Boots. What's the difference between.........

A snowHead

What's the difference between Alpine and alpine touring or even telemark.I can guess(I think) the difference between telemark and the others but the others.....?

A snowHead

smifffymoto, at a simple level, (from someone who only has alpine boots - but is looking for some AT ones) Telemark need a totally different binding and bend in the forefoot/midfoot to allow heel lift. Both Alpine and AT stuff can be used in Alpine bindings or most AT bindings, some AT gear can also be used in dynafit/tech bindings which Alpine boots cannot. AT boots will have a walk-mode which allows flexion at the ankle for hikiing/going up hill (but then so did some Alpine boots) , and often a different tongue structure, and will often be lighter.

now over to the experts... there are a good few here who will have all three.

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

Alpine: heel locked down always
Touring (AT): Heel can be free for the ups and locked down for the downs. Sold in different levels of burliness/weight
Tele: Heel always free, required telemark turns on the downs

Alpine boots are heavy and stiff, AT boots are much lighter and usually not as stiff and have a sole that can grip rock better for climbing stuff, tele boots are dedicated for tele bindings.

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

narc, except - like many - I do sometimes skin in my alpine boots with lifting heel bindings... so the heel ain't always locked down.

smifffymoto, using AT or Alpine boots - any lifting of the heel has to come from the binding - with either most of the binding pivoting up at the toe end, or with dynafits the boots hinging on a couple of pins at the toe, with the heel unlocking.

Help!!

Boots. What's the difference between.........

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