As an answer or an option to some of the other mid-range, metal edge touring skis out there, the Salomon Escape 64 Outpath is carving out its own niche. We’ve done so well with the Rossignol Evo OT 65 over the years, and now it seems like Salomon wants some of that game. Well, here it is, a totally and completely utilitarian classic touring ski with metal edges and fish scales that any skier can click and and go in any and all conditions and most terrain. These are some of the beefiest non-BC skis out there, and they are about as versatile and impressive as they come. Built with a wood core with a plastic layer and a fiberglass wrap, these skis have a good amount of strength to them, but still feel light on the feet. The metal edges are going to give a good amount of confidence to skiers when the conditions get tricky, and if you’re new to the sport, it’s really nice to have that extra grip on the side hills. Comfortable both in and out of the Nordic track, the Escape 64 Outpath can be used as a classic-specific ski or as a back country and touring ski on mellower hills. There’s not a whole lot that these skis can’t do, and it’s great that Salomon is throwing their hat in the ring when it comes to these mid-width cruisers.
Marcus Shakun was on the 195 and had a lot of high scores, including 5’s out of 5 for stability and overall impression. We’re certainly expecting to see a lot of these high scores in the stability department, as they’re not the lightest skis out there, especially since some of our testers have been on race skate and classic skis during the test—these do feel bulky by comparison, but they do have the stability to show for it. “Very impressive grip to glide ratio,” Marcus begins, “Most skis in this category have aggressive patterns with didn’t help with the glide. This ski glided so well and gripped off track. Nice mellow flex and super-maneuverable off trail. Might not be for super-aggressive adventures. Even with the metal edges, it moved very well and not overly grippy. One of my favorite OT skis. Blunt shovel pushed through the 3 inches of snow we had off trail.” Marcus would peg the Escape 64 Outpath as “a ski for the adventure skier who is less aggressive or more balanced.”
CONSTRUCTION
Fish Scale Grip
PREFERRED TERRAIN
Jeff Neagle would like to have a crack at the 185, as his 195 cm test length ski was too long for him. Regardless, he noted that the ski had a high score for stability, at 4 out of 5, as did versatility and overall impression. For a ski that’s too long for him, those are still some impressive scores. A lowly 2 for speed is not surprising, as these skis do lean to the bulky side of things. “Plenty of grip, even though it was too long for me,” Jeff commented.
In the Nordic world, there’s a lot of room for skis like the Salomon Escape 64 Outpath. They have multiple uses for a variety of skiers. A first-time Nordic skier could hop on these and take off and have a blast. A professional-level racer could click in and take these skis for a ride both in and out of the track. For adventures, classic skiing, fitness, and recreation, the Salomon Escape 64 Outpath has a ton of applications and will satisfy a wide variety of skiers from beginners to experts. We often joke about how there’s just too much variety in cross-country skis, and well, if companies could make only one ski, it would likely resemble something like this. The one to rule them all.
