Best Cross-Country & Nordic Skis for Backcountry Touring

If you’re skiing groomed track, buy classic XC skis. If you’re breaking trail through untracked powder, skiing off-piste, or covering variable terrain where you’ll never see a corduroy groomer, you need backcountry Nordic skis — wider underfoot, metal-edged, with a binding system that can handle turns instead of just kick-and-glide. Confusing the two is how people end up face-planting in three feet of fresh snow on skis built for a track at a Nordic center.

I’ve spent the better part of fifteen winters on backcountry Nordic setups, from the Boundary Waters to the high meadows outside Steamboat. The gear has changed a lot. Modern backcountry touring skis are lighter, wider, and far more capable off-track than what I started on in the late 2000s. Here’s how to pick the right one.

Classic XC Skis vs. Backcountry-Specific Models

Classic cross-country skis are narrow — typically 44-52mm underfoot — designed for groomed track and diagonal stride efficiency. They’re fast, light, and nearly useless in ungroomed snow deeper than a few inches. No metal edge means no control on anything but packed surfaces.

Backcountry Nordic skis (sometimes called “Nordic touring” or “off-track” skis) run 55-70mm underfoot, carry full or partial metal edges, and use a rockered tip to float through breakable crust and powder. They sacrifice glide speed for stability and control. Leave a groomed trail system and that’s the trade you want.

The gray area is “light touring” skis — something like the Fischer Outback or Alpina Discovery — which split the difference at 55-60mm. These work fine on rolling terrain with light snow loads but they’ll get overwhelmed in steep, deep conditions.

Width and Flex: What Actually Matters

Width underfoot determines float and stability. Under 55mm, you’re punching through anything but firm snow. At 60-65mm, you get real flotation without sacrificing too much glide. Above 65mm, you’re in a ski that behaves more like a lightweight AT setup than a Nordic ski — great for deep powder, sluggish on flats.

Flex matters more than most buyers realize. A soft flex kicks and grips easily on climbs but bogs down on descents and in crud. A stiffer flex holds an edge better on traverses and downhills but demands more technique to get a clean kick. For mixed terrain — climbing, traversing, and descending in the same tour — I want a medium-stiff flex with a moderate camber. Too soft and the ski wallows. Too stiff and you’re fighting it uphill.

Camber and rocker profile matter too. A ski with tip rocker floats better in powder and initiates turns easier. Full camber (like old-school classic skis) tracks straighter and kicks better on groomed snow but punishes you off-trail.

Binding Compatibility

This trips up more buyers than anything else. Backcountry Nordic skis mostly run on NNN BC or the newer Backcountry system bindings — wider, sturdier versions of the touring bindings you’d find on classic skis, built to handle side-load from turns. Standard NNN or SNS bindings are not interchangeable with BC systems. Check compatibility before you buy boots or skis separately.

Some backcountry-specific ski lines, like the Alpina and Madshus BC models, come pre-mounted or ski-specific mounted for 3-pin (75mm) bindings — the old-school telemark standard. That’s a different animal than NNN BC and worth knowing if you’re pairing with existing leather telemark boots.

Top Backcountry Nordic Ski Picks

1. Rossignol BC 65 Positrack

This is my go-to recommendation for anyone asking what the best all-around backcountry Nordic ski is. At 65mm underfoot with a Positrack pattern base (a fish-scale grip zone instead of waxable kick), it’s low-maintenance and forgiving. Dry weight comes in around 1,800g per ski, which is heavier than a classic ski but reasonable for what you get in stability.

I’ve run these on everything from packed forest roads to wind-loaded meadows above treeline near Rabbit Ears Pass. The metal edges hold on side-hills better than any Positrack-based ski has a right to. Pair it with NNN BC bindings and a mid-weight touring boot and you’ve got a setup that handles 90% of backcountry Nordic terrain without complaint.

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2. Fischer Traverse 78 Crown/Skin

When the terrain gets steeper and the snow gets deeper, I reach for the Fischer Traverse 78. At 78mm underfoot, this is functionally a lightweight AT ski with a Nordic soul — full camber up front for climbing efficiency, with a crown or skin base option for grip on ascents.

Dry weight is around 2,100g per ski. That’s noticeably heavier than the BC 65, and you’ll feel it on long flat approaches. But if your backcountry days involve serious vertical and unconsolidated snow, the extra width and float are worth the weight penalty. I’ve used the skin version on multi-day tours in the Selkirks and never once wished for a narrower ski.

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3. Madshus Voss

Madshus has been building tough, no-nonsense backcountry Nordic skis longer than most brands still in business, and the Voss is their workhorse. At 68mm underfoot with a fish-scale base and full metal edge, it splits the difference nicely between the Rossignol BC 65 and the wider Fischer Traverse.

Dry weight runs about 1,950g per ski. What sold me on the Voss after a season of testing was edge hold on icy traverses — Madshus tunes their edges sharper out of the box than most competitors. If you’re skiing terrain with mixed snow conditions (crust one day, powder the next), this is the most versatile option on this list.

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4. Salomon Escape 6 Grip

For anyone stepping up from groomed-track classic skis into their first backcountry setup, the Salomon Escape 6 Grip is the easiest transition. At 60mm underfoot, it’s narrower than the Voss or BC 65, but the grip-zone base is dead simple — no wax, no skins, just point it uphill and go.

Dry weight is light for the category, around 1,600g per ski, which makes it a solid choice for long-distance tours on rolling terrain rather than steep technical descents. I wouldn’t take these into a couloir, but for meadow-hopping and forest road touring, they’re efficient and confidence-inspiring for newer backcountry skiers.

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5. Atomic Savor Escape

Atomic’s Savor Escape line sits right in the middle at 64mm underfoot, and it’s become a sleeper favorite among guides I know in the Tetons. The camber is tuned slightly softer than the Voss, which makes kick-and-glide easier for skiers who haven’t spent years on classic technique.

Dry weight is around 1,850g per ski — right in line with the Rossignol BC 65. What separates it is the sidecut: Atomic gave this ski a bit more shape than most backcountry Nordic skis, which helps with turn initiation on descents. If you’re coming from an alpine or AT background and want a Nordic ski that turns more intuitively, this is the one.

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Bindings and Boots: Don’t Cheap Out Here

Your ski choice means nothing if your binding and boot system can’t handle the terrain. For anything wider than 60mm with metal edges, go with an NNN BC binding — the wider, sturdier housing gives you real lateral control on traverses and turns that standard touring bindings can’t provide.

Boot-wise, I run the Alpina Alaska for most of my backcountry Nordic touring. They’ve got enough ankle support to control a 65-70mm ski on a descent, but they’re still light and flexible enough for efficient kick-and-glide on the flats. If you’re pushing into wider skis like the Fischer Traverse 78, go with a stiffer boot — something closer to a 3-pin telemark boot — for better edge control.

My Verdict

For most backcountry skiers tackling mixed terrain — rolling meadows, forest roads, the occasional steep pitch — the Rossignol BC 65 Positrack is the best all-around choice. It’s forgiving, low-maintenance, and capable enough to handle 90% of what backcountry touring throws at you.

If your trips lean toward steeper, deeper terrain, size up to the Fischer Traverse 78 or the Madshus Voss. And if you’re brand new to backcountry Nordic and coming from groomed-track skiing, start with the Salomon Escape 6 Grip. It’s the easiest ski on this list to learn on, and you won’t outgrow it as fast as you’d think.

Skip the classic XC skis the moment you plan on leaving groomed track. I’ve watched too many people try to force a 48mm waxless classic ski through untracked snow and end up walking half their tour. Buy the right tool the first time.

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