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New boots and skis, or on-piste skis with touring bindings?

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Hi, my current skiing set up is a pair of touring boots (Scarpa Maestrales) and a couple of pairs of skis with touring bindings, one lightweight, and one bigger powder pair. Although I like to tour when I can and ski powder and I get to ski 30+ days per year, I realistically ski a lot just on piste due to a lack of time or lack of fresh snow. I therefore think I'd enjoy getting a more dedicated piste/mogul ski, but the question is with a say £500 budget do I get new 'proper' downhill boots and a used pair of skis, or a new pair of skis with non-touring bindings that will fit my current touring boots (e.g. Marker Lords)?

For background I came back to skiing a few years ago after 15 years of snowboarding so I haven't skied with a pair of non-touring ski boots for 20+ years.

Thanks for any opinions!
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
I've never used touring boots. The one week I did touring I used downhill boots. However, my thinking would be it depends how much performance you want or need when you just downhilling. If you are just cruising about, not doing challenging stuff and/or skiing long days I would imagine your touring boots would be fine. Having said that it may also depend on the AT orientated your touring boots are. As I understand these days there are crossover boots through to boots heavily focused on the uphill and therefore to the detriment of the downhill.

One thing is for sure, to get a really good fitting downhill boot you may have to blow a large chunk of that budget. But if you are canny you easily get some decent piste skis for £100-£200.

Other thing to bear in mind is of course the more you using the touring boots the quicker they will wear out. If I was doing 30+ days a year I reckon I could easily justify having the two sets of boots. As you will be getting plenty of use of both.
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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?
@Steve77, I used to ski everything in Scarpa Denalis, a light weight touring boot precursor to the Maestrales. I eventually found the boots were limiting me on more demanding skiing, when I got a pair of Black Diamond factors my skiing improved a lot. I still use the Scarpas for touring but the BD's are great for an hour or so skinning, and also have interchangeable soles so I can use them with alpine ski bindings. I would recommend getting a good pair of freeride boots to use as an alternative for your existing skis, especially the bigger powder pair.


Last edited by Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see? on Sun 19-04-15 22:35; edited 1 time in total
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 You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
@Steve77, I have a similar set up to you. I have the RS. I like the light weight and being able to walk around in comfort and not slip over. I haven't missed any functionally with the boots, I have skis with tech bindings and one pair with marker f12, which I regard as my piste skis but all lightweight. The only real downside for me is the boots won't last.
I'm not sure what you are trying to achieve, but some piste skis with AT compatible bindings should give you piste performance, if it's a stiffer boot you need then new boots, or stiffen the old ones with new liners and/or power strap.
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
I went with Scarpa freedom SL's with AT and DIN soles. That way I can use them on my cheat race skis and touring kit.
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 You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
I think the answer depends on how well you are getting on with your Maestrales.

Do you feel like the Maestrales are stiff enough when you ski on piste? How tall / heavy are you?
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