Question: Whats your set up? AT/ Backcountry

[NYSnowflake]

Well I don’t need binding suggestions any longer- I ordered Marker Alpinist 8 bindings (yes, the turquoise color!). They seemed to be the only low DIN/high quality/lightweight ones I could find. Now I still need to find boots and skins...

 

[echo_VT]

@NYSnowflake so glad that you are gearing up for backcountry skiing even if your hand is forced a bit. We find it hard but enjoyable and the nicest / most scenic way to ski freshies.

@MissySki I don't have experience with the new Shifts, but I have Atomic Shift bindings on my Santa Ana 93's I think from the first year it came out -- and the binding skis like a dream. I will only get Shifts I think on any of my downhill skis, just in case I want to go uphill with those skis one day. It doesn't make sense to me to get any other downhill binding. It skis so so beautifully.

However, my setup with the Shift binding is really best for one run and done in the early mornings. Both the ski and the binding itself is a bit on the heavy side. It doesn't really make a difference at first, but trying to do 3000-5000 ft in a day, I don't think it's a great idea. the Dynafit Radical 2.0 is definitely a preferred binding on those long-hauling type of days (plus on a lighter ski to go with it).

re: Beacon stuff -- I think buying new makes sense if you can, there are some quality beacons out there. you don't know if the owner before you treated it well but if you can test in person and it performs, sounds like it should be fine -- i.e. the regular test you would do with someone else before heading out there (making sure the beacons can find each other).

we remove the batteries after each trip b/c leaving batteries in the beacon i'm told can damage it -- if for whatever reason gets too hot. we're incredibly firm about doing this each time b/c the beacon is our lifeline. but we know not everyone will do this -- but that's our preference.

 

[NYSnowflake]

I just bought a set of Line Pandora 84s...now I need to find touring bindings and boots. I already have adjustable carbon fiber hiking poles. Recommendations for East Coast touring bindings welcome! I plan to ski NY/VT resorts at first and maybe later explore the Catskills/Berkshires/ADKs off piste. Edit- P.S. my downhill ski DIN is a 4.

Update- now added Marker Alpinist 8 bindings and Scarpa Gea boots! The kit is coming together. Still need to choose skins.

 

[aliwill]

Super psyched, just pulled the trigger on a new setup: Atomic Backland 98s at 164cm with Marker Alpinist bindings (with brakes). I simply adore my 2017 Backland 102s, so I'm taking a bit of a gamble on these thinner, lighter ones skiing the same! They haven't been reviewed much, which is unnerving, but my local ski shop has already sold out of some sizes of the Backland 98s—one dude there said he thinks it'll be the women's touring ski of the year. (...can't hurt that I've spent the past two years blabbing about how much I love the Backlands, and most of my friends have picked up a pair by now!)

FWIW, if anyone else is eying these skis, Evo claims that the 164cm is 1120g (!!), but we threw it on the ski shop scale and they came in right at 1200g per ski. Not bad, still.

Curious how other folks have found the Alpinists; any issue putting Dynafit ski crampons on them? They'll be my lightest bindings to date, and I've enjoyed the feel of my Fritschi Tectons and Dyafit Rotations—but I'm psyched to have this setup for multiday tours and big spring mountaineering trips.

 

[yogiskier]

Hi Touring Divas! I'm building a hybrid setup (starting out with resort skinning this season, then hope to do some side/backcountry in the future). I bought G3 Alpinist+Universal skins in 130mm, thinking they would work for my Rossignol Temptation 84s in length 154, dimensions listed as 133/84/120. However, the skins have a plasticky TPU part at the top, so that when I line the skin up with the ski, there's a bit of plastic that sticks out on either side that I can't trim. Also, it seems like the tip clips are a tight fit onto my skis - do you think they will loosen? Are these issues okay or do I need to buy different skins? Finally, if anyone wants to meet up for some "earn your turn" laps at an Indy Pass mountain in the Northeast, let me know!


Skis: Rossignol Temptation 84 154cm
Boots: Atomic Hawx Ultra XTD 95
Bindings: Salomon Shift 10
Skins: G3 Alpinist +Universal
Poles: Black Diamond Traverse
Pants: TBD - maybe Jack Wolfskin Gravity Tour Pant or splurging on Flylow Ninas
Jacket: Make do with 3-in-one North Face or splurging on Flylow Billie Coat
Puffys: North Face puffy (from 3-in-one above)
Body Layers: Smartwool 1/4 zip top, Patagonia Capilene Midweight bottom
Gloves: TBD
Backpack: Deuter Speedlight 15
Avalanche Beacon: N/A
Shovel: N/A
Probe: N/A

 

[arbusch]

I wish I could help @yogiskier. I have never used G3 skins. I have seen too many friends over the years have issues with them. It sounds like they don't fit. Maybe someone here has more experience with them.

 

[yogiskier]

I wish I could help @yogiskier. I have never used G3 skins. I have seen too many friends over the years have issues with them. It sounds like they don't fit. Maybe someone here has more experience with them.

Yeah, I think you're right, @arbusch! Thanks for chiming in. People seemed to like them okay for the Northeast, but I think I have to go shop for new skins now. It's too bad I didn't try the skins on when I bought them 2 months ago within the 30-day return window, and also now i have to buy skins after everyone else has

 

[yogiskier]

Yeah, I think you're right, @arbusch! Thanks for chiming in. People seemed to like them okay for the Northeast, but I think I have to go shop for new skins now. It's too bad I didn't try the skins on when I bought them 2 months ago within the 30-day return window, and also now i have to buy skins after everyone else has

I did a quick search online for skins and nearly all were sold out, and some like the Black Diamonds don't even come shorter than 163cm anyhow. I remembered a backcountry ski shop in the White Mountains - https://skithewhites.com/ They only stock Pomocas, Fischers, and the Contour Hybrid. So I dashed off an email to their "customer support" - really just the shop's owner, Andrew, and he wrote back in 15 minutes recommending the Contour Hybrid Mix 115. He said the glue has worked well for them. Sold!

I will report back after using

 

[Jilly]

@yogiskier-you need trim the skins to match the profile of your skis. There might have been a tool with your skins or just use an exacto knife. So from 130 at the tip to 84 at the waist. You will be taking a lot out the middle.

 

[yogiskier]

Yeah, I had decided to go with full coverage at the tip when I bought them in November - I forget my reasoning at the time. The issue with cutting is that the G3 skin is covered by this plastic stuff that can't be cut (I assume). Also, The G3 tip clips are a tight fit for my skis that are a hair over 5mm in thickness. https://us-store.genuineguidegear.com/products/alpinist-universal-climbing-skins

 

[Jilly]

 

[Kimmyt]

G3 sizing guide recommends matching skin width to the tail of the ski. In the past I have gone just a few mm larger than waist width, in fact I just bought new skins for my 96-waisted skis and was recommended a 100mm skin (I used to have G3s but this time around have Pomocos). @yogiskier I'd love to hear what you think of your XTDs for touring, I have them but only use them for downhill atm, I'd have to redrill my AT skis to fit the Hawx and don't feel like going to that trouble when my Geas are plenty comfy.

 

[yogiskier]

@Jilly @Kimmyt Thank you, both! This has been informative. I pulled the trigger on ordering the Contours this morning, so I'll see what I think after receiving those - whether to trim/keep one and sell/return the other, or hold onto both.
@Kimmyt I will let you know about the XTDs for touring.

 

[lisamamot]

this time around have Pomocos

I have Pomocas as well - wish I had checked their website before buying a set for my Elan Ripstick 94W. All the articles I read on skins said to get a size at least as wide as the tip of the ski. I bought the 140mm for a 135mm tip. I went to the Pomoca site to watch videos on cutting and realized they had a size finder; I plugged all my ski make/model info in and they told me I should have bought the 130mm. Ugh. Cutting away that extra was kind of sad!

 

[Kimmyt]

Ha, now I'm worried mine are too skinny. I'll take them out this week for a spin and see i guess, but i'm not doing anything steep so might not get a good answer (i bought these on a whim as I was xmas shopping for my husband and realized i needed new skins bc the glue on my old pair had died and the attempt at regluing failed pretty miserably)

 

[yogiskier]

Ha, now I'm worried mine are too skinny. I'll take them out this week for a spin and see i guess, but i'm not doing anything steep so might not get a good answer (i bought these on a whim as I was xmas shopping for my husband and realized i needed new skins bc the glue on my old pair had died and the attempt at regluing failed pretty miserably)

;-) Let us know how it goes!

 

[MissySki]

I'm in semi panic mode to get a new pack.. I'm realizing that there is no way my inbounds ski pack is going to hold everything I need on the packing list for my AIARE 1 class in less than 2 weeks..

I'm somewhat interested in the Osprey Kresta 30 pack from reviews/features/having owned other Osprey bags. Though I own another bag that I like for summer hiking, it has an adjuster on the frame for the torso length and therefore I'm still at a loss for sizing here without that. My measured torso length at home is somewhere between 15-17inches according to my significant other lol. This is based on where exactly he is reading the measurement with regards to where on the C7 neckbone you place the tape measure and trying to deal with the hip bones. Regardless of the accuracy of this measurement.. It pretty much puts me in between the xs/s and s/m on the size chart.. As in the 16 and 17 inches both say go with either one, which is super helpful right??

I'm 5'4" but have a short torso and long arms and legs, I also have what I consider to be wider shoulders than my size would usually call for based on how tops fit me. Not sure if this would negatively impact the smaller size straps with wider shoulders..

Any thoughts from those who own or have tried on this pack, I saw @laine and @Pequenita have it but didn't go through the whole thread closely.. Which would you order? I'm leaning towards the larger as it also gets me 2L extra space I believe because the xs/s comes in at 28L and the s/m at 30L as it's 2 inches longer.. I don't want it to be too long and then not distribute weight appropriately on my hips though. Arghh not sure if I should try to go try it on in person if I can find both sizes at a local REI, which I'm not sure is available..

 

[WaterGirl]

@MissySki - Question do you really want a frame backpack ? I tried that pack and if I remember correctly I could hit the frame with my head.

Go to REI.

I dont think you neccisarily need a frame or highly technical pack. Besides the ARVA pack I own for day tours I also bought a NF Phantom 50 pack for a camp/ski trip. It is a minimalistic pack with a lot of room. Able to ski carry NP and it "skis" well. If you can sample some different packs I think you will figure out what works for you, worth the effort to try on.

 

[elemmac]

@MissySki - I’ll second, try to get to REI and try them on...unless you’re willing to order and return if they’re not right.

Osprey changed their ski/snowboard line when they added their avy float pack, so Kestras might be slim pickings (though can be found online easily). I believe it’s now the Sopris. I have the older model of the same pack (Kode) and love it. I’ve never had issues with the frame and love the structure of the pack. If REI isn’t an easy option, stop at KTP on your way up to the mountain, they normally have solid pack selection (though I haven’t checked this year specifically).

 

[ESGCO]

@MissySki
It sounds like you and I have a similar build- I did not like the Osprey ski packs, they are heavy and seemed overbuilt, and Black Diamonds even in small are too big.

Finally this year I found the Ortovox Tour Rider 28S PACK and love it! It's light and conforms to my back, even when fully loaded. It neither pinches nor rides up on my neck, and just fits an extra long probe. I'm trying to justify buying the Haute Route 38S for hut trips once those are in full swing again...

Perhaps you could order a bunch from a place like Backcountry or REI? That way you could try several models on at home, in ski clothes, try putting all your gear in them, etc...and only pay one fee to return the ones you don't want?