When the concept of the Marquette Backcountry ski was first explained it sounded like a great idea. Kudos to the marketing department for truth in advertising. The sticker adorning the ski says these planks are 30% snowshoe, 70% ski. After having ski toured with them I concur one hundred percent with that assessment.
Everything you might want in a waxless ski except metal edges. Fat, rockered, budget conscious.
One of the unique things about the Marquette Backcountry ski is how it is constructed. Unlike most skis, this is an injection molded hunk of recycled plastic that is shaped like a ski. It is wide enough to be considered a super-fat, even obese ski with a waist width of 130mm. That makes the Marquettes super stable.
The coarse pattern on the base allows for decent uphill grip and not too much speed going down.
If you’re a skier, however, you will be unimpressed. A friend took ’em out and said “they’re dogs on the way down and they’re dogs on the way up.”
To which I might add, “but they’re great for taking a walk with the dogs.”
They don’t have metal edges for holding a turn on hard snow, they’re too short to develop much flex in a turn and their uniform plastic material doesn’t add much glide to your stride, at least compared to p-tex.
On the climb, the waxless pattern works well, but most waxless skis can out climb them. They are great for taking a stroll in the woods in the snow, but if you’re a skier, a pair of low-fat or mid-fat waxless metal edged skis will be more to your liking.
Simple and effective for a walkabout in the snow, especially deep snow.
If you have a winter cabin in the mountains these would be great to have hanging around for the visiting relative who doesn’t ski and needs to cure a case of cabin fever in the midst of a storm. Be sure to get the universal binding for them. Or mount ’em with 3-pins for yourself when taking the dog for a walk and it’s too deep to bother trenching through the fresh with a pair of anorexic skinny skis.
Marquette Backcountry Ski
Price: $189
Dimensions: 150mm • 130mm • 140mm X 140cm
Weight: 4½ lbs./ski
© 2012
3 comments
If you are interested in such a ‘ski’, take a look at these boards from Altai Skis. https://www.altaiskis.com/blog/products/the-hok/
Maybe you should give them a go Dostie? You probably know Nils Larsen and I hope you have seen his video on the skiers of the Altai. I bet this skishoe from Altai climbs and descends better- Nils is not a snowshoer, the base has an integral kicker skin and it has a palownia core with veneer top sheet at almost the same price.
Author
Am definitely aware of the Hok – just haven’t actually tested a pair yet though I am confident they will work well for what they are designed to do.
I have a couple pairs of fun “Boreal 130’s” from L.L.Bean mounted with 3-pin or lite cable (best) [Rottefella 412’s] These 130cm, x 120/100/115 no-wax patterened skis are a surprising joy to ski! Similar to (and built by) Rossignol’s “BC 125’s” except without excessive camber and stiffer flex for responsive quick slalom turns in practically the width of a hiking trail! Pin line @ about 28″ from tail on these 51-1/2″ long skis. The klunky “any boot binding” that are available for these “sliding snowshoes” do not perform as well, tho useable, I’d bet the ski is more than bargained for for many snowshoers who aren’t ready to actually ski! The inserts for the Berwin bindings are compatible with NNNBC or need new screw hole or insert for Heavy Duty 3-pin pattern front mount hole (further foward). I have tried the built in kicker skin type from L.L.Bean/ Karhu…..not great for turns and skin eventually wears/pulls out. No wax pattern is very functional and skis great tho more limited for climbing (so I have custom skins!)