Madshus Panorama M68 review: nimble skis that make backcountry exploring fun

Crack out these Madshus Panorama M68 for multi-day backcountry trips in mellow terrain or exploring the woods in deeper snow

By Berne Broudy
published
Madshus Panorama M68 Skis
(Image: © Berne Broudy)

Advnture Verdict

A ski for exploring in snow – from hardpacked to deep powder – which also will let you carve sweet turns in mellow terrain, the Madshus Panorama M68 is a ticket to backcountry fun, no ski pass required.

Pros

  • +

    Stable

  • +

    Sidecut facilitates carving turns

  • +

    More surface area makes uphills easier

Cons

  • -

    Not as light as other Nordic skis

  • -

    You need to add grippier skins for better traction when the snow’s steep and deep

You can trust Advnture Our expert reviewers spend days testing and comparing gear so you know how it will perform out in the real world. Find out more about how we test and compare products.

Madshus Panorama M68: first impressions

For its versatility and capability across a range of terrain types, we rate the Madshus Panorama M68 (available direct from Madshus) as one of the best cross country skis available today.

Specifications

• List price: $305 (US) / £287 (UK)
• Weight (per 182cm pair): 2,530g
• Base: Omnitrack waxless base
• Edges: Full-length metal
• Sidecut: 99mm / 68mm / 84mm
• Sizes: 162cm, 172cm, 182cm, 192cm

Adventurously designed and built to go beyond the confines of groomed trails, the Madshus Panorama M68 is a playful ski that offers an open invitation to go exploring.

A wider tip, which is also called the 'shovel', helps this ski stay afloat in deeper snow. It’s well-suited to a three-pin binding and a more robust boot for maximum maneuverability in variable terrain.

The fish scale waxless base gives this ski confidence-inspiring grip on flats and climbs, and actively encourages carving on your descents. Full-length steel edges provide control.

Madshus Panorama M68 Skis: on the slopes

Madshus Panorama M68 Skis

Madshus Panorama M68 Skis actively encourage you to do some carving on downhills (Image credit: Madshus)

I wore these Madshus Panorama M68s to carry gear to a backcountry hut, to cross a mellow mountain pass between Nordic ski areas and for following animal tracks through the wintery landscape; they’re made to cover distance over a variety of terrain. 

Thanks to their above-average width, they climb better than skis made for the track. The full-length, metal sidecut let me carve playful turns on descents, whether I was lapping a snowy meadow, or darting between birch trees in a powdery glade. 

An old school teleboot helps you get the most fun out of this ski (see also: types of cross country ski boots: what’s the difference?), and on extended climbs I sometimes added kick skins for extra grip. It’s poppy and playful thanks to the interlocking strands of fiberglass and carbon fiber that wrap the ski’s core. This is also what gives the Panorama M68 stability and strength, while keeping it light and lively. 

Don’t expect this ski to give you the carvability and control of an alpine touring ski, but use it for local adventures and scouting new lines and you’ll enjoy it.

Berne Broudy
Berne Broudy

Vermont-based writer, photographer and adventurer, Berne reports on hiking, biking, skiing, overlanding, travel, climbing and kayaking for category-leading publications in the U.S., Europe and beyond. In the field, she’s been asked to deliver a herd of llamas to a Bolivian mountaintop corral, had first fat-biking descents in Alaska, helped establish East Greenland’s first sport climbing and biked the length of Jordan. She’s worked to help brands clean up their materials and manufacturing, and has had guns pulled on her in at least three continents.