REVIEW: 2015 FISCHER E-99 TOUR XTRALITE EASY-SKIN

2015 Fischer E-99 Tour Xtralite Easy-Skin

FAST.

Smooth.

High-performance grip and glide.

Very light, responsive and manoeuvrable.

Finely-tuned flex for efficient xcountry skiing on highly variable snow.

Summary

• Excellent backcountry xcountry ski: double-cambered with a moderately-stiff flex pattern.  Excellent Nordic kick and glide off the groomed track.  This is first and foremost a xcountry ski- the strengths of this ski require using an appropriate xcountry length.
• Relatively stiff double-camber makes climbing steep terrain challenging without climbing skins.  Extending kick wax forward and/or using the Easy-Skin takes this ski up much steeper slopes than the waxless-scaled E-99 Crown.
• Camber-flex pattern makes for highly efficient xcountry skiing in the backcountry.  This ski is FAST!
• Significant, relatively stiff second camber requires focused “kick” in fresh, soft snow.
• Flex pattern is finely tuned for efficient backcountry-xcountry skiing on variable terrain and snow.
• Probably best suited to gentle to moderate terrain- due to second camber being difficult to control when climbing and turning.
• Downhill performance is challenging due to stiff second camber.
• Would break trail more effectively with a broader, raised-elongated tip- FOR SURE.

The model I have was bought on clearance this past summer- it is a 2015-2016 model.  As far as I know the 2016 model has not been updated.

The E-99 is a versatile, high-performance, distance-oriented backcountry-xcountry (BC-XC) ski.  It is double-cambered for kick and glide efficiency, but it has a flex pattern designed for the backcountry.  

The stiff double camber makes for an exciting ride down-hill!  On the other hand they are so wonderfully light and snappy that I find I can navigate all kinds of weird downhill complexes of step turns, parallel turns, and step/jump telemarks.  They stride through turns beautifully.  That being said- they are nowhere near as easy to squash as a softer ski like the E-109.  In short- the E-109 is a better down-hill ski than the E-99 because of its flex pattern.

FAST- speed baby.

Specs

I am 5’10” and weigh 185lbs.  I am skiing on the 210cm.

Here are the specs:

• Lengths to 210cm.
• Sidecut profile: 66-54-61mm.
• Camber profile: significant, and moderately stiff initial camber; moderate and very stiff second camber.
• Flex pattern: stiff ski- period.
• Low profile tip- relatively soft- compared to the rest of the profile- and flexible.
• Flat stiff tail.
• Full length, but not wrap-around, metal edge.
• High-quality, sintered base.
• Integrated “Easy-Skin” kicker skin.

Background

What is the E-99?

Although I am aware that many a Fennoscandian skier would describe the E-99 as a “fjellski” or XCD ski- from a North American perspective, the E-99 is a backcountry CROSS-COUNTRY ski.  It is clearly designed to travel long distances in the wilderness and mountains.

Fischer originally designed the E-99 to be the “best Nordic backcountry ski in the world”.  Did they meet that mark?  I have a fairly wide range of BC Nordic skis to choose from in my quiver- from narrow, stiff, double-cambered, to wide, soft and single-cambered.  This winter I have already skied on the full range of temperatures and snow conditions that I would typically get in an entire season (e.g.  It was -35C on Friday morning, and +5C on Saturday afternoon!).  Despite the E-99 having very limited downhill control- the E-99 Tour may well become my most used ski on a day-to-day basis.  (I don’t typically take in much serious vertical unless I have at least a few hours to ski.  My typical daily BC tour is a 5km or 10km loop on relatively gentle terrain).

Performance

As I already mentioned- this xcountry ski is fast- really fast.  That stiff flex and double camber produces true classic kick and glide performance.  As a backcountry ski, the flex pattern offers brilliant kick and glide performance- even on soft fresh snow.  It does require a focused Nordic “kick’ in order to offer effective traction- but appropriate application of kick wax quickly resolves any issues..  For those skiers with little experience with xcountry skiing on double-cambered skis, this may- at first- produce a frustrating slip and slide experience.  If these skis are the appropriate cross-country length, they will have an effective, pronounced wax/traction pocket underfoot- you will need to fully weight the ski to compress the camber and get some grip.  Double-cambered skis require transferring all of your weight from one ski to the other.  If I have kick wax right, but I need a little more grip- extending the kick wax forward does the trick!

Easy Skin.  This integrated skin works very well.  Due to the double-camber- the 50mm skin works best on this ski.  Kick wax is so effective, that I will likely only use the Easy-Skin in the following conditions:

• Difficult and/or highly variable snow conditions.
• Climbing “steep” slopes.  I am a bit unsure about this…If I had to climb anything truly steep with this ski- I would probably want full-length skin.  HOWEVER- if I had to do a lot of steep climbing, I wouldn’t choose this stiff, double-cambered ski in the first place!  The 50mm Easy-Skin does offer some extra climbing grip- especially on difficult snow.
• Pulling/Carrying weight.  Kick wax definitely offers better kick and glide performance- but, when pulling or carrying a heavy load- the extra grip of the Easy-Skin is much needed.

Compared to an even narrower, stiffer ski.  As a comparison- I managed to test the E-89 again, before last winter was out (I have been debating between the E-89 vs. E-99 for a few years now).  The E-89 is even stiffer and faster than the E-99.  In fact- the E-89 is almost as stiff as my Atomic classic track touring skis.  The E-89 is so stiff that I think it is too stiff for soft snow.  If I had a lot of hard snow to ski on- I might consider the E-89.  But- I find the E-99 is plenty fast enough on hard snow, and it is much more stable and smooth on fresh snow- and it definitely offer better grip than the E-89 on soft snow.

Compared to the E-109.  The flex pattern of the E-109 is narrowly tuned in for soft, fresh snow.  It is much easier to compress the camber and engage the traction zone of the E-109.  HOWEVER- using grip wax on the E-99 Tour- the E-99 has every bit as much grip as the E-109.

The tip on the E-99 is low profile.  To be honest- it basically sucks when breaking trail.  The Nordic rocker does help- quite a bit.  I was actually surprised by how much these tips open up when the camber is completely compressed.  The tip is softer and more flexible than the rest of the profile. This was very noticeable- and appreciated- on hard icy snow earlier this ski season.  A broad, raised-elongated tip would be much appreciated on this ski.

The tail is flat and stiff, and tracks beautifully- just like a xcountry ski should!

Sidecut…Does this ski need sidecut?  I don’t know- doesn’t every ski need sidecut?  This ski has 12mm of sidecut…At a length of 210cm- what is the turning radius of a ski with only 12mm of sidecut?  Do you still think it needs sidecut?  I offer this- you put this ski on edge and try and carve your way through the glade- and guess what happens- YOU HIT THE TREE!

Flotation.  This is not a powder ski- of course it isn’t.  But I need to be completely honest here….I don’t find that my wider midwidth skis (e.g. E-109/Eon) offer any more effective flotation than the E-99…If the E-109 performs “better” in deep, soft snow, it is because of the flex pattern, not its width.

Downhill skiing!  To a high-performance track xcountry skier, the E-99 might actually feel wimpy and soft.  BUT- no matter what you compare the flex to- one will definitely discover that this ski is double-cambered when downhill skiing!!  The pronounced, stiff second camber on this ski makes for a bit of a wild ride down-hill- especially if one is trying to get the ski to perform like a downhill ski.  One would need a very short E-99 in order to be able to completely control its camber in a downhill turn- with both skis equally weighted.  (This short length would ruin its xcountry performance.)  However- on moderate terrain- I find even my 210cm E-99 to be a lot of fun on the downhill.  Why?  How?  These skis are incredibly light and responsive.  I find I can easily make them turn on moderate slopes, through a mix of step/stride/stem/jump turns- stride your way down the hill.  If you are comfortable transferring weight from ski to ski- these skis are great on the down-hill.  Obviously, on truly steep terrain, one needs more stability and control than this xcountry ski has to offer.  The Nordic rocker on this ski is unavailable unless the ski is completely weighted- something that is not always possible when downhill skiing on a long, stiff, double-cambered ski!

Conclusion

This is a finely-tuned backcountry-xcountry touring ski.

For anyone wanting to travel long distances at speed in the backcountry- the E-99 is the real deal.  It is a truly double-cambered ski, offering a very effective wax/traction pocket- true Nordic kick and glide.  However, Fischer has finely tuned the flex pattern of the E-99 for off-track snow.  With some skill and focused “kick”, the camber is easy to control on variable terrain and snow.  (This ski would feel relatively “soft” and slow on a groomed track- compared to a high-performance track ski.)

The combination and versatility of kick wax and the integrated Easy-Skin are unbeatable.

The E-99 offers- to me- an excellent balance between stability and speed for a xcountry ski in the backcountry.  If the snow you are skiing on is typically hard and dense, an even narrower ski would be faster- but, I prefer the greater stability of the E-99 for fresh snow and hilly terrain.

In my opinion, the E-99 offers as much effective flotation as wider mid-width skis like the E-109.

The E-99 breaks trail very poorly- despite the Nordic rocker.  It would GREATLY benefit from a higher profile, broad, raised tip.

If you want to- or need to- climb and ski down relatively steep terrain, a softer flexing ski is probably a better choice (e.g. E-109)- but nowhere near as fast as the E-99.

The expedition-grade dependability of the E-99 is legendary.  I have heard many reports of the current generation E-99 being less durable and prone to breakdown…I hope that Fischer resolves this critical issue.

For me- the E-99 Tour Easy-Skin has become my go-to daily, speed-oriented BC-XC ski.  Speed baby.

REVIEW: 2014 FISCHER E-99 CROWN XTRALITE

2014 Fischer E-99 Crown Xtralite

Summary

• Excellent backcountry xcountry ski: double-cambered with a moderately-stiff flex pattern.  Excellent Nordic kick and glide off the groomed track.  This is first and foremost a xcountry ski- the strengths of this ski require using an appropriate xcountry length.
• Excellent waxless scale traction for kick and glide skiing- on warm wet snow.
• Relatively stiff double-camber makes climbing steep terrain challenging without climbing skins.
• Camber-flex pattern makes for highly efficient xcountry skiing in the backcountry.  This ski is FAST!
• Significant, relatively stiff second camber requires focused “kick” in fresh, soft snow.
• Flex pattern is finely tuned for efficient backcountry-xcountry skiing on variable terrain and snow.
• Probably best suited to gentle to moderate terrain- due to second camber being difficult to control when climbing and turning.
• Downhill performance is challenging due to stiff second camber.
• Would be even better with Nordic rocker in the tip.
• Would break trail more effectively with a broader, raised-elongated tip- FOR SURE.
• The integrated “Easy-Skin” would be a decent upgrade.

Here begins my intimate relationship with the 2014 Fischer E-99 Crown.

The model I have was bought on clearance this past summer- it is a 2014-2015 model.  The current model has been upgraded with Nordic Rocker in the tip.

The E-99 is a versatile, high-performance, distance-oriented backcountry-xcountry (BC-XC) ski.  It is double-cambered for kick and glide efficiency, but it has a flex pattern designed for the backcountry.  The flex pattern is stiff for a backcountry ski- nowhere near as stiff as a track ski- but it is controllable on fresh snow, at least in a xcountry context.  That double camber makes these skis very efficient in a xcountry context, but I find these skis very challenging to climb slopes without a climbing skin (especially with the waxless scale pattern- this ski with a waxable base climbs better).  The addition of the integrated “Easy-Skin” would be an excellent upgrade to this xcountry ski- greatly improving their climbing performance.  The Easy-Skin would also offer better xcountry grip on difficult snow.

The stiff double camber makes for an exciting ride down-hill!  On the other hand they are so wonderfully light and snappy that I find I can navigate all kinds of weird downhill complexes of step turns, parallel turns, and step/jump telemarks.  They stride through turns beautifully.  That being said- they are nowhere near as easy to squash as a softer ski like the E-109.  In short- the E-109 is a better down-hill ski than the E-99 because of its flex pattern.

FAST.  This ski is incredibly fast for a waxless BC-XC ski.

Specs

I am 5’10” and weigh 185lbs.  I am skiing on the 210cm.

Here are the specs:

• Lengths to 210cm.
• Sidecut profile: 66-54-61mm.
• Camber profile: significant, and moderately stiff initial camber; moderate and very stiff second camber.
• Flex pattern: stiff ski- period.
• Low profile tip- relatively soft- compared to the rest of the profile- and flexible.
• Flat stiff tail.
• Full length, but not wrap-around, metal edge.
• High-quality, sintered base on tip and tail.
• “Offtrack-Crown” waxless scale base insert.

Background

What is the E-99?

Although I am aware that many a Fennoscandian skier would describe the E-99 as a “fjellski” or XCD ski- from a North American perspective, the E-99 is a backcountry CROSS-COUNTRY ski.  It is clearly designed to travel long distances in the wilderness and mountains.

Performance

As I already mentioned- this xcountry ski is fast- really fast.  That stiff flex and double camber produces true classic kick and glide performance.  As a backcountry ski, the flex pattern offers brilliant kick and glide performance- even on soft fresh snow.  It does require a focused Nordic “kick’ in order to offer effective traction.  For those skiers with little experience with xcountry skiing on double-cambered skis, this may- at first- produce a frustrating slip and slide experience.  If these skis are the appropriate cross-country length, they will have an effective, pronounced wax/traction pocket underfoot- you will need to fully weight the ski to compress the camber and get some grip.  Double-cambered skis require transferring all of your weight from one ski to the next.  (Grip/kick wax offers better and more reliable traction than the waxless scales.)

Compared to an even narrower, stiffer ski.  As a comparison- I managed to test the E-89 again, before last winter was out (I have been debating between the E-89 vs. E-99 for a few years now).  The E-89 is even stiffer and faster than the E-99.  In fact- the E-89 is almost as stiff as my Atomic classic track touring skis.  The E-89 is so stiff that I think it is too stiff for soft snow.  If I had a lot of hard snow to ski on- I might consider the E-89.  But- I find the E-99 is plenty fast enough on hard snow, and it is much more stable and smooth on fresh snow- and it definitely offer better grip than the E-89 on soft snow.

Compared to the E-109 Crown.  The flex pattern of the E-109 is tuned in for soft, fresh snow.  It is much easier to compress the camber and engage the traction zone of the E-109.  HOWEVER- using grip wax on the E-99 Tour- the E-99 has every bit as much grip as the E-109.

The tip on the E-99 is low profile.  To be honest- it basically sucks when breaking trail.  There is no Nordic Rocker in this generation of the E-99 xtralite.  The tip is softer and more flexible than the rest of the profile. This was very noticeable- and appreciated- on hard icy snow earlier this ski season.

The tail is flat and stiff, and tracks beautifully- just like a xcountry ski should!

Sidecut…Does this ski need sidecut?  I don’t know- doesn’t every ski need sidecut?  This ski has 12mm of sidecut…At a length of 210cm- what is the turning radius of a ski with only 12mm of sidecut?  Do you still think it needs sidecut?  I offer this- you put this ski on edge and try and carve your way through the glade- and guess what happens- YOU HIT THE TREE!

Flotation.  This is not a powder ski- of course it isn’t.  But I need to be completely honest here….I don’t find that my wider midwidth skis (e.g. E-109/Eon) offer any more effective flotation than the E-99…If the E-109 performs “better” in deep, soft snow, it is because of the flex pattern, not its width.

Traction.  Fischer’s Offtrack Crown scale pattern is very, very good.  This ski offers excellent grip on warm, wet snow.  Otherwise, the stiff, the double-camber makes fresh, soft snow- worse, icy snow- a bit of a slippery experience.  The double camber makes climbing anything steep a real challenge- without skins.  As the slope increases, it becomes very difficult to fully weight the ski.

Grip/kick wax greatly improves the traction of this ski in both K&G and climbing contexts (hint: the E-99 Tour rocks!)

The addition of Fischer’s Easy-Skin would be a much appreciated upgrade to the E-99 Crown.

Downhill skiing!  To a high-performance track xcountry skier, the E-99 might actually feel wimpy and soft.  BUT- no matter what you compare the flex to- one will definitely discover that this ski is double-cambered when downhill skiing!!  The pronounced, stiff second camber on this ski makes for a bit of a wild ride down-hill- especially if one is trying to get the ski to perform like a downhill ski.  One would need a very short E-99 in order to be able to completely control its camber in a downhill turn- with both skis equally weighted.  (This short length would ruin its xcountry performance.)  However- on moderate terrain- I find even my 210cm E-99 to be a lot of fun on the downhill.  Why?  How?  These skis are incredibly light and responsive.  I find I can easily make them turn on moderate slopes, through a mix of step/stride/stem/jump turns- stride your way down the hill.  If you are comfortable transferring weight from ski to ski- these skis are great on the down-hill.  Obviously, on truly steep terrain, one needs more stability and control than this xcountry ski has to offer.

The hills I ski through typically offer multiple routes downhill.  If I am out with my E-99s I can simply choose a more gentle line downhill, than I would with a more down-hill oriented ski.

Conclusion

This is a finely-tuned backcountry-xcountry touring ski.

For anyone wanting to travel long distances at speed in the backcountry- the E-99 is the real deal.  It is a truly double-cambered ski, offering a very effective wax/traction pocket- true Nordic kick and glide.  However, Fischer has finely tuned the flex pattern of the E-99 for off-track snow.  With some skill and focused “kick”, the camber is easy to control on variable terrain and snow.  (This ski would feel relatively “soft” and slow on a groomed track.)

The waxless scale pattern is really only effective on warm wet snow.  As a result- the E-99 Crown will be a seasonal ski for me.  I will end up using the waxable E-99 Tour much more.  

The addition of the Easy-Skin, integrated kicker skin would be an excellent upgrade to the E-99 Crown.

The E-99 offers- to me- an excellent balance between stability and speed for a xcountry ski in the backcountry.  If the snow you are skiing on is typically hard and dense, an even narrower ski would be faster- but, I prefer the greater stability of the E-99 for fresh snow and hilly terrain.

In my opinion, the E-99 offers as much effective flotation as wider mid-width skis like the E-109.

The E-99 breaks trail very poorly.  It would GREATLY benefit from a higher profile, broad, raised tip.  The addition of Nordic Rocker on the more recent E-99 helps a bit as well.

If you want to- or need to- climb and ski down relatively steep terrain, a softer flexing ski is probably a better choice (e.g. E-109)- but nowhere near as fast as the E-99.

The expedition-grade dependability of the E-99 is legendary.  I have heard many reports of the current generation E-99 being less durable and prone to breakdown…I hope that Fischer resolves this critical issue.

For me- the E-99 Crown will be shoulder-season ski (warm, wet snow) for distance-oriented backcountry-xcountry skiing.  Speed baby.

REVIEW: 2015 FISCHER E-109 TOUR XTRALITE EASY-SKIN

2015 Fischer E-109 Tour Easy-Skin

Dawn.

Twelve inches of fresh cold powder on top of 2 feet of condensed frozen base.

-15C, brilliant clear sky- not a breath of wind.

Kick wax- MAN.

Flying through a snow-covered canopy.  EPIC.

Specs of my new love:

• 205cm length.
• Sidecut profile: 82-60-70mm.
• Camber profile: significant, but soft initial camber- low but very stiff second camber.
• Nordic rocker: the tips open up significantly when the camber is fully compressed.
• Flex pattern: moderately stiff.  Smooth, soft, round initial flex pattern from point of “Nordic rocker” to tail.  “Wax” or traction pocket is somewhat preserved by shallow, stiff, second camber.
• Low profile tip.
• Flat tail.
• Full length, but not wrap-around, metal edge.
• High-quality, sintered base.

Grip wax in the backcountry- on a ski designed for XCD skiing on fresh soft snow- WICKED.

Supposed to remove the grip wax before applying the “Easy”-skin.  Not going to use it much.

Improvements?

1. Broad, raised tip.
2. Less sidecut.

REVIEW: 2015 Fischer E-109 Crown Xtralite

2015 Fischer E-109 Crown

• Excellent backcountry Nordic ski: cross-country skiing on fresh snow with a mix of old-school and new-school downhill performance.  
• Perhaps Fischer’s last remaining distance-oriented XCD ski, with lengths up to 205cm.
• Excellent waxless scale traction.
• Brilliant flex-camber pattern- providing controllable camber, with enough camber and stiffness to offer very good xcountry performance on fresh snow.
• Would be even better with less sidecut and more width underfoot.
• Would break trail more effectively with a broader, raised-elongated tip.

Here begins my intimate relationship with the 2015 Fischer E-109 Crown.

The model I have was bought on clearance this past summer- it is a 2015-2016 model.  As far as I know, the current E-109 has not been updated for 2016-2017.

I will start with some disclosure.  When it comes to backcountry-xcountry (BC-XC) skis, I am a lifelong (43 years old) Karhu enthusiast.  The legendary backcountry Nordic ski of my mind is a metal-edged, wood-cored Karhu touring ski that my father happened to buy in the mid-70s, and then hand down to me in the late-80s.  I have no idea what the model was- the decals were worn off by the time I even cared to notice.  But this beloved ski was a “mid-width” backcountry-xcountry ski- with very similar dimensions to a ski like the E-109, the S-Bound 78/Traverse 78, and the Madshus Eon/ Karhu XCD GT.

The most significant difference between “old-school” and modern mid-width BC-XC skis is the degree of sidecut.  Current BC-XC skis have much more sidecut than they did 25+ years ago.  I remain unsure whether the move towards more sidecut- with a BC-XC ski- is a good thing or not….

Specs

I am 5’10” and weigh 185lbs.  I am skiing on the 205cm.

As a starting point- here are the specs of the current Fischer E-109 Crown:

• Lengths to 205cm.
• Sidecut profile: 82-60-70mm.
• Camber profile: significant, but soft initial camber- low but very stiff second camber.
• Nordic rocker: the tips open up significantly when the camber is fully compressed.
• Flex pattern: moderately stiff.  Smooth, soft, round initial flex pattern from point of “Nordic rocker” to tail.  “Wax” or traction pocket is somewhat preserved by shallow, stiff, second camber.
• Low profile tip.
• Flat tail.
• Full length, but not wrap-around, metal edge.
• High-quality, sintered base on tip and tail.
• “Offtrack-Crown” waxless scale base insert.

Background

What is the E-109?

As a Karhu guy, I am not intimately familiar with the development of the E-109, but here is my understanding:

The E-109- or “Europa 109”- was originally developed as a wider version of the “Europa 99” (i.e. E-99) to be a backcountry Nordic xcountry touring ski with a width and flex pattern more narrowly focused on soft, fresh snow, than the legendary E-99.  (As an aside- the “Europa 99” (E-99) at the time was designed to be the “world’s best” backcountry Nordic ski).

Looking back over the years, Fischer seems to be constantly changing their Nordic lineups.  There are currently three Nordic backcountry- or “off-track”- Fischer lines:

1. “Off-Track Cruising”
2. “Backcountry”
3. “S-Bound”

My initial impression- a few years ago- was that the “Off-Track Cruising” line was intended for light-duty, short distance/duration tours off the groomed track.  The recent move of the S-Bound 78 (now Traverse 78) and 88 (now Excursion 88) to this line changes my perception of this group of skis.

The S-Bounds have always been intended to be hybrid xcountry-downhill Nordic skis.  By “hybrid” I mean that they- regardless of stiffness/flex pattern- are single-cambered Nordic skis, with intent to offer a balance between cross-country and down-hill (XCD) performance.  

Fischer’s “Backcountry” Nordic line is old-school- at least by intent.  From a modern North-American perspective, Fischer’s “Backcountry” line are “traditional” cross-country skis designed for skiing in the backcountry- or off of a groomed track.  From a Fennoscandian perspective, skis like the E-99 and E-109 are “fjellskis” (i.e. “mountain skis”).  From the true Nordic perspective a ski like the E-109 is not considered to be simply a “cross-country” ski.  It is a backcountry ski designed to be taken on a tour into the wilderness and mountains.

Fennoscandian skiers have a passion for touring- travelling long distances.  Therefore, the “fjellskis” is at its core a “cross-country” ski, from a North American perspective.  The fjellski may be designed to ski in mountainous terrain, but at heart it remains geared towards long-distance travel.

The E-109 is a midwidth Nordic “fjellski”- a “cross-country” ski with a flex pattern, narrowly intended for fresh soft, snow, with a sidecut intended to offer reasonably effective downhill performance.

Despite the aggressive sidecut of the current E-109, it retains its core cross-country DNA.

PERSONALLY- I see the E-109 as a modern interpretation of a mid-width BC-XC ski.  The current E-109 has a number of attributes- significant sidecut for one- that would cause many to consider this ski a hybrid XCD ski.  I personally see the current E-109 as a xcountry ski, that offers some limited downhill performance.  

Cross-Country Performance

Flex Pattern

The E-109 is a double-cambered ski- or “camber-and-a-half” ski- depending on your perspective.  The second camber is shallow and stiff.  Whether one chooses to describe this as “double-camber” or “camber-and-a-half” is, as far as I’m concerned, a matter of personal perspective.  Regardless, this ski has a shallow wax pocket, and therefore offers some of the performance of a double-cambered ski, when xcountry striding.

The initial camber is soft and smooth- easily compressed.  This flex pattern is well suited to fresh snow conditions (it also contributes to downhill performance).  The second camber is shallow and stiff allowing an effective Nordic “kick” to engage the traction underfoot.  This second camber may be stiff, but it is easy to compress and engage.  Again this is ideal for fresh, soft snow.  

Tip

The tip on this ski is relatively soft, and is very low profile.  Were it not for the early-tip-rise produced by the “Nordic rocker”, this ski would be extremely poor at breaking trail.  I personally would like to see an old-school, traditional, broad, raised tip on this ski- it would break trail more effectively.

The “Nordic rocker” is effective, causing the tips to open when the camber is compressed.  However- in order to open those tips, your need to fully compress the camber.  In a full-on diagonal stride, the full weight of the skier is on the trailing ski as you lunge forward.  Therefore, if your weight is kicking downwards into your trailing ski, the camber on the forward/gliding ski is not compressed, and therefore the tip doesn’t open until your weight has been transferred onto the lead ski.

Tail

The tail of this ski is flat and stiffer than the tip.  From xcountry perspective, this is a good thing as it helps the ski remain stable during the glide phase of striding.

Sidecut

The current trend is to add considerable sidecut to BC-XC skis.  I understand this from a XCD context, but I have issues with adding a lot of sidecut to a ski primarily intended to be a xcountry ski.  This xcountry ski has a ton of sidecut- 22mm to be precise.  There can be only one reason for all that sidecut- downhill turns.  From a xcountry point of view, there are at least three potentially negative trade-offs to having all of that sidecut:

1. Tracking.  For a xcountry ski to be efficient, it must track reasonably straight.  Thankfully, the E-109 has a stiff enough second camber, that the sidecut is not aggressively engaged during the glide phase of the diagonal stride.  I can feel the sidecut when I fully compress the camber though.  This ski would track more efficiently if it had less sidecut.
2. Flotation.  That very narrow waist reduces the potential flotation of a ski as wide as the E-109.  (I am actually suspicious that the E-109 may not offer much more flotation than its narrower little brother, the E-99- more on that later this winter.)  This ski is thankfully stiff enough that the tips and tails offer some support to the waist.  I do at times feel like my trailing foot is down in a hole, with the tip/tail up on top of the snow.  This effect can be frustrating for a heavy skier, and/or a skier that pushes their skis hard to perform.  However; I do not find it as bad as other similar skis- with a softer flex- such as the Madshus Eon.
3. Traction.  That very narrow waist also reduces the potential width of traction of a ski as wide as the E-109.  More width underfoot would offer more grip for the kick phase of striding (as well as better climbing traction).

In case you have not already figured it out, I would prefer the E-109 with less sidecut, and more width underfoot.  I think it would track better, float better, and have more grip.

Traction/Kick

What can I say?  Fischer’s “Offtrack Crown” is without a doubt the very best waxless scale design I have ever tested in the backcountry.  In my opinion it offers an excellent balance between grip and glide for a waxless-scaled ski.  On warm wet snow it is no better than many other waxless scale designs (e.g Madshus’ “Omnitrack”; Rossi’s “Positrack”).  But, on difficult snow, this design outshines all other scales I have tried.

Climbing Performance

The E-109 climbs reasonably well for a relatively stiff cambered ski.  That low second camber requires some focused compression, but it certainly is easier to engage the traction zone on a climb than a stiffer cambered ski like the E-99.  My ski season has started out with a lot of hard, icy, snow- my E-109s have consistently out-climbed the E-99 Crown.

The addition of the “Easy-Skin” integrated skin would be a decent upgrade to the E-109 Crown for that extra bit of climbing traction when you want it.  (Not sure why it is only available on the E-109 Tour with the waxable base).

Downhill Performance

This is where things get very interesting.  The downhill performance of this ski is a mix of old and new school.

By new school, I mean the relatively “soft” camber (compared to a stiff double-cambered ski) and the aggressive sidecut.

By old school, I mean that this ski does have ample camber and a moderately stiff flex compared to a single-cambered ski.  That low second camber is definitely there- you can really feel it on the downhill.

In sum- you must equally weight both of your skis, or that second camber can take your ski away from you on the lesser-weighted ski!!

I am able to steer my way through turns on a dense base.

These skis are also so light that striding through turn initiations is a dream- as long as that rear ski is aggressively weighted!

The Nordic Rocker is simply wonderful on the downhill.  The tips feel open with both skis fully weighted, and the camber completely compressed.

All of that sidecut offers some sweet carving on a dense base.  Fully and equally weighted, these skis are surprisingly “turny”.

However- despite all of the modern upgrades (e.g. sidecut, tip rocker), I find I have to use a lot of old-school traditional Nordic techniques to downhill ski on these XC skis.  To the point that I again wonder how much of an asset all of that sidecut is…

In other words- if I have to stride my way through turns in order to control my 205cm skis, with XC boots- what good is all of that sidecut?

Summary

The current E-109 Crown is the best current soft-snow BC-XC ski that I have tested (more on this when I get a chance to test the E-109 Tour and the Asnes Combat Nato/Ingstad).  I find that I much prefer the E-109 to the Madshus Eon for example.  This preference over a softer ski like the Eon may be at least partially due to my weight.  It is also due to my skiing style- the E-109 has the flex pattern to be able to respond when I push it hard to perform.

On another note- my wife- a diehard Eon lover- took the E-109 Crown out for a good tour this weekend.  She loved it, and especially loved the extra grip on difficult snow.  She even said she didn’t even notice the extra 10cm length over her set of Eons.

I have discovered that I am finally over my mourning of Karhu skis.

I am now a Fischer guy.