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Skis/Boots for Scotland, Arctic Touring and Alps holidays for improver?!

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Hi all,

Taking the plunge here a bit because i'm almost entirely clueless. I am currently studying up in Svalbard and plan to ski lots in the Spring for which i'll need my own skis and boots. I have very long, wide calf muscles and after lots of pinching in borrowed boots i'm planning a visit to a good fitter when i'm home for Christmas. Have booked UCPA in 2 Alpes with lessons for New Year too... So excited!

My experience is limited to a couple of days in Scotland; I am comfortable skiing blue runs at Nevis/Glencoe and was managing to keep my skis parallel most of the time.

Is there such a thing as (past-season aka budget) skis that would do me for Scotland, non-lift served Svalbard and on-piste on holiday in the alps? Is there something between touring and alpine for both boots and skis?! I am dreaming of multi-day touring up here in the Spring...

I've been browsing online but I have come to the conclusion that I don't know what to get... And possibly that I'm after the impossible?

Does anyone have any advice?

... Are Whitedot Preacher Carbonlite 169cm for me at 5'7 and 70kg a ridiculous idea?
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Boots and skis are easy - plenty that crossover well and you can stick touring bindings on any downhill ski without a problem.

Bindings get a bit more difficult. How much touring/non-lift skiing will you be doing? Pin tech bindings like Dynafit are waaaayy better going uphill, but given the less reliable release it's hard to recommend them to a relative beginner for safety's sake. A 'frame touring binding' like Marker Barons and Tours, or Salomon Guardians would probably be better. They're essential a normal alpine binding, but you can release the heel to skin uphill. But they are heavy and inefficient if you are doing a lot of uphill.

The Preacher would do well at everything other than learning to ski - being so wide it's not going to help you find your edges on your UCPA course.

Something like the Rossignol Sky or Smash 7 would probably work. Light and very easy to ski, narrow enough to learn on, but with the width to help with the engrossed snow you'll find skitouring (no doubt others will recommend something narrower, but if you're touring a lot you'll be very thankful for a wider ski IMO!):

http://www.rossignol.com/GB/GB/smash-7--2016--RAFQE01--product--alpine-men-skis.html
http://www.rossignol.com/GB/GB/sky-7-hd--2016--RAFQJ01--product--alpine-men-skis.html

Alternatively get that Sky7 and stick some Marker Tour bindings on them, and rent something on your UCPA course.

For boots just tell your boot fitter what you want to do. There are loads of boots that are great downhill but have a walk mode these days. If you go the renting route make sure the soles are compatible with alpine bindings though, or are at least swappable for compatible soles.
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 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Svalbard - watch out for polar bears Skullie You need to have a gun if you are out in the wilderness, don't you?
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 You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
Themasterpiece wrote:
Svalbard - watch out for polar bears Skullie You need to have a gun if you are out in the wilderness, don't you?


Yup. Friend of mine was on the expedition there a few years back when a polar bear attacked and killed one of the students...
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
@clarky999, thanks so much for the comprehensive reply! You've greatly reduced my worry... So I guess I'm going to be going to the boot fitter aiming for an interchangeable sole.

I am very fortunate in that I can order skis up to Svalbard tax free. Given ski hire is included with UCPA I think i'll save myself the Svalbard-UK-Alps-UK-Svalbard ski carriage this winter and get something just for up here and borrow skis for my holiday.

I'll be skiing lots up here when the sun comes back, hopefully getting out for some multi day trips at weekends too. Lift served skiing will be a rare thing for me over the next year! Now to have a look around. It's good to know that there are skis that crossover well. I'm also female if that makes any difference...

@Themasterpiece, Yup, in fact not just any gun... We don't leave town without at least a 30.08 calibre rifle and a flare gun. Polar bears attacks are a genuine risk that has to be taken very seriously. Most bears can be scared off successfully and good safety practices when camping (we always have someone awake on watch) greatly reduce the risk.
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