Who are the Tele Skiers Out there?

[IttyBittyBetty]

I know lots of you tele ski. How long have you tele skied? What gear do you use? Do you alpine, AT or snowboard as well? What do you like most about tele skiing?

Me first! I'm starting my 3rd season on tele skis. Prior to that I alpine skied (learned at 4) and then snowboarded for 8 years.

I started out with discount gear - 2 buckle Garmont boots, Atomic Femme Fatale skis and Rottefella Bindings. I graduated last year to Garmont Venus boots with three buckles (more control and stiffer), Vokyl Aura skis (which totally rock!!!) with 22 designs Hammerhead bindings. The new skis are better in the pow than my skinny Atomics were, but I'll hold onto the Atomics since they are really fast on groomers. The Hammerheads are great bindings and now they make them with a softer spring for women.

I love tele skiing because:

- It's something my BF and I learned to do together
- It's flowy and graceful
- It makes me feel in touch with the mountain
- When there's pow, I'm up to my face in it when I'm down in the Mark
- It's an awesome workout
- I can go UP with my skins in the backcountry
- It has a high Cool Factor

 

[num]

Not a tele skier, but I want to try it out. I'm a newer skier, and initially I was thinking to start out tele, but the hill didn't rent tele gear (wonder why I thought it would, in southern WI?) so I started alpine instead.

I still would like to start it up but it'll probably be a bit before I do, partially because I'd like to get my alpine skills in line before starting something new. There's also the buying new gear thing. Maybe in like two seasons?

 

[tradygirl]

I started tele skiing late last season. I've been an alpine skier my whole life, and picked up AT for backcountry touring about three years ago. I was mostly interested in tele since it gave me something totally new to learn. After skiing alpine for 20+ years, it was fun to start over again on the green runs. :D

I had a pair of 174 K2 Dawn Patrols that I was using for AT that I converted to tele. I got a brand new set of Black Diamond O1 bindings for free, and found some T2 Scarpas on sale for $200. So, my set-up is pretty sweet and it's just waiting to start touring as soon as I'm comfortable enough. I'm most excited to ski powder - it just looks so flowy and of course DEEPER!

It will never take over for AT and alpine on big, epic, steep, and scary days, but it sure is fun to mess around on tele gear on mellow days or when conditions suck in the backcountry.

 

[altagirl]

I play around on tele gear too. It's fun to get out and make easy terrain challenging, particularly when conditions are bad and there's nothing I want to ski off-piste. I love how comfy the boots are - I wish I was good enough to just use my tele gear for touring, but I tend to be a mess in inconsistent snow.

 

[Pequenita]

I'd like to learn one day soon.

 

[astridhj]

I used to go tele skiing for a few years, but I'm back to alpine now. Still have my tele gear in storage, and do not want to sell it. I have Crispi shoes, Fischer skis with Linken bindings. This is a really good norwegian tele binding, or it used to be, before the NTN system came, which I haven't tested yet, since they do not have shoes my size yet.

But my bf does teleskiing, and he really wants to try the new NTN system. The interesting thing is that the new NTN boots fits in my new Marker Duke binding.

 

[Gloria]

I went from alpine to board late 80's to teles mid 90's. I tele'd pretty solid for a couple years. Got to the point where I could hold my own at least in the steep stuff. I had been skiing in some really worn out leather boots and upgraded to some hardshells. For some reason we decided that it would be a great idea to pull the voilles off the straight 195's and put them on something a little more curvy. ( You know those spring event things, alot of minds involved, donated I dare you skis. You know the story ) So I said okay, never been on shaped skis, hadn't skied skis this short since I was in like the 6th grade at this point. They felt pretty good at first, practically turned themselves, I finally got good and cocky and just got railin on them. Took the over the tips tele death slide for miles, blood, bruises, knee that has not/will never be the same since. Scared the livin heck out a me. I have not been on tele's now for probably 3-4 years, however, I am taking them on a little road trip this weekend. I just can't imagine any other way to spend a weekend skiing $70/day groomers. Got to make it worth it somehow. Hope it doesn't turn out to be the beginning of the end.