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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Sep 2005
    Location
    Fresh Lake City
    Posts
    4,573

    Ski suggestions for touring

    What type of ski is preferred for touring? I have heard too wide of a ski is too much trouble/weight for touring, what deminisions would you recommend for a touring ski and how do twin tips handle skins from your experiences? I am currently looking into skis like Head I.m 103s, Volkl mantras, expolisives, snow rangers, and maybe like K2 pistols (which I know are a popular choice). As far as skis go i have a pair of scratch BCs that I love, so a ski similar to that maybe a few years old would be sweet. Ski suggestions of past skis and not this years would be helpful because I will be looking to get skis at swaps and discounted prices. Thanks for any help

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Oct 2004
    Location
    Boulder, CO
    Posts
    2,260
    You can tour with any ski it's just a question of what your goals are. I tour on Gotamas most days, when I know I won't be doing much downhill or I'm skiing corn I use my Volkl Norbet Joos. I also have a pair of 200cm AK Rockets that serve as my rock skis.

    Skins work on twin tips just fine, I like the Black Diamond sts tail kit.
    http://www.bdel.com/gear/glidelite_sts.php

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Location
    A LSD Steakhouse somewhere in the Wasatch
    Posts
    13,234
    Quote Originally Posted by BRUTAH
    What type of ski is preferred for touring? I have heard too wide of a ski is too much trouble/weight for touring,
    It kind of depends what type of touring your gonna be doing. Lift acessed OB
    tours thru gates, Epic slogs up to peak summits, Yo yo laps w/ go light tele dudes? Will your partners care if your luggin big sticks and laggin? I like to tour to find good fresh snow, once their I want big fatty tear it up pfunk styley sticks (gotamas). If you feel a lighter weight rig would benifit you go w/ AT boots and lighter bindings if you ask me. I am thinking BROS w/silvereto pure freeride as a possilble touring rig for this season to make the ups a little easier on the legs. Toured w/ explosives and really couldn't notice much difference from gots. For corn I like my old g40's. Black diamonds swap on Oct. 15th always has a lot of touring gear. If you can land the whole package skis, bindings, and skins you will probably save time and money.
    "When the child was a child it waited patiently for the first snow and it still does"- Van "The Man" Morrison
    "I find I have already had my reward, in the doing of the thing" - Buzz Holmstrom
    "THIS IS WHAT WE DO"-AML -ski on in eternal peace
    "I have posted in here but haven't read it carefully with my trusty PoliAsshat antenna on."-DipshitDanno

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Posts
    181
    Pretty easy choice, but you will have to wait for them to show up at a swap.

    Ski Trab FreeRando




    The best all around backcountry ski I've used so far.” – Bruce Tremper, Director of the Forest Service Utah Avalanche Forecast Center

    “The best guide/light tour oriented ski I have found. Fun in the bumps, stable in the crud.” – Backcountry Magazine October 2005

    “Very stiff torsionally, it earned the highest mark for edge grip. It was also one of only three skis that rated highest on shorter turns. But here’s the kicker: it likes to go really fast! A strong racing heritage, Ski Trab routinely takes all the top spots at randonee races. Get ready for Ski Trab to explode onto the US ski market!” – FreeRide Utah Magazine’s men’s telemark ski test October 2005

    “These skis earned quite a few of the ladies love due to their stability and extreme maneuverability. They felt sure-footed in crud, and despite their soft flex, performed surprisingly well at high-speeds. If you are looking for a light-weight backcountry ski that can also handle the variable snow-pack of the resorts, these could be your ticket to ride.” – FreeRide Utah Magazine’s women’s telemark ski test (top scoring mid-fat ski, favorite of 3 out of 8 testers) October 2005

    “The FreeRandos were very responsive and snappy requiring subtle input on medium radius turns, and the skis were amazingly stable at high speeds. They were a pleasure for hiking. I noticed the weight difference immediately.” – Scott Levine, lead guide for Pow Mow Tours; May 18th, 2005

    “I found some nice hard sun-cupped refreeze, you know the kind of hard snow with lots of undulations that will rattle your brain, make your skis chatter and wash out in the middle of a turn. I made medium radius parallel turns down the bowl in complete confidence. The skis are so damp and have such an excellent edge hold that it was almost effortless and actually quite relaxing. In fact, by the time I got to the bottom my feet were tingling from the frozen sun-cupped undulations which felt like a vibrating foot massage. The Free Randos did not once chatter or lose grip. It's hard to believe that a ski this light can perform so well. And of course you definitely notice the weight difference on the ups which is key to more vert. and less fatigue” – Scott Levine, May 21st, 2005

    “The skis floated through the powder, cut through the crud, feathered their way through crust, and carved on the hardpack…The light was flat and I was the first one down making turns for 2600 vertical feet nonstop in untracked wind affected snow containing a 1 inch thick surface wind crust. It was a leg burner, but it felt good to ski it nonstop. The FreeRandos handled it very well, predictably cutting and feathering through the wind crust in medium to long radius turns. The Trab FreeRando is definitely a great performer as a 'quiver of one' ski.” – Scott Levine, September 6, 2005 (upon returning from Las Lenas, Argentina)

    Technical details, full reviews and retailer list available @ www.wasatchski.com

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Apr 2004
    Location
    verbier, milan, isla de pascua
    Posts
    4,806
    I have freerides bindings and skins for BROs and Trab FreeRandos. Totally different skis for totally different needs. If I have to skin for less than 1-1.5 hour, then I take BROs. For anything longer, I know I'd better take Freerandos. Weight matters (at least at my age), and fat skis might be demending on neverending traverses.
    I recently made a rank of skis larger than 85:
    http://tetongravity.com/forums/showthread.php?t=35656

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
    Location
    Banff
    Posts
    22,210
    touring:

    is it more for walks in the woods in the winter: go light and skiiny, no powder preformance.

    mellow powder: lot at 80-90mm and lighter, battle between light and skiable

    big lines and big hucks but something big,fat and don;t worry that it takes work on the way up. 185+cm and 100 waist are a good starting point

    https://www.tetongravity.com/forums/s...ad.php?t=35318

    might have something in it for you.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Location
    WAIDMTBC
    Posts
    461
    Why not just use the Scratch BCs you already have? I love my nekkid lady Scratch BCs for this.
    You have to let other people be right. It consoles them for not being anything else. -- Andre Gide

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Sep 2005
    Posts
    1,707
    I toured last season heavily (4-8hrs a day, 100+ touring days in the season) on some 192 Elan m777s, not exactly a light rig. But if you put in pre season fitness work you don't need to skimp on gear so you can be confident on your gear handling anything on the way down. You also don't need to lag. Depends what your goals are.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Sep 2004
    Location
    WYO
    Posts
    9,709
    My yellow K2 AK Launchers are great for touring.
    "Have fun, get a flyrod, and give the worm dunkers the finger when you start double hauling." ~Lumpy

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Aug 2004
    Location
    Sandy Eggo
    Posts
    1,182
    Touring is all about getting the heaviest gear possible. The heavier your gear, the more fun you will have. Plus, it's physically impossible to ski on anything skinnier than 99mm at the waist.

    I suggest some spats, 916s, Langes, and Trekkers.

    You might want to fill your poles with lead, too.

    All those lightweight touring gapers will be mad jealous.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Nov 2003
    Location
    My armchair
    Posts
    4,892
    BROS!!

    78910
    "... she'll never need a doctor; 'cause I check her out all day"

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