Another gear question-- for tele folks

[mollmeister]

I am trying to find a way to ski more often in NC next season (most of my clothing and equipment lives in a gear closet in CO and I am spoiled rotten after skiing Tahoe, Banff, and CO for the last 16+ years), and I think my plan is to finally really learn telemark.

I have alpine skied regularly for 32 years and XC skied occasionally for most of my life and can make, maybe, one or two tele turns on XC skis. I have found a place where I can take weekday tele lessons next winter while the kids are in school, so now I am trying to figure out equipment. I have an old pair of Lottas that I could easily switch to tele bindings, but what tele boots will work?

I am going to be shopping Craig's list and clearance and the like, so I am curious what style of boot/binding set-up you'd recommend and also the best boot for a very narrow, very low-volume foot. (I will probably take it to get tweaked at my boot fitter when I visit for alpine boots in December next year, but I don't want to start out with something far too sloppy to fudge.) I like my alpine boots very snug-- I have Full Tilts with an Intuition liner and lots of tweaks, and even at almost dead and mostly packed out, I still wear them with a hosiery-thin Bridgedale sock (that they don't seem to make anymore, much to my chagrin). Don't know if the same sort of fit is mandatory with tele boots.

Any suggestions would be much appreciated!

 

[altagirl]

I think I fit my tele boots just about the same as my alpine boots. And all I can recommend for you is that I'd say you need the opposite of whatever I'm wearing - I have narrow heels but a very wide forefoot and fairly high arches. So... no BD Stilettos for you. Obviously fit is probably priority #1, but I would also look for a reasonably stiff tele boot. Some are made for touring and meant to be comfortable on the uphill at the expense of performance downhill. So just make sure you're looking for something appropriate to what you want to ski in terms of stiffness.

Personally I like the Black Diamond O1 bindings. They have a touring mode which takes off all the resistance if you want to ever do that, but more importantly, I just like the feel. I owned several pairs of 7TM bindings (which are releasable) - though I never quite liked the feel of them, and they never released for me anyway, so I gave up and went back to normal tele bindings. I also have a pair of old skis that still have Cobra bindings on them, and those I do like reasonably well also. Honestly, I think it's one of those things where you just have to pick something and try it. And once you get comfortable skiing, you can try some other brands/styles of bindings and see what you like the best.

 

[pinto]

I think I remember Scarpa is the narrowest-fitting of the tele boots. Luckily a super snug fit is not as important as with alpine (especially when beginning).

 

[geargrrl]

I have a ladies Scarpa that fits beautifully. I too have a very low volume foot that is narrow. I will look up the model when I go downstairs.

 

[geargrrl]

Ladies Trance

 

[mollmeister]

Ladies Trance

Awesome. Thank you!

 

[mollmeister]

Yeah, this is going to be an adventure of trial and error, I think, especially since I am trying to do it on the cheap. Thanks everyone for your thoughts!

 

[altagirl]

Yeah, this is going to be an adventure of trial and error, I think, especially since I am trying to do it on the cheap. Thanks everyone for your thoughts!

I did the same thing when I started. I found a pair of old Scarpa T1's (they were wider back in the day, and they were a men's boot) for all of $25. And put tele bindings on a set of skis I already owned and that was my first setup, which worked fine to start.

And then I did a tele clinic that included free demos and bought a set of their demos at the end of the season.

And then sprung for new boots that actually fit me perfectly... Got a couple other pairs of skis... etc, etc...

Edit: Hah, and I sold those boots a couple years later to another friend, who I believe is still using them. For $25.

 

[geargrrl]

I got lucky. Our local mountaineering shop that rents tele gear sells boots at the swap every year. I saw those Trance's for $149, put them on, they fit like a glove. The shop guys, who were manning the tele section, told me they'd only been rented out a couple of times. I believe them, they looked brand new.

 

[SkiGAP]

Woo hoo! Tele talk!

I had always heard that Scarpa was the low volume boot. However, with my narrow (but long) feet, I ended upon the Garmont (now Scott) VooDoo. Sometimes I think the heel pocket might be getting a bit big, but otherwise I like them. I ski Hammerhead bindings, but that may be unnecessary burly for where and what you'll be skiing. The main question in 75mm vs NTN. On Craigs List and the like you'll find more 75mm gear so I'd go with that. If you can get stuff cheap enough the plans mentioned above sound good. Last, you can put tele bindings on any ski - I've switched all of mine from Marker bindings, so if you just find used bindings you can mount an old pair of skis...

Enjoy!

 

[geargrrl]

DH went NTN. Talk about a black hole of money.....he loves it though. You do have to make sure skis match up in terms of ability to handle NTN.

 

[altagirl]

DH went NTN. Talk about a black hole of money.....he loves it though. You do have to make sure skis match up in terms of ability to handle NTN.

Yeah, I've thought about NTN, but don't want to spend the money to change everything. And I'd agree that it's unlikely that you're going to find one of those setups cheap on Craigslist...

 

[altagirl]

Also - I just wanted to mention that I think this is a great idea. I started telemarking one season where we had a lot of nice sunny days but not great snow and most people didn't even want to go ski at all. Learning to telemark gave me something to do during the stretches without fresh snow, and made easy groomers challenging and interesting. So I think it's a great idea when you're in that situation with a mountain that's not challenging you. If nothing else, it's great for improving your balance and leg muscles and makes alpine skiing feel easier again when you go back to it.

 

[SkiGAP]

I agree with AG. I started because I had a boyfriend and in-laws that do it, and I figured it'd be an interesting challenge. I am never bored, whether on blacks or greens. I haven't been on alpine in 2.5 years, but I still have my Dobermanns so perhaps I'll demo something and see what it feels like!

 

[pinto]

Also - I just wanted to mention that I think this is a great idea. I started telemarking one season where we had a lot of nice sunny days but not great snow and most people didn't even want to go ski at all. Learning to telemark gave me something to do during the stretches without fresh snow, and made easy groomers challenging and interesting. So I think it's a great idea when you're in that situation with a mountain that's not challenging you. If nothing else, it's great for improving your balance and leg muscles and makes alpine skiing feel easier again when you go back to it.

This is my favorite part! I feel like a rockstar on alpine gear after I've been on tele. So far I've only done tele in am, then switched over in pm, and I actually think it's really helpful for keeping your inside ski more active, since the technique is different.

Unfortunately, I haven't been on mine in a year, because the last time was so painful on my kneecaps. I don't think I was taped up, though; I need to get out there again.

 

[SkiGAP]

tele was hard on your kneecaps? *gulp* Oh wait I think I remember that thread.

 

[pinto]

tele was hard on your kneecaps? *gulp* Oh wait I think I remember that thread.

My kneecaps are already screwed ... tele didn't do it to them. I have grade 3 and 4 damage on the backs of both patellas. Basically, no cartilage left. So the knee bends in a telemark turn can be tough on them. Alpine skiing is a little bit different motion, but the pain still builds up after a while.

 

[altagirl]

Yeah - I'm sure it depends on exactly what your knee situation is.

I'm permanently on tele gear now (I think it's been 3 years or so since I've touched my alpine gear) because my knees can't handle the stress of alpine ski gear. I don't drop a knee all that much, but the gear somehow makes a big difference and the alpine gear kills me. Go figure.

 

[pinto]

Yeah - I'm sure it depends on exactly what your knee situation is.

I'm permanently on tele gear now (I think it's been 3 years or so since I've touched my alpine gear) because my knees can't handle the stress of alpine ski gear. I don't drop a knee all that much, but the gear somehow makes a big difference and the alpine gear kills me. Go figure.

Yep, the joint space in my knees is still lovely and wide. The whole knee replacement thing, I'm not a candidate at all. Just my patellas. (Bone on bone in a different place)

 

[altagirl]

Yeah, mine are worst in the medial part of my knee joint, have bone spurs all around my knees and the backs of my patellas look like spaghetti squash. But the patellas aren't not bone on bone, which is a plus.