The Hok is my out the door ski. Even when there are only a few inches of snow I can still ski. The base and mohair are tough so rocks, roots, when the snow is shallow aren’t an issue.
The mohair gives excellent grip and tracking even on shallow snow or icy crust, but it also glides well. Unlike the LL Bean Boreal skis which need at least 7cm/6in of track depth and the Boreal is a fish scale no-wax so grip can be an issue.
The mohair also gives a bit of drag on the downhills so speed is much more controlled during bushwack/off-track descents.
The mohair gives excellent grip and tracking even on shallow snow or icy crust, but it also glides well. Unlike the LL Bean Boreal skis which need at least 7cm/6in of track depth and the Boreal is a fish scale no-wax so grip can be an issue.
The mohair also gives a bit of drag on the downhills so speed is much more controlled during bushwack/off-track descents.
For 0 C skiing one may need to use a SwixNordic Zero spray – anti icing spray.
Nils Larsen, Francois Sylvain, helped designed the original TRAK Bushwacker skis so they have experience designing bushwacking, out the door, skis.
Nils Larsen, Francois Sylvain, helped designed the original TRAK Bushwacker skis so they have experience designing bushwacking, out the door, skis.
I have both the Hok 125 cm with Universal/Xtrace Binding, and 145 cm with a Solomon XADV, SNS BC, binding. I am getting a 2nd 145 cm and adding a 75mm binding.
The Xtrace Binding works with up to a boot length of US 12/13 or size 43 75mm duckbill. Changing the binding is easy since the Hok have inserts matching extended 75mm spacing. On altaiskis.com is a mounting plate for System bindings – NNN BC, SNS XADV. The Boreal’s Universal binding has a standard 75mm spacing.
With the Xtrace binding one needs a really stiff soled boot, torsional rigidity, to have good downhill control. With a 75mm duckbill binding and a good pair of boots one can Tele with the Hok. With a System binding, great extension for kick and glide but not much downhill control – toe box isn’t anchored, just a pivot rod in front of the toe.
The Xtrace Binding works with up to a boot length of US 12/13 or size 43 75mm duckbill. Changing the binding is easy since the Hok have inserts matching extended 75mm spacing. On altaiskis.com is a mounting plate for System bindings – NNN BC, SNS XADV. The Boreal’s Universal binding has a standard 75mm spacing.
With the Xtrace binding one needs a really stiff soled boot, torsional rigidity, to have good downhill control. With a 75mm duckbill binding and a good pair of boots one can Tele with the Hok. With a System binding, great extension for kick and glide but not much downhill control – toe box isn’t anchored, just a pivot rod in front of the toe.
