By: Ben Hogan

In these days of uncertain precipitation, there is truly no better way to get the most out of our snowpack than all-terrain cross country skis. Why limit yourself to the cross-country ski area’s grooming when you could go anywhere the snow takes you? Avoid the crowds, no passes necessary, just grab your Fischer S-Bound 98 skis and go!

About Fischer S-Bound 98 Skis

This is Fischer’s Off Track Collection (OTX) with their proprietary Off Track Crown fishscale pattern on the base and steel edges keeping you in the driver’s seat. The fishscale allows for glide as well as some grip for climbing and as the slope gets steeper the folks at Fischer have designed a little removable climbing skin that will get you to the top. The Easy Skin System attaches to the ski via a slot in the ski and covers about 1/3 of the base allowing you to keep going up when traditional Nordic skis no longer could. The perfect hybrid of an on-trail or off-trail cross country adventure ski.

As indicated by the name, this ski is designed to be used outside the track. That means you have the option of getting away from the nordic center grooming and striding tracks. These skis have adequate glide to be used on any grooming but are too wide to fit into the striding tracks you will find at your local cross-country ski resort. With a wood core and air channels running through the ski to keep it nice and light, you are limited only by your energy.

Bindings and Boots

These skis really excel at taking the efficiency of winter ski travel and applying it anywhere you want to go. With the powerful ski platform and steel edges, the S-Bounds do not feel like your traditional skinny striding skis. Our skis are mounted with Fischer’s BCX step in NNN style binding paired with their OFFTRACK BC boots; the combination makes for one of the beefiest cross country sets I’ve ever seen!

First Impressions

Right away I felt more stable both on the grooming as well as when breaking trail; the wider, stronger platform made gliding over and through variable snow really enjoyable. I upgraded from 20+ year old classic cross-country skis and the difference was pretty significant.

While this stout cross-country ski, boot and binding can lay down some turns, I have found the ski to feel most like a strong, stable and edged cross-country ski rather than a super lightweight telemark or randonnée ski.

Anyone can pick these skis up and have a good time; if you are able to walk, glide a little, or if you have even just stomped around in some snowshoes then you can figure out a pair of these intuitive skis.

Where to Explore Around Truckee and Lake Tahoe

The spots to locally explore with these tools are truly only limited by your imagination. From Martis Peak to Sagehen, from Donner Summit to Paige Meadows, these skis will open your eyes to a new way to slide around our local playground. With climbing skins, you can get yourself up and over rolling hilly terrain and those steel edges make the descent so much more fun than you’ve ever had on skinny skis!

Fischer S-Bound 98: Tech Specs

• Lengths: 159, 169, 179, 189 cm
• Weight: 2490g / ski @ 179 cm
• Base: Sintec / Offtrack Crown fishscale
• Dimensions: 98-69-88 mm