 Poster: A snowHead
|
I'm looking for new skis for touring but money is tight. I've seen a pair of Black Diamond Aspect for £165
Has anyone used these skis purely for touring? I'm not thinking of piste skiing.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
Yes I've used them in the 186cm length
Pros
Light for the dimensions, v nice ' powder touring' ski
Cons
Lightweight construction such as thin edges to save weight means durability may be an issue
They get thrown about in heavier/ lumpier conditions
I would recommend them with a dynafit type binding as a dedicated: touring ski but not as a resort ski for chopped up powder etc
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
| sledger wrote: |
Yes I've used them in the 186cm length
Cons
Lightweight construction such as thin edges to save weight means durability may be an issue
They get thrown about in heavier/ lumpier conditions
|
As with most touring skis IHMO.
Sport conrad have a few discounted touring skis ....
http://www.sport-conrad.com/ski_touring_skis/2/
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
| sledger wrote: |
I would recommend them with a dynafit type binding as a dedicated: touring ski but not as a resort ski for chopped up powder etc |
That's what I'm looking for.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
| DB wrote: |
| sledger wrote: |
| They get thrown about in heavier/ lumpier conditions |
As with most touring skis IHMO. |
Serious question: Why tolerate them ? There're lots of touring conditions that you need a ski that at the very least won't spoil your downhill and if you haven't got the stability when you need it, can be downright hazardous. I can imagine that choosing a super lightweight ski makes sense on hut-to-hut tours over gently rolling terrain in soft, spring snow or for competitions where weight weenies have an advantage but for variable off-piste snow with wind ripped surfaces, crust and neve along with soft and powdery stuff, a lightweight ski makes much less sense.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| moffatross wrote: |
| DB wrote: |
| sledger wrote: |
| They get thrown about in heavier/ lumpier conditions |
As with most touring skis IHMO. |
Serious question: Why tolerate them ? There're lots of touring conditions that you need a ski that at the very least won't spoil your downhill and if you haven't got the stability when you need it, can be downright hazardous. I can imagine that choosing a super lightweight ski makes sense on hut-to-hut tours over gently rolling terrain in soft, spring snow or for competitions where weight weenies have an advantage but for variable off-piste snow with wind ripped surfaces, crust and neve along with soft and powdery stuff, a lightweight ski makes much less sense. |
Up to now it's been to keep the weight down. In comparison to the people I normally go touring with my boots were ca 800 grams heavier and I wear an ABS bag while most in the group don't. Didn't really want heavy skis too. Gone dynafit in the last two seasons and bought a pair of TLT6's that weigh less than 2.5kg / pair (compared to my old touring boots which were nearer 4 kg).
I have two touring setups now.
1) Soft / fresh soft & longer tours = typical touring ski that works well in most conditions but gets thrown around in heavy crud.
2) Harder conditions, esp day tours and piste = narrower allmountain ski with metal in it (although it's light for a non-touring ski).
Both ski sets weigh the same although the touring skis are wider and longer.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I've got freerides on my prophet 100s. I have used that kind of set up for hut to but touring but if (I mean when!) I do more hut to hut stuff then I would get a dynafit/light ski set up - on a four day hut to hut trip you spend a lot of time hauling your kit up hill compared to the time spent savouring its downhill capabilities.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
|
|
jedster, that's true of all touring. After the next lot of tech bindings come out (Zenith, Ion, Radical 2.0, Beast 14/16) I really don't see why anyone would willingly tour in a frame binding other than cost.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Not everyone likes pin bindings and not everyone has the boots with inserts for them.
I'm going for the TLT radical ST bindings my first time with tech bindings.
For the life of me I can't see why anyone would pay £470 for a binding with Din 16 (Beast) for touring.
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
|
OwenM, like is an odd one, what do people like about frame bindings? From what I can see the new offerings all deal with the main complaints about tech bindings which in general are their lack of elasticity and worries about consistent release. The boots thing I'd suck up into cost but boot tech and offerings for more alpine like touring boots have also exploded in the past couple of years. I started on the 'stiff' AT boots of the time the Garmont Radium and it's a night and day difference now.
|
|
|
|
|
|
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Quote: |
jedster, that's true of all touring. |
True I guess although the kind of day tours that start from the top of a ski lift involve a different ratio than ones that involve a walk/skin from the car park!
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
[quote="DB"]
| OwenM wrote: |
Better release, gnarlier for steeper terrain and heavier riders.
/ |
I suppose it's down to your definition of "touring."
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
| meh wrote: |
| OwenM, like is an odd one, what do people like about frame bindings? |
I have a friend who tried pin bindings for a session them sold them and went back to Fritschis, he just couldn't get on with them. I'm in a ski touring club with quite a large membership but only know of two other who use them.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
|
OwenM, fair enough, I'd be curious as to what your friend didn't get on with as that's some fairly nebulous reasoning but appreciate you can't speak for them.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
Some people don't like the Delta angle on Dynafits or find the older Dynafit bindings too much hassle to get into.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
| OwenM wrote: |
| I'm in a ski touring club with quite a large membership but only know of two other who use them. |
OwenM, that's really surprising. I'm not a member of a club but most of the people I tour with use them.
| DB wrote: |
| Some people don't like the Delta angle on Dynafits or find the older Dynafit bindings too much hassle to get into. |
DB, I recently found out that it's very easy to fix the ramp (delta) angle by adding toe shims. Dynafit must be listening too because the Beasts are supposed to be neutral out of the box (not that I could afford them).
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
| DB wrote: |
| Some people don't like the Delta angle on Dynafits or find the older Dynafit bindings too much hassle to get into. |
I've done just what moffatross mentioned and stuck 10mm of shims under the toe. You lose a small amount of heel height but I didn't feel compromise over everyone else in the team after a week of touring. You need 15mm of shims to get zero delta, which is a lot.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
Sharkymark, I only use 6 mm shims but they were enough to 'correct' the angle to exactly the same as Marker Barons which was what I was aiming for. I haven't noticed the slightest impediment even on the steepest climbs.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
Plus Dynafit aren't the only game in town and the other guys have had more neutral deltas for a while with their tech bindings. God knows how bad a days skiing has to be to completely abandon a binding you just bought.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
