Help - AT skis/boots/bindings

A snowHead

Hi all,

first post here, but you all seem like a pretty friendly bunch, so I thought I'd ask for some advice / help / encouragement.

I'm a fairly decent skier. Anything on-piste is absolutely no problem, but things do get a little bit sticky on the steeper off-piste stuff. To be fair, I think this has a lot to do with the gear I've been running - typically budget range hire skis, though I do have my own downhill boots. Personally, I'd say solid to good intermediate.

This summer I've been building on my rock-climbing experience and have just started out on a career in alpinism (awesome fun, give it a go). I'm thinking that the Haute Route would be a pretty awesome way to combine my two favourite passtimes (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haute_Route), unfortunately I don't (yet) have any gear, or much of an idea about what I need or want.

The vitals;

male
70kg
1.82m

I'm looking for skis, skins, bindings and boots that'll be capable of getting me from Chamonix to Zermatt, but will also let me have a bit of fun with my mates on skiing holidays and long weekends to the Alps. At the moment, I'm thinking all mountain skis that come in at about 160cm, and bindings that can convert from free heel to fixed heel relatively simply, but beyond that I've no idea. Also, I can't really see how my downhill boots would be suitable for skinning up 1000m in a day...

So, does anyone do AT? What gear do you use? What is good, and what isn't? Am I out of my mind thinking I can get everything I want from one rack? Should I just rent?

Thanks for any help,
mmw

A snowHead

depends how much you want to spend, how hard you ski, how much help you need from your boots and whether you want to have the flexibility to use your current boots...

assuming you don't care about your old boots, i'd be looking at something like the Dynafit Manaslu with Dynafit bindings and whatever Dynafit compatible boot fits your foot and complements your skiing style. if you are doing the HR you have to be prepared for long uphill slogs so there is a tradeoff between downhill and uphill comfort. something softer and lighter will be nicer to walk in but if your skiing is a bit weak you might benefit from something that gives you more support on the downhill. similarly if you ski fast and hard stiffer/heavier boots will be more fun to ski in

160cm sounds way too short for the skis if you want to enjoy skiing them - with your stats I'd be looking at 175cm+

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

I agree - it depends how much money you want to spend.

For the least money all you need is some Alpine Trekkers and some skins for your existing skis. But bear in mind that this may wasted money if you want to get in deeper.

If you don't plan to do much hiking then you can keep your existing boots - they'll be fine for skinning up. However, they are unlikely to have Dynafit inserts so you'll have to stick to a conventional touring binding. Fritchi make probably the most common. You can put these on your existing skis but you may want something a little lighter and possibly wider. Something around 85 to 95mm underfoot would seem ideal to me.

If you're totally comitted then I suggest you go straight for a Dynafit setup. By this I mean Dynafit bindings and boots with compatible inserts. Look for some light skis. I've recently purchased some G3 Aces at about 3kg per pair. Then get some skins that are cut to fit the skis. Don't bother with straight skins - they just don't have the grip if you need to edge your skis much.

Have a good look around this site. There is plenty of info - especially in the articles.
http://www.wildsnow.com/

You need to Login to know who's really who.

Whilst i've no objection to the idea of the dynafit system i'm not entirely convinced by the idea of buying the lightest skis. Unless you're planning on doing long mostly cross country tours or racing light is not always right.

As a broad general rule in the trade off for light weight touring skis tend to be narrower & softer than other all mountain skis. For me personally i don't believe the trade off in weight for the up is worth the trade off in enjoyment on the downhill side. I'd find a pair of skis that you like the feel of on the downhill & then set them up with touring bindings. My €0.02

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

frank4short, agree with you on balance - the least logical thing is definitely heavy bindings on light skis! you can take the view that lighter bindings earn you a few extra grams which can be spent on the skis. don't think light skis are necessarily the compromise they were a few years ago, now mfrs are getting more clever in construction of their skis. however, i am sure that the rando race models still suck to ski on!

moonmountainwolf is quite a light guy though so can probably enjoy softer skis more than bigger gentlemen such as myself

You'll need to Register first of course.

Agree with Frank. If you are only going to buy a single pair of skis buy some that ski well and save weight with Dynafit bindings. Skiing icy pistes or heavy crud on light touring skis will be a nightmare. On the other hand if you are relatively fit you shouldn't have too many problems skinning on a Scott Mission/Movement Spark or something of similar weight that will have the advantage of being excellent from ice to deep powder.

You may also be able to find some of these skis second hand.

For info, I was not particularly fit and managed the Haute Route on Dynastar Mythic Riders (4kg) with Fritschi Freeride Plus bindings (2kg). Next Touring setup will be wider skis with Dynafit bindings.

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

moonmountainwolf, welcome!

I completed the Haute Route this year (it was fantastic) and had lots of good advice from here. I put the photos together into a site which you might find handy - all my trip report stuff is on there
http://the-haute-route.com/

I am a lousy person to ask about skis as I have only done one season of skiing (snowboarding prior to that) but the Black Diamond Method (me) / Factor(mr) hybrid boots that we used were excellent - not one blister! - and performed really well.

You can test touring setups in Chamonix from both Dynastar (at Les Grands Montets) and Black Diamond (at Flegere) I'm sure there are similar programs in other places so it could be worth doing that before you commit to buying.

useful thread here:
http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?t=50162

After all it is free

There are some great skis at around 3.2-3.2 kg for 170-177cm. With a dynafit you'll get a great ski and good downhill. Try the Movement Couloir (new this year) or the proven Mission. For broader think of the Coomba - lousy on ice though.

Thanks very much for the badly needed advice.

...and it looks like I've got some reading to do.

Cheers,
mmw

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

I've got a similar question.

Haven't done touring before, although plenty on/ off-but-near" piste but am going on a 6 day tour in late spring. 600m-1500 ascents, descents per day.

Hire equipment is available on-location, which is Fritchi bindings on Mount Baker skis, with Garmont Axon boots.

I'm planning to get some practice during the season, going up and downhill on touring gear, as I only ever ski on "downhill" skis/boots.

I do not fancy using untried hire boots for a week's touring, (I have ankles which stick out and comformable full linings!) As I currently have Scott Punishers, I had planned to fit these with touring bindings and buy boots, which I can then take touring in May.

A few questions:

How much practice is needed to get good on touring set-up, assuming you can ski well on downhill gear, and fitness is good? Assuming a good bit of practice is worthwhile, are Punishers going to work OK on Touring set-up, skiing with "on/near-piste" friends during the season, and then would they be suitable to take with me on tour, or should I go with hire Mount Bakers?

Thanks in advance

Help!!

Help - AT skis/boots/bindings

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