Quick and Dirty:

  • Madshus M68 Nordic Backcountry Skis (tested in 162 cm size)
  • Great versatile backcountry Nordic ski!
  • $314
  • Weight - 2530g (182 cm length pair)
  • Color - Blue
  • Pros: Easy to maneuver, amazing performance on varied snow conditions
  • Cons:Slightly heavy/slow if is one is traveling with an adventure buddy on lighter skis
  • Essentially replaces the Karhu 10th Mountain and Madshus Epoch skis.

Review:

For anyone wishing they could own a new pair of Karhu 10th Mountain or Madshus Epoch skis, this is the ski for you! (Hint: It’s essentially the same ski!) The Madshus Panorama 68s are super stable and can handle just about any Nordic adventure one can imagine!  They hold their edge in ice, the scale pattern has great grip on hills, even without optional skins, and they are easy to turn, allowing optimal control on the descent. When it came time to replace my decades old Karhu Catamounts, which have been on countless off track Nordic adventures, including 3 circumnavigations of Crater Lake, the Madshus Panorama 68s were the obvious choice, and I have no regrets replacing my favorite adventure skis with them. I’ve taken the Panorama 68s on many adventures, the most notable being a Spring ski up Tam McArthur Rim, an annual trek I have taken my AT skis on for the past 10 or so years. After my first couple trips on the Panorama M68s I felt they were up to the Tam Rim challenge, and I was not disappointed!  Snow covered the entire trail from the bottom to the very top and I got to ski up and down every bit of it in full control without skins. Even better, my adventure buddy was on an old pair of Madshus Epochs and managed to keep up with me in what (unbeknownst to me when we started our adventure) turned out to be his first time ever on Nordic skis. I have the Panorama 68s paired with an old set of Rotefella Tele Cable bindings and a pair of Rossignol BC X-12 boots.  However, if I had it to do again, I’d go with the Rotefella XPlore bindings and Madshus Panorama XPlore boots.

Who it’s for:

Someone who wants to embark on a Nordic adventure anywhere their imagination can take them.

Similar Products

  • Karhu 10th Mountain
  • Fischer Traverse 78
  • Fischer Excursion 88
  • Note - While these products are similar, the Panorama 68 has better traction uphill without skins and is easier to maneuver down hills.

Product to pair with it

Rotefella XPlore bindings
Madshus Panorama XPlore Boots