marymack
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
My boyfriend is a tele guy so really would rather be skinning and skiing backcountry stuff. Though he has humored me (and on the East coast there was no backcountry snow last year anyway!) and we've just been skiing resort for the last 2 years.
I've only ever been a resort skier, though I'm venturing into the glades more and more and I'm fairly comfortable in ungroomed snow. I'd like to start looking into getting Alpine Touring gear (I have decided I don't really want to make the switch to Tele).
Some questions:
1) Are there places that rent AT gear (New England or southern Quebec) so you can try it before investing in new bindings, new boots and skins?
2) For those that made the switch, did you go all in and get all new gear or did you work up to it...using something like alpine trekkers instead of getting new bindings or just loosening your boots to skin up if your current boots don't have walk/hike mode? Regarding boots, do you use a similar flex boot or go softer in the backcountry? Any other gear considerations e.g. are my volkl Kenja's ok or should I get a lighter/wider ski?
I know eventually I would need to take an avy course etc. but at this point we are talking skinning up resorts before opening or finding low angle glades in our local state park, so I'm thinking at least I can wait on getting stuff like avy beacons etc.
I've only ever been a resort skier, though I'm venturing into the glades more and more and I'm fairly comfortable in ungroomed snow. I'd like to start looking into getting Alpine Touring gear (I have decided I don't really want to make the switch to Tele).
Some questions:
1) Are there places that rent AT gear (New England or southern Quebec) so you can try it before investing in new bindings, new boots and skins?
2) For those that made the switch, did you go all in and get all new gear or did you work up to it...using something like alpine trekkers instead of getting new bindings or just loosening your boots to skin up if your current boots don't have walk/hike mode? Regarding boots, do you use a similar flex boot or go softer in the backcountry? Any other gear considerations e.g. are my volkl Kenja's ok or should I get a lighter/wider ski?
I know eventually I would need to take an avy course etc. but at this point we are talking skinning up resorts before opening or finding low angle glades in our local state park, so I'm thinking at least I can wait on getting stuff like avy beacons etc.