snowrider, what sort of approaches have you been doing on them? would you trust them on glaciated terrain where skiers maybe wouldn't climb roped up? How do you think they compare to snowshoes? Also out of interest how much do you weigh? I'm quite big and 110 cm doesn't seem like much surface area! Also traverses, what are they like given the lack of a steel edge?
Slightly off topic I know.
I think you should just turn that swallowtail into a splitboard and be done with it! I think you will suffer this season on the traverse out of mont fort on snow shoes or these.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
scottishskier, he should just face up to the inevitable and take up skiing
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?
Swirly, true wat Arno says. IME (skiing with the disabled) the chaps on access skis have the most fun in the BC. Split boards are actually pretty good for moving under your own speed but suck coming down. Snowshoes are OK for moving around and can bounce around when they're on your back (as you know). Access skis offer very good and light up hill travel and secure nicely on the way down. Skinning for less than an hour, side country etc = access skis, longer tours, hut-to-hut etc = split board...
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
I think I'll def. give them a try. I did learn to ski, for the Haute Route. There was a guy doing it on a splitty and he was in a world of pain! I very much want to ski tour again - but I really missed snowboarding last year. I spent pretty the whole season on the skis and I am not a total convert.
I much prefer snowboarding (though skis are a lot of fun too, especially when conditions aren't ideal). I just prefer the feeling, by a long way, and really want to do some short tours with the board. Most of the ski touring I've done, I really enjoyed going up - but on the way down I wished I had the board! There are some good tours for boards round here like the Col du Passon. I'll be coming in for a lot of chaff from our guide of course but hey ho.
Can you fit couteaux to access skis?
ps If you haven't already seen it there is always the skoootch'n' option
firebug, I've done some limited touring on snowshoes, yeah it's a lot more effort and it would be pretty horrific on icy snow but it's ok, just ignore the skiers moans as you obliterate the skin track (or go last). I've done a 1300m ascent at 350 m/h which left me knackered but that was probably a fitness thing as it was still early season. Of course the terrain options on the raquettes are more limited.
The way down was epic
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Swirly wrote:
snowrider, what sort of approaches have you been doing on them? would you trust them on glaciated terrain where skiers maybe wouldn't climb roped up? How do you think they compare to snowshoes? Also out of interest how much do you weigh? I'm quite big and 110 cm doesn't seem like much surface area! Also traverses, what are they like given the lack of a steel edge?
Slightly off topic I know.
Compared to snowshoes much more efficient and less tiring as you dont have to lift your feet. If there is already a skin track in place will leave people on snow shoes way behind and keep up with skiers no problem. If you are breaking trail then easier than snow shoes (probably slighly more area than snow shoes and not lifting as much) but not quite as easy as a regular ski as slightly smaller area (110cm length, 10cm width). I weigh 80kg and they are fine for me. Not quite sure what you mean by your glacier question, to me it is more if you trust the terrain rather than the equipment, if it doubt use a rope. While they dont have steel edges they are made of aluminium so grip fairly well and they do include a crampon. Of course you are in a soft snowboard boot so not as laterally stiff as a ski boot so not going to feel quite so secure on an icy traverse, but that would be the same as on a split board. Hope that helps.
I bought these over a split board or show shoes as when I am on a board I want to to get up somewhere and then ride down as no skis compare to riding pow on a board. If I want to do a long tour or do something that involves flattish terrain I will ski tour (I ski as well) as flat terrain and boards just dont go together.
After all it is free
After all it is free
firebug wrote:
Can you fit couteaux to access skis?
ps If you haven't already seen it there is always the skoootch'n' option
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.
parlor wrote:
Factors / Titans / Zzeus really are viable "do-it-all" boots - swappable soles to allow DIN / ISO & Vibram touring.
Just FYI I've used the ordinary Vibram sole on my Zzeus boots in alpine bindings with no problem, so you don't even always need to change the sole
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
eng_ch wrote:
parlor wrote:
Factors / Titans / Zzeus really are viable "do-it-all" boots - swappable soles to allow DIN / ISO & Vibram touring.
Just FYI I've used the ordinary Vibram sole on my Zzeus boots in alpine bindings with no problem, so you don't even always need to change the sole
Yes but you can do that with almost all touring boots but they are unlikely to release properly. Some bindings are better i.e. older salomons with manually adjustable toe height. As someone with shoddy knees I certainly don't plan on ever using my touring boots in alpine bindings. Then again using touring boots in alpine bindings is probably no worse than the release on dynafits.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
I have a problem with Endos ISO in Dukes so wouldn't even think of going to vibram until I get this sorted.
Atm, the only issue is release, which is indeed a most important one ( and have lost a day or two over it... ) , but I get a weight save as well over vibram.
Atm, I have very little confidence in Duke/Endo compatibility, which may well be a set-up issue, but I have now had two shops attend to this...
It looks like I will have to TGR it...
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.
JT, TGR??
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
Powderhound, yup..the oracle of skiing and all things American
They can be seriously anal but they also know a good few things as well...
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
TGR is OK.. but very young people so they can be a rather abusive lot with little justification and I get a little sick of that. I find it hard to take a 20 year old seriously that learnt to ski on 101mm skis
Back on topic... I've made my decision. As both my wife and I would need to get both new skis, new dynafit bindings and a new compromise boots (Titan etc..) i'm gonna press the button on the Duke setup instead. I'm going to mount these on an older pair of skis first (95mm width) and try that out before choosing the final skis and then demo a load out in Jackson to get skis long term. This will give us both a chance to see how much we like the added flexibility of touring. All this can be done for a small outlay on a set of Dukes each instead of heaps of cash on the whole setup.
At the same time following advice from Powderhound, i'm going to get to know my DP Pro + better as this probable tick's more boxes than I think it does at the moment. It may then be that after using the Dukes for a while on my older skis that I like it so much i'll make the move to a Dynafit and there should be some more feedback on how people have got on with the Titans by then. That's my plan ! Thanks for all the advice
Alex
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Alex A, Just been doing some research and am now tempted to try out DP Pro + with a Titan/Dynafit set up... Always been a bit nervous of the flimsy look of the binding, especially as I tend to be quite full-on and rely on strength to keep me out of trouble, which means that the bindings take some punishment.
One benefit is that they have been building a new, large, restaurant next to our local lift (250m from the house) and I have just found out that it is in fact a Stoeckli shop. Poor them!
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Powderhound, Is that in Verbier as per your sig..? Looks great...!!!
I think the Stockli test centres are the biz... the best ever way to spread the word, based on the Engleberg shop...
DP's and Dukes sound like the combination and a mountain-eater
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Powderhound, I'd be really interested to know how you get on. Silly thing is I need new boots anyway !! Or a new liner in my existing shells.... so maybe I should just take the plunge on the Titans !! I just think i'll hate how short they are on the cuff.
Anyone know what shape foot they fit? Mine are very narrow so a racing Lange or Nordica fit me well...
ps.. i've got a 30% off any Stoeckli ski after my skis came through with a defect to the top skin... But I don't need a 201cm so can't really put that to sue !! Unless I get another DP Pro + 193 and mount that with a touring binding !! Ah my god i'm confusing myself after having made my mind up !! Classic me.. A Duke on that would be WAY too heavy... I just cant see how a 500gram Dynafit can cope with 95kg's and that ski...
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?
Alex A, I would go back to them on that 30% off. I got a free replacement pair for the same thing on an old pair of DP Pros - and he was willing to let me keep the old pair. As it happened I smashed them to pieces the following week anyway in an avalanche so all worked out well...
Put on a touring binding, you know it makes sense!!
JT, it's actually in the small station Hoch Ybrig where we live on the other side of Switzerland - where there is already a test centre on the other side of the mountain. The Stoeckli guys target their market pretty carefully...
Swirly, i would go down the splitboard route if your thinking that way, now that you can get dedicated splitboard binders at Spark R&D - there is hardly any gap between regular and splitboarding. Although its a whole different skill set learning to climb well on a split
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
JT, still sounds like a setup problem, I have heard of no issues with the Dukes other than where the boots haven't been set up properly. (And the odd broken part mainly due to parts being iced up and people forcing them.)
After all it is free
After all it is free
Alex A wrote:
Does anyone know what brake width the Dynafits go upto?
do you really need brakes?
ive just bought some dynafits for my new touring set-up without brakes. my mate runs leash's.
as for the debate, you've surely got to skin as much as possible. If its super steep you can't and need to hike/climb up. Walking is not good in powder or when the snow is layered with crusty and soft layers cos you end up sinking through. (though this is a sign of poor snowpack & hopefully you are heading to a different aspect slope for safe skiing)
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.
OliC wrote:
do you really need brakes?
ive just bought some dynafits for my new touring set-up without brakes. my mate runs leash's.
Do you:
1. Want to have to hike up/potentially search for a released ski? Get brakes
2. Be repeatedly hit on the head/face by your ski edges at as they flail around madly at high speed? Get leashes
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
to both of you.
) , but I get a weight save as well over vibram.
