Sorry ... After all these years, I've been too embarassed to ask:
I see ski types such as "All Mountain", "Free Ride", "Free Touring".
I can only imagine what the difference is, and as I'm rubbish at anything that is not on the piste, I've never really needed to know.
Please forgive me if its a stupid question.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Freetouring is where you use skins and touring bindings and boots to access freeride(off piste)terrain. The equipment used will be downhill performace biased but still capable of going up hill.
Freeriding is off piste skiing, For me freeriding is using the lifts to access off piste terrain, but also could include a short hike to get the goods. Freeride equipment is 100% for downhill off piste performance.
All mountain is a term used to describe skis that do everything OK but nothing great. ie will hold an edge ok on firm piste but also float ok in powder and maybe handle some crud and bumps ok aswell
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?
It's marketing bollocks to sell you more gear than you need and turn you into a good little consumer.
It's marketing bollocks to sell you more gear than you need and turn you into a good little consumer.
I agree if you're a once or twice a year skier but if you live in the mountains like you and I do then its Horses for Courses. I love my lightweight "Touring Rig" but wouldn't teach Piste Skiing on it. Not would I go Ski Touring on my Powder Skis. But for the OP, I wouldn't worry, just buy a decent Piste Ski.
Last edited by You need to Login to know who's really who. on Sun 20-11-22 12:34; edited 1 time in total
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
davidof wrote:
It's marketing bollocks to sell you more gear than you need and turn you into a good little consumer.
It's marketing bollocks to sell you more gear than you need and turn you into a good little consumer.
No 'Free' then.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
I did a "freeride" lesson once, and the main difference between that and normal off-piste skiing seemed to be that the skiing was faster, more direct and more aggressive. It reinforced my impression that the term is not well defined, or that it means slightly different things to different people (but is always a subset of off-piste skiing, or just another word to mean off-piste skiing)
After all it is free
After all it is free
davidof wrote:
It's marketing bollocks to sell you more gear than you need and turn you into a good little consumer.
really, so you only have 1 pair if skis and boots?
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.
Mother hucker wrote:
davidof wrote:
It's marketing bollocks to sell you more gear than you need and turn you into a good little consumer.
really, so you only have 1 pair if skis and boots?
I have a pair of piste skis and a pair of touring skis. I don't have slackcountry, sidecountry, freetouring, freedriding, backcountry, skimo, all-mountain, slalom, frontcountry, upcountry etc.
I have piste skis because I don't want to piste ski on tech bindings. I think it's a bad idea.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Freeride - off piste with lift/sled/snowcat/heli uplift - skis tend to be a bit "burlier" no need to be lightweight as its just downs.
Freetour - earn your turns tour/skin up to ski what you've climbed - lighter weight skis to cope with the ups, some kind of touring binding for the ups
All Mountain - piste and "off piste" but normally between the pistes, not miles outside the resort
That's how I see it anyhow
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
musehead wrote:
I did a "freeride" lesson once, and the main difference between that and normal off-piste skiing seemed to be that the skiing was faster, more direct and more aggressive. It reinforced my impression that the term is not well defined, or that it means slightly different things to different people (but is always a subset of off-piste skiing, or just another word to mean off-piste skiing)
This side of the pond, “freeride” implies your skis don’t stay on the snow all the time.
If your skis are in contact with the snow at all time, it’s just off-piste.
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.
davidof wrote:
Mother hucker wrote:
davidof wrote:
It's marketing bollocks to sell you more gear than you need and turn you into a good little consumer.
really, so you only have 1 pair if skis and boots?
I have a pair of piste skis and a pair of touring skis. I don't have slackcountry, sidecountry, freetouring, freedriding, backcountry, skimo, all-mountain, slalom, frontcountry, upcountry etc.
I have most of those. Highly recommended
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
@BobinCH, Me too. I feel good about it and so does spyderjon
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Proper Freeride is not putting woofter turns in, but ripping the face at speed.
If you look back at your tracks you'd see the likes of @davidof, with twenty or so neat and tidy old school
wedel turns at about 120° to your three or four at more like 170°
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
@BobinCH, N+1?
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Weathercam wrote:
Proper Freeride is not putting woofter turns in, but ripping the face at speed.
‘woofter’???
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
big_ben wrote:
Weathercam wrote:
Proper Freeride is not putting woofter turns in, but ripping the face at speed.
‘woofter’???
Someone who hails from the village of Wolfenden in Lancashire apparently.
"The surname Woofter was first found in Lancashire at Wolfenden, a district, once a hamlet, in Rossendale. Few early records of the name exist. The Wills of Chester list George Hey, of Wolfenden, forest of Rossendale in 1620 and James Wolfenden, of Rochdale in 1614. "The Wolfendens or Woolfendens, who are more numerous in the West Riding [of Yorkshire], derive their name from a Lancashire township. The Wolfendens were established in Rochdale in the 16th century."
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?
RedandWhiteFlachau wrote:
[
N+1?
That applies to mountain bikes as well. Ive a dirt jumper, an enduro, a dh rig and and I wouldnt say no to a 27.5 santa cruz solo
- all-mountain: can be skied on and off piste. Very broadly, 90-100mm waist (or perhaps 85-95, rather?)
- free ride: focused on offpiste, mainly lift-served. Typically over 100mm waist, generally not the lightest skis. May be hard chargers or playful.
- free touring: mostly 95-110mm but lighter, usually carbon replacing metal, still very good on descents but not quite as much as free ride skis
- touring: narrower, lighter skis (all the way to very light)
Of these, I have one pair in each of the first three categories in active duty (but mostly use the "free touring" pair)
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
@horizon, ^ this
After all it is free
After all it is free
Weathercam wrote:
.....Proper Freeride is not putting woofter turns in, but ripping the face at speed......
The trouble is many don't get the conditions like in the above video too often, so they want to make the most of their turns.
The avy risk was 4 yesterday hence nice mellow lines.
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.
@DrLawn, Free Tour is where you buy really nice long freeride skis and you then fix really heavy touring bindings for your heavy alpine boots - you then think they will be good for some 'slack country' or 'Freerando' and you can use them for everything. You also need to buy some DIY skin kits and carefully craft some excellent skins for yourself. You then go Free Touring a number of times and realise they are complete B******s for any amount of skinning up and practically impossible to kick turn due to their length and your lack of experience. Your setup is also about four times heavier than a proper touring rig. You then get the ski shop to remove said touring bindings and replace with standard alpine bindings halving the ski weight in an instant. You then realise the error of your ways and buy a proper touring rig and boots or rent one when it is needed. My skis should be going in to the shop next weekend!
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
