Black Diamond looks like it was influenced by Altai being that they have the a very similar universal binding for hiking boots, and have been making them since 2009. You can also opt for a 3pin binding with a heel riser for better control/performance (made by Voile for Altai), then use a "Nordic Step" shoe harness to outfit your hiking boot for 3pin bindings,

[@sagehiker]

The binding is German and same was used by Altai. And in 2023, I would go with Altai Hok. The BD ski is made in Finland, and I too think it was influenced by the Altai Hok. I don't use 3-pin as these skis are paired oftern withh my better snowshoes and I can hot-swap depends on the conditions and the idea of the outting. @@Ryan_hey

[@carakintz3536]

Is there a way to reverse skins for going downhill to slow down for beginners? I hate snowshoes, but love cross country skis. An all purpose binding and ski slow beginner friendly would be amazing!!

[@ThomsNationalTrails]

This is fantastic! I think this is something I was looking for! We've been trying to find something to get into the cross-country skiing element without going all-in on ski gear. This looks like a great introduction and happy medium! Thank you for the review.

[@jeffmacfarlane4148]

I’ve had these skis for 3-4 years now. I fitted them with my NNN BC bindings so I could use my stiff BC boots and also interchange between these and my BC skis. I really like these on hike/ski days in treeline or in nice loose snow and powder. They’re not snowshoes but I like them better. They might not climb as steep of a slope but they’re fun for the little glide outs. I did have a set of the OAC KAR skis which are same as these but I didn’t like this binding setup. I ended up basically demo’ing the OAC and wasn’t happy with the binding but I liked the skis. I sold off the OAC and bought these with the BC bindings. Been really enjoying them. They aren’t downhill skis but they are fun for rolling hill and trees!

[@billb5732]

Wow, I love that they work with normal boots. A real alpine setup is overkill for what I do, but snowshoes are slow. This seems like a nice sweet spot.

[@ericb.4358]

I've use ROSSINGNOL XC skis with 2 "mohair" strips in the kick area back in the late'70s. They wrecked OK UNTIL they iced up. I had to use silicone spray on them but it mover lasted long in wet conditions.

[@MrKEErickson]

If you have watched Werner Herzog’s “Happy People” (a year in the Taiga) you might have seen the inspiration for these modern day equivalents to there beautifully functional handmade ski/snowshoes. Great movie too by the way! After watching the movie I thought I would much rather use what they are using then skinny skis or snowshoes.

[@StephenEscallier]

One of the greatest films ever!!

[@sonyagregoire6965]

i actually ride my skis with my snowboarding boots . The stiffness of the snowboard boots makes it easier to get to the edges . It really made a difference for me .

[@sgrebner1]

I had to search the internet on how to adjust and put them on for the first time. Your video helped me. Thanks. I felt like an idiot. I already have cross country and downhill skis.

[@MrTimGJ]

I've got these gliding snowshoes from both OAC and Sporten, the one thing that I would say is that they are meant to act as snowshoe ++ rather than a ski alternative. Rolling terrain and soft snow is what they were designed for, and a lot of fun in those conditions. I also tried to practice on piste and found out they can be lethal, and as you pointed out, yes, it is hard (awfully hard) to put them on an edge if the snow underfoot isn't soft. Your skiing skills and sense of balance made it look easy, but you were very unstable under foot (how close to brown trousers were you?). They have their slot in the Snowsports hierarchy, but they are not, and never will be, a cheap alternative to a Randonnée ski. Anyone purchasing a set this year, .......PLEASE, take it easy, stay within the design boundaries and you'll have a lot of fun. 😊👍

[@GearPriority]

I actually felt pretty in control going downhill! I was staying well within my limits due to being alone in a remote location. It is definitely important for other people to know their limits too. I agree that this is not a randonee ski but I'd maybe say it's more a ski- than a snowshoe+, haha

[@hematula1]

I beleive the DB GLidelites are actually OAC Skinbased skis. Namely KAR 147 and then WP 127.

[@BrainFartin101]

I appreciate the video, but I'm sticking with my snowshoes. The fact you've been skiing 30 years and still have a hard time keeping balance on these, says it all, lol. If you're just trying to get outside during the winter, this seems like an expensive way to humble yourself. If you are out hunting, setting/checking trap lines, or doing any solo exploring, its not about speed, its about traction and safety - and there is no comparing the benefits of snowshoes.

[@alan4sure]

Only if you have actual snowshoes which need a large surface area to support a person in soft snow. The tiny things sold as snowshoes nowadays merely sink out of sight in actual soft snow. Made for the out of shape masses to make them feel outdoorsy.

[@hubster4477]

@@alan4sure absolutely agree on the newer snowshoes sold today.

[@hypothalapotamus5293]

Part of safety is knowing your equipment. 4:57 looks like it was done for the camera and to see what angle the skins fail at. This might look very bad to someone who doesn't ski, but a normal person would have two poles and transition into a herringbone technique rather than slip out. You fall forward like that once on nordic bindings and you learn not to do it again. Cross country skis in back country are faster but require more careful pathing than snow shoes. A snowshoer can go straight up or down a hill in a forest in deep snow while still being safe. A cross country skier would need some switchbacks to have the same level of safety. This is an important tradeoff and which tool is superior is dependent on your terrain.

[@k9er233]

Looks like a fresh take on the cable binding mountaineering skis we used for the back country and ski mountaineering in the 70's

[@GearPriority]

They are good for what they are made for, but definitely not mountaineering! Their downhill performance is not nearly as good as a dedicated tele ski/boot.

[@cdt5050]

I've been using "back country cross country" aka "nordic touring", and in particular, "cross country downhill" skis instead of snowshoes. I'm using the Asnes Falketind 62 skis, and I got my gf Fischer Traverse 78. Mashus also makes some well liked XCD skis in their Panorama series. This market segment is, for whatever reason, totally ignored by the US. I guess in favor of seeking higher margins and the larger market in Alpine Touring. Most ski shops, regardless if they specialize in AT or XC or whatever, seem utterly confused at the existence of this market segment, and don't understand why it exists alongside AT (hint: my goal isn't to find epic back country alpine skiing outside the resorts, it's to efficiently move through snowy, mountainous terrain). The only advantage of these skis that I see, is that they can be used without specialized boots and are marketed to those without the interest of picking up XC ski skills. But XCBC boots are a lot more like hiking boots than AT boots, and work well for hikes when you don't want to use your skis for whatever reason, and they're relatively affordable, so the advantage is minimal. In all other respects, dedicated BCXC and XCD skis seem superior, and it's not that hard to learn to be effective enough that you'd rather use them over snowshoes (or these things). Yet I've seen these things pop up on KZbin searches as THE novel solution to that line between back country and cross country. And it's kind of disappointing that the US doesn't understand that this is already a thing.

[@jimf1964]

This is a very very old idea making a come back in a modern, very expensive way. They weren’t made for trails, but hunters and trappers used them in back country. I wonder if the built in skins are replaceable?

[@nicolapasquale8115]

I bought them and try the in the Swiss alps where it is very hard to find snow that hasn’t been compacted at elevation and slopes where those skies thrive. Uphill and flat terrain, they are definitely better than snowshoes: easier, lighter, faster. Downhill, it’s very challenging on compacted or hard snow.

[@berniedonoghue8923]

So it's good in powder but sucks on granular and ice. I would rather have a light ski and skin any day. That 2 foot section would provide minimal grip and the downhill performance appears to be really poor.

[@GearPriority]

The grip is actually surprisingly good. Because they have negligible camber and rocker, they don't have that dissimilar of an active skin area compared to a modern powder ski. The downhill perfroamcne is crap, agreed - but that's not their purpose. If downhill is your goal, a dedicated AT setup is the way to go!

[@GabrielJM]

The Altai Hoks with NNNBc bindings work well on gentler down hills. If its too much of a slope their metal edges do great to help you sidestep down to where you feel more comfortable. I use mine to skin up hills and if i am not comfortable getting down i carry them on my back with a sling and use a hammerhead sled to just sled down. I have done this umpteen times and it works great. I carry the sled on my back when skinning up. If there is lots of soft powder The skis work fine coming down also whereas the sled would not.

[@susannewilliams]

If you do some white water sup during the summer you will rip next winter. More like a waterski. Commit to telemark just stride longer

[@yuriklaver4639]

Got a similar, Finnish brand. I'm in the process of screwing split-board bindings on them, for more edge.

[@sethwotten4400]

Thanks for the video! Were you using the longer metal edged ones or the shorter ones without metal edges?

[@martymorissette]

they could ad crampons to the binding system and elevators and these things would be insane!!! A bit like split boards do!

[@randall2787]

It’s like you’re not familiar with…alpine touring skis.

[@GabrielJM]

The crampons would destroy what little downhill ability these skis give you unless of course thy are detachable.

[@zam200864]

Justin, where did you get your ski's, they are almost impossible to find in THE GREAT WHITE NORTH

[@UJustMadeMeLOL]

Bam Margera is looking so much better these days! This outdoor activity must have been good for him!

[@D-Ski-Bike-Kayak-Etc-cv5tm]

You video appeared on my feed and after watching this, I ordered a pair!

[@mxxmikexx1]

2:30 you mention people having the issue with the binding icing up. YEP! happens to me quite regularly and it drives me NUTS. to the point I'm ready to go get some stainless steel machine screws and screw the sliding adjustable heel plate in place because once it ices up it pushes the 2 TINY little steel pins up and out. nothing worse than being out in the freezing cold and wasting your time messing with this nonsense. I love these skis as they suit me well for what I use them for, but the binding setup is quite disappointing that they actually thought it was a good design. great review btw, very informative!

[@mobilewintercamp7515]

I have a similar product, Altai Snow Hoks. The problem is on the east end of America-Canada, we don’t have the vast public land with suck open terrain as the western side. Most snow plowed public lots are for hiking trails that are tight and rough like the AT. There’s spots that the skis are too long for who the undulating terrain. These roller coaster trails have trees that can squeeze very tight at points or you are traversing across the fall line on essentially single track. There’s no room to V or pie wedge and scrub speed. There’s also a lot of hiking activity which packs the trail to the point which many times crampons probably outdo anything. They have so much more usability in your area for legal land access and camping. Enjoy the area you live, we barely have 6 inches in the mountains of Maine. Real tough year so far. Thanks for the video

[@GabrielJM]

I also have the Hoks and totally agree with you. I am in NH btw. I love the Hoks and use them whenever I can. Many times I will use them to ascend a slope that I want to sled down on my Hammerhead and then just sling them on my back for the descent. I also use them on groomed X country trails where they work fine. As you say though on hiking trails the snow is packed down too much and becomes v slick for these skis. Really wish I could get out west to use them in endless soft powder.

[@mobilewintercamp7515]

@@GabrielJM thanks, I’m at my snowmobile house in Maine and have done the same type of stuff as you say. I have cross country skis now for the groomed and I’m still going to experiment with the Hoks. I need to go out on my sled and try them in the real wilderness where the trails go through logging zones and I might be able to match the type of characteristics as the west. I might mount real bindings and try them with my ski boots too. There not bad products it’s just a matter of using them in the appropriate terrain. I see them becoming more popular on hiking channels and I think some hikers may not understand there application, plus they do require some skiing skills. This gentleman skis also but other people may not understand you just can’t get on them and rip. It’s all fir not right now, we need snow bad. Good luck have fun. 😊❤️🇺🇸❄️☃️🛷🔥⛺️🌄

[@GabrielJM]

@@mobilewintercamp7515 Have you waxed the bases at all? Altai suggests silicone spray which I plan on trying next time I go.

[@mobilewintercamp7515]

@@GabrielJM I have some basic all temperature wax . I was unaware of the spray I’ll try it thanks 😊

[@MagooHikes]

Thank You! Great review. You answered all my questions. I am going to order a pair.

[@zakafx]

After seeing your previous videos, I'm set on wanting to purchase these. Next year!

[@AnonymousOtters]

Would rather have fishscaled telemark (or AT) skis 90% of the time. Voile UltraVector BC's are amazing in downhill performance and the scales work just as well if not better than kicker skins on skis like this. Plus, a scaled ski will be faster on both ascent and descent because they have far superior glide to a skin. Use mine 20+ days a year backcountry and sidecountry skiing. The only disadvantage is more expensive startup cost with AT or telemark boots and bindings

[@harryh23]

Looks like it's targeting a very specific area. Snowshoes are great when things are a bit steeper. AT skis are for great skiing down. These wouldn't be good for up that's too steep or down that's too aggressive especially if they don't release. Makes me question who is this targeting?

[@sgrebner1]

I tried mine for the first time today. I need to buy another pair for my kids

[@daynebabchishin2322]

Oac has been making these skiis for many years . These actually look exactly like the OAC 147 KAR . I really enjoy mine and have ordered the 160 cm Oac ski of the same style

[@GearPriority]

I wouldn't be surprised if they are made at the same place

[@OutdoorswithJussi]

These are same skis. In Europe they are marketed with OAC`s own brand and in US with BD. Made in Finland!

[@koejoe]

How do you like the 160s ? I’m thinking about buying the GT or the wider model

[@GabrielJM]

@@koejoe would the 160s not greatly compromise the whole idea of using these as sliding snowshoes?

[@koejoe]

@@GabrielJM fair point .. trade off is more of a ski I guess

[@carakintz3536]

If someone could make a pair with a metal track or teeth that could be easily adjusted for icy or compacted snow for steep uphills and downs will make some $$

[@doctorstainy]

I always wondered why someone would use snowshoes instead of skis. Any crosscountry ski beats the snowshoe by far. If you are a group or you are going to go the same route multiple times the ski will be even more efficient since you create a smooth track. If its too steep or rocky you can just carry the skis. What keeps you going uphill is the thought about the sweet downhill ride.

[@GearPriority]

Snowshoes are good for some mountain or pass trails that are steep and have deep snow. But there are fewer trails like that than ones that work well for skis I find!

[@pascaljutras178]

I guaranty there is no way skis could be good enough for extreme mountain off road with low space between trees. Yes snowshoes may be slower but you can go almost everywhere.

[@JustinBaker2567]

Skiing takes skill, snowshoes don't. That's why people snowshoe. Going downhill in moderate terrain in crosscountry boots is an expert level skill.

[@sobad4me]

My guess on why a heel riser isn’t necessary on this is because you’re in a soft boot and you gain an incredible amount of forward lean mobility. So what you gain on that front you lose on downhill performance; namely being able to get up on your edge.

[@GearPriority]

That's what I was thinking too. Makes sense!

[@julians.2597]

you also shouldnt really be on slopes steep enough to need one with these. Since they have no heel release and their length still gives them a good amount of leverage you could probably say goodbye to your ankle

[@t00thygr1n]

I wonder if a stiffer snowboard boot would work better. That kinda ups the gear buying needs over a simple solution, but could help bridge the gap if the route gets more hilly

[@Jodoodman]

Beautiful area! awesome time out there it looks like!

[@axelre5246]

the downhill ski performance looks like on my splitboard with the karakoram bindings in ski mode

[@benlzicar7628]

These are pretty freakin' cool! But if I could only carry these or a pair of camber/cleat snowshoes in my survival kit I'd take the snowshoes. If I needed to travers down/up washes or other uneven terrain some shoes with metal cleats are going to beat these bar none, but I think the GlideLite is a far better option for touring flat or groomed terrain, look hella lot more fun as well.

[@SaraB1686]

I agree!

[@benlzicar7628]

@@SaraB1686 I ended up ordering a set of these! But I'm going to do something crazy and install some tech bindings on them and use some lightweight boots I have. Curious to see how they play :D

[@SaraB1686]

@@benlzicar7628 sounds interesting. Good luck!

[@andrewbrown6522]

@@benlzicar7628 Thats like putting low pro wheels on a lifted 4x4.

[@nathanadrian7797]

Floatation depends on footprint size, for instance, your skis have about 290 square inches of floatation each, while my 12x60 Ojibwa snowshoes have about 320 square inches of floatation each. It doesn't take rocket science to figure out what ski or snowshoe will have better floatation, the bigger the surface area, the better the floatation.

[@nathanadrian7797]

My 12x60 Ojibwa snowshoes only weigh 3lbs.

[@redleaderone8429]

They should make them with a hinge so you can fold them up to stuff in a pack

[@JasonKechely]

Great review, thanks for this.

[@zakafx]

Is there a reason to want the longer ones than the shorter ones? Specifically the length, not the steel siding feature you were discussing. I'll admit I've only used skiis 2 times in my life but these seem up my alley for what I would like to do.

[@rgmALC]

Shorter skis for quicker turning

[@GearPriority]

Overall more surface area for flotation

[@zakafx]

@@GearPriority thanks Justin!

[@daynebabchishin2322]

Oac has a 160 cm which I have ordered recently. 13 more cm I'm expecting a bit more glide

[@ridbaird7913]

Great review, wondering where are you using your skis in the video?

[@GearPriority]

Taylor Lake :)

[@markjones3425]

....those soft hiking boots will make the ski product feel a lot less stable than they actually are..a slightly stiffer cuff in your boots will make a huge difference in the fun/descent portion of the trip

[@paule5195]

Does anyone make a ski shoe like that with no skin? I dont have any hills to climb or go down but would still like to make trails and go in deep snow.

[@bisarowood]

very interesting , I used to have a Euro version of this with scales on the whole ski and Xcrountry bindings ...

[@alan4sure]

Me too back in 1976. Worst combo ever You couldn't go uphill steeply and they limited your coasting ability on flats or downhill.

[@MonasheeStickbows]

Look into some Drift Approach Skis, there lighter and more packable!!

[@randall2787]

These seem great for flats and rolling terrain. These would be an absolutely awful idea for true down hill skiing (backcountry, on piste, anything). The heel is free, so you won’t be making turns on unpacked snow unless you’re already an advanced tele skier. The boots are soft, putting you at risk for ankle injury. The bindings don’t release, putting you at risk for knee injury and making them potentially fatal for traveling in avalanche terrain. Do not take these on or underneath 30 degree or steeper slopes.

[@alan4sure]

Exactly. For an actual skier, these are the worst of all possible worlds and one more way for really clueless people to get themselves in trouble in the mtns. Right now they are just limited to snowshoes, but there are way too many of them. Clueless entitled ppl.

[@kernjones1982]

@@alan4sure I can’t believe these are better than an A/T setup in any way. Any of the stuff he skied in the video he would’ve been better off with A/T . Not even to mention safety

[@koejoe]

A world full of compromises. Y’all make very important points here. I snowboard for powder days and ski for the groom days. I enjoying snowshoeing a lot. And now I am thinking of getting rid of it all for a back country set up. ❤

[@captspock1]

Are the skins replaceable or do they last for the life of the ski?

[@GearPriority]

Not replaceable. But I think they should last 10+ years.

[@cypriano8763]

Hey how is the glide, could you actually ski. Are the skins solid and are they easily replaceable. Is this the future of alpine touring skis I wonder

[@julians.2597]

no, definitely not. these lack almost every feature that makes alpine touring skis as good as they are. these are really only a replacement for snowshoes and definitely not for skis. no binding release, on heel lock, too much flexibility in the system, too short, no camber, small skin area, cant take skins off, no climbing aid.

[@GearPriority]

I don't think the skins are replaceable. The skis glide very well. Can't actually ski on them well. Alpine Touring skis are a different beast.

[@pavlodeshko]

how are those compared to more traditional steel-edged wide backcountry skiis? thanx

[@julians.2597]

these are really only a replacement for snowshoes and definitely not for skis. no binding release, on heel lock, too much flexibility in the system, too short, no camber, small skin area, cant take skins off, no climbing aid. going on any steep slopes with these is wishing to get your foot twisted off.

[@GearPriority]

Great for approaches, but you're not going downhill like on Alpine Touring skis.

[@Pasequale100]

Great video! Thanks a lot

[@Ericxnugz]

why not just use a splitboard or skis

[@GearPriority]

Cost, ease of use, and amount of new gear required. If you have winter boots, you can throw these skis on and hit the trail.

[@susannewilliams]

comfy boots is why

[@johnyoung2544]

Yea the old Trax ranger sliding snow-shoe is back!

[@johnyoung2544]

Some people have 1 screwdriver for any screw some have enough drivers to fit all screws

[@Fullzebra105]

How would these be in the PNW with our wet snow?

[@GearPriority]

Probably decent still

[@gmanfilm]

I appreciate all the effort that you put into this video but I don't think it's fair to compare the snowshoe to a glidelite, two different sports. It would have been way more realistic to compare the glidelite to a backcountry touring ski. I snowshoe a lot in the mountains and I would never use a glidelite where I go. Even where I go using an aggressive MSR shoe the folks with just a normal shoe find it difficult to do any serious hill climbing. I have lots of Black Diamond gear because it lasts but a glidelite will not be one.

[@marcelmatzenauer6352]

Decathlon also makes these skis, you should try them out 👍🏻

[@bradh1502]

I have them! There amazing and cheaper!

[@marcelmatzenauer6352]

@@bradh1502 I have them ordered, what is your experience so far?

[@GearPriority]

I'd like to try them out!

[@bradh1502]

@@marcelmatzenauer6352 I love them!

[@bradh1502]

@@GearPriority you can borrow them for a video. I'm curious in how they compare to the ones you have.

[@KarlDeckerPresents]

Thanks Justin, new to me!

[@craigapelbaum1629]

Sir. I'm am avid snowshoer. And I beg to differ. I've tried skiing. I've tried snowboarding. They are not for me. My Atlas snowshoes are light enough for me. After my hike. I want to go home with both of my legs. Not one leg. Plus you're skiing with full pack. And you're going fast. What if you fall ? I hike with a full pack what I need for the day. And I'm good. I don't fall. But if you're able to do this. Then more power to you sir. Have a good day.

[@sebulban]

Interestingly they are Made in Finland. Wonder who the manufacturer is?

[@GearPriority]

My guess is OAC

[@nroose]

That link says they are not available...

[@GearPriority]

Sold out unfortunately :(

[@yossarianmnichols9641]

I guess you didn't make the clip Dec 2021 because that REI link is dead.

[@GearPriority]

They are sold out it seams :(

[@gcprost]

I wish these skis would have been available 30 years ago. As an ice climber you have to get to the climb. Climbing boots don’t work on conventional mountaineering skis. These appear to be perfect for this purpose. Snow shoes don’t work well because the snow piles up on them making them very heavy and they are very slow up and downhill. I have not done this myself; however, I have been on mountaineering trips where very fit people on snow shoes found themselves with their tongues hanging out.

[@AnonymousOtters]

Its a good thought. I do approaches in telemark skis w/ scales, Voile UltraVector BC's, then just climb in my ski boots. Works fine on lower grade ice. These might be more advantageous on a short or less technical approaches, or when you need a more technical climbing boot.

[@gcprost]

@@AnonymousOtters It doesn’t sound like you have worn proper ice climbing boots or done waterfall ice climbing.

[@FeeblePenguin]

There's been a significant number of tib/fib fractures with these bad boys! No safety release so be careful!!

[@GearPriority]

Where are you getting that info? With no lockdown ability on the heel, I have troubles seeing how you'd have tib/fib fracture.

[@markdroege9105]

You can get snowshoes to around 80 bucks

[@murrayandru7527]

Outta Stock , none to be found , but Thanks for sharing ski is faster for sure .

[@GearPriority]

oh no! Gotta pick them up early in the year. I think BD gets a certain number into north america every fall and then they usually sell out by jan/feb.

[@susannewilliams]

Look for Altai Hoks. The OG.

[@forestweston5055]

So BD is finally copying the Altai skis. You’ll like those much better if you mount a decent Voile 3-pin binding on it and use a lightweight telemark 3 pin boot. The Voile heel piece has a riser and you can mount the removable crampons under foot. Still not a substitute for a real AT setup but outstanding in tight woods. Light years ahead of snowshoes.

[@GearPriority]

I have a feeling the BD skis are made by OAC for BD. BD rebrands several European brands for North America. I'm not sure of Altai or OAC came first (does it really matter?), but OAC does have a patent for embedded skin.

[@ianlarson5313]

This is 100% "back to the future"- reinventing skis from 100 years ago. Could be the start of a whole new category of equipment. If you're going to get them, better learn telemark turns, though.

[@GearPriority]

Not really meant for true skiing, so I think you could get by without the tele!

[@АртурМайер-Шевцов]

Чуваки изобрели охотничьи лыжи!👍

[@calvinloney5996]

I have the oac equivalent to these skis. They are great but definitely have their limitations. You covered most of the main ones (can't go up any meaningful grade without slipping), and downhill performance is barely existent. They do also pack up with snow causing the elastic to become stretched open. The binding system is also not very comfortable on long days, even with a soft winter hiking boot.

[@GearPriority]

Luckily I haven't had any issues with the elastic or comfort yet! Something I will be keeping an eye on though. Thanks for the heads up!

[@AuTrading1]

Use snowshoes if you can't ski, or get a proper pair of backcountry skis. I wouldn't waste my money on these heavy sticks.

[@susannewilliams]

have you tried them?

[@AuTrading1]

@@susannewilliams I've tried approach skis, and I'm not going to pay 500 dollars for these when I can pay a little more for a proper pair of Backcountry skis.

[@AuTrading1]

A pair of scaled skis is probably better as well

[@susannewilliams]

@@AuTrading1 I have both. In fact I have all sorts of skis for the backcountry, from classic asnes fjellski for norway and boreal canada, to salomon x-adv 89 which I love for float, then I have some hardcore fisher exped skis 215cm for long distance pulk work (like 6 weeks solo) plus then various AT gear, light with atomic backcountry boots and voiles and medium salomon x-mtn AT stuff. And my Altai Hoks. So naw, you spend your money on what you want but don’t be telling me that an ancient ski tradition that has stood the test of time is a waste of money because you prefer AT. Really dude. Btw - approach skis are something else again. Hmmm it occurs to me. Maybe you can’t telemark. Over here everyone learns to telemark as a kid. Yeah if you can’t make turns, better stick to fixed heel. Then it would be a waste of money for you indeed.

[@AuTrading1]

@@susannewilliams neat, you do you. I wasn't telling you to do anything. I just know what is going to work best where I am in Colorado and other high Alpine objectives, and this ain't it.

[@dirtybird99]

My first though is I would be wanting a way to lock down that heel for descents . .

[@GearPriority]

Alpine Touring skis/bindings are the way to go in that case!

[@susannewilliams]

learn to telemark. people run these things downhill in powder, drop some 3 pin voiles on them and rip!

[@GetUpTheMountains]

I don't ski, but I do wear a dashing Outdoor Research Wrigley Hat! Pure sex appeal!

[@waterfalls4540]

Go In Peace Brother

[@PainterD54]

$460? Are you out of your mind?!m can make them for a fraction of that.

[@GearPriority]

With how quickly these sell out every year, sounds like you have a great business opportunity!

[@acul7919]

Perfect product for someone who wants, and can, throw money away.

[@stevendenman9744]

French fry, pizza.

[@yanakidesign]

BD just copy OAC and Altai skis... who's next?

[@GearPriority]

OAC makes the skis for BD...

[@bertrand3055]

Try #Snooc !

[@XbunkerXballerX7127]

The bindings on these suck. Too much flex

[@aglandscape1]

Snow shoes don't require poles to move so I would highly disagree there better than snow shoes.

[@GearPriority]

These skis require poles about as much as they are required for snowshoeing. You can get by without them, but it is a lot easier with.

[@DEVILDOG1964]

NOT IF YOUR IN THE BRUSH HUNTING SNOWSHOE RABBITS WITH BEAGLES'!!!!

[@dumbdumber1885]

just no.

[@GearPriority]

why?

[@chuckzinda4820]

Most of your review shows you skiing on groomed trails. Where's the actual comparison to snowshoes in new snow?

[@GearPriority]

There are a couple of shots on untouched snow. Half my use has been on untouched.

[@hubster4477]

Over 400$? No way. I'll stick to my wooden snowshoes that float way better than those aluminum new age shoes.

[@GearPriority]

Worth it if you're covering large distances!

[@peterhudyma6480]

Short skis still suck.

[@TR-nw8hz]

Skis man. Just use skis with skins. Or else look like a noob

[@Beehive_Enduro]

Learn how to ski and buy some touring skis and bindings (used) these are so ridiculous 🙄

[@devo69er]

Sweet montage!!!! 🤪👍