In Mid-January, Stella and I had purchased new cross-country skis from REI. She had chosen the Fischer Spider 62 Crown Cross-Country skis, while I opted for the Rossignol EVO OT 65 IFP Cross-Country skis, both of which included TURNAMIC bindings. I have had the opportunity to use these skis in different types of terrain, and I can now write a thorough review based on those experiences. In short, the Rossignol OT 65 IFP Cross-Country skis have out performed my expectations, on both flat and steep trails, as well as in and outside of the classic tracks.
To start, let us look back to where it had all began. About nine years ago, I had purchased a pair of Salomon Snowscape 7 Cross-Country skis. They are a classic touring nordic ski that is perfect for beginners to the sport, or those looking to upgrade from an older pair of nordic skis. In my opinion, those cross-country skis are perfect for flat terrain, with very mild hills. Then, a bit over 4 years ago, we had moved to Colorado.
Our first experience cross-country skiing here was at Eldora Nordic Center, which had been an uncomfortable introduction to cross-country skiing in the mountains… because we did not have the right kind of skis. Outside of the previously described terrain, I found climbing any hill with a significant incline to be much more difficult than it should have been. So over the years, we had transitioned from Nordic skiers to backcountry snowshoers. However, this winter season, a spark lit within Stella to rekindle her passion for Nordic skiing, thus the search had begun to upgrade our cross-country skis to those more suited to Colorado terrain.
The Rossignol OT 65 IFP Cross-Country skis are classified as a touring ski, designed to be used in or outside of the tracks groomed for classic skiing. Off-track is commonly referred to as the skating lane, or an ungroomed trail. Rossignol indicates that the Rossignol OT 65 IFP Cross-Country skis “bridge the gap between off-trail skiing and backcountry touring.” I couldn’t agree more.
The width of the Rossignol OT 65 IFP Cross-Country skis changes from the top to the bottom: the tip is 65mm wide, the waist is 53mm wide and the tail is 60mm wide. Additionally, Rossignol has added a partial metal edge for added edge control and glide. The Rossignol OT 65 IFP Cross-Country is paired with a waxless Positrack base to provide an excellent kick and glide. It is important to note that, unlike traditional cross-country skis, off-track nordic skis are sized by weight – NOT height. I opted for the 195cm length based on my weight being greater than 200lbs.
With that said, what does this all mean? Out on the flats, the skis perform very well while in the track. With an excellent kick, I have a fantastic glide. And, that same glide can be found when stepping out onto the skating lane as well. Furthermore, I now find traversing steep inclines far less challenging than before due to the Positrack base. And, I have excellent control during steep descents due to the metal edges. These skis are exceptional, all-around, because of the construction of the ski, and the versatility that they provide. Further, even though these are waxless skis, I/we have always used some type of glide wax, and have recently turned to the Swix F4 Universal Glide Wax. Never ski without it!
Since purchasing the Rossignol OT 65 IFP Cross-Country skis, I/we have skied at the Keystone Nordic Center, Devil’s Thumb Ranch, Gold Run Nordic Center (twice), Snow Mountain Ranch, and Turpin Meadow Ranch (Jackson Hole, WY). Next season, we plan to ski at Vail Nordic Center, Aspen Nordic Center, Breckenridge Nordic Center, Steamboat Springs Nordic Center, and a nordic center in Utah.
See the review for our Madshus Panorama M78 Backcountry Nordic skis.
Overall: Excellent Purchase
Price paid: $319.95 including TURNAMIC Bindings
Place purchased: REI
Link to REI website: REI
Note: This blog receives no payment or other compensation for reviews of products or services. If I/we did not pay full retail price for a product being reviewed, I/we will explicitly state that in the review. Unless explicitly stated, I/we have no affiliation or relationship with the product being reviewed.
how do they compare to the Spiders? yes, different ppl using each type but maybe you had observations? are your skill levels comparable? — that’s a place to start.
about the snowscapes… i’ve never heard of a ski not being good for uphills. were the Snowscapes nowax and you’re saying the gripzone didn’t work for either of you? were they too stiff, not fix right to you? that might explain why you couldn’t get grip from the fishscales. but i suppose some kinds of fishscale have diff amounts of grip. i have a few kinds. all are ok. for REAL grip i use my waxers. but it all depends! sometimes i also use Chemicals (a bit like Zeroes) or xc-skins (built in, skinny skis, not the strap-on).
The biggest difference between the Spiders and the Rossignols are that the Spiders have a full metal edge. I would say that both Stella and I would be solid intermediate classical skier, though I started my skiing career downhill with a racing focus. Oddly enough I never thought I would ever clip into a pair of skinny skis. As for the snowscapes, they are a great ski, I had them for quite a while before moving out here to Colorado and the grip zone was starting to wear down, in my opinion I believe the “off track” skis are better suited for the terrain found in Colorado and the mountain west, even though there is more than ample trails that allow for plenty of striding and gliding.
thx for the details! …nowaxers do wear out after like 5 yrs. around here we freshen them w angled box cutter slices and get another 1 or so out of them. 🙂
Beginner here. Wouldn’t a full metal edge be better than a half metal edge for better control for a beginner?