Parallel or Tele in the deep??

[Tick]

So after doing a number of searches and coming up blank I figured I'd start a thread. Hopefully someone can steer me in the right direction. yes, I'm a rookie poster but I have figured out the search function and lurk early and often.

I'm an east coaster. I ski a shit ton, usually (99% of time) it's on dam firm snow, chowder, or crud. I've recently started making tele turns and find it good fun. I'm doing quite well seeing how I've only got 7 or 8 days in the saddle. I run NTN gear on a pair of Stockli Storm Rider Scott Schmidts, and also on a pair of Nordica Superchargers. all that said, I'm heading to BC in three weeks and am trying to decide which gear to bring with me. Do I bring the tele stuff and figure out tele-sking deep snow on the fly, or do I go back to my parallel gear so I don't ruing my trip by eating shit on every turn in the deep? I should note that the NTN stuff is really stiff laterally and I don't have any problems making parallel turns.

Sorry for being a bit vague and rambling a bit, I'm just putting out feelers to see if anyone has had a smilar experience and could offer advice. in a perfect world it will dump snow on the east coast and I can try it out and make an educated decision. unfortunately I'm not sure that's in the cards!

Thanks for your help
-Tick

[BLOOD SWEAT STEEL]

Whatever you feel most comfortable with, and *cough* whatever is going to be easiest to get repair parts for on a moment's notice if you need them.

*cough*
*cough*

And how do you know (weeks in advance) that it's going to be deep anyways?

[Tick]

well I'm hoping it's going to be deep at least, plus it will surely be deeper than Maine!!!!!

[Laxsnowskisquatch]

Bring both if you can. there might not even be powder to ski on, keep that in mind

[Poz]

just suck it up and bring both setups.

[Hutch]

Make tele turns until you're tired, then keep 'em parallel. No need for fixed heels with the NTN, is there?

[moose pit]

TTips for starters... but that being said there is nothing better than getting really deep on tele-gear. My first b/c trip on tele gear was an experience. After getting them blue runs dialed I headed out for a 7 day cabin trip on my 198 vokl super carvers. Needless to say I managed to link 3 turns by the end of the trip. It was fun, really fun, but I acknowledged my limited skill and the group I was skiing with were close friends that new my limitations. They got the freshies and I left moose pits from top to bottom. So it depends on who you are skiing with what their goals are. *If* you ski a shit ton bring your tele gear and rip shit up. Regardless giv'er shit.
(BC sucks by the way you wont like it)

[nurbs]

I would not underestimate skiing tele in powder and wind crust is way more challenging then alot of people realize, fighting tip dive is insane and very frustrating to link continuous turns for any transplanted east coaster.. any improper weight habits you may have will come flying out.

But once you start linking turns , theres nothing quite like tele turns in powder.

With the NTN you may find it difficult to ski powder in tele because of tip dive. But if you dont mind skiing parralel on your tele gear i would not be worried.

---sincerely a transplanted east coast tele skier

[Tick]

Awesome. thanks everyone for the help. I would bring both set-ups, but my Schmits are presently mounted with the NTN set-up and my Nordica's will be mounted with them when the parts arrive. I guess I could leave the holes open for my Markers and re-mount them if I get into trouble. not that big of a deal to bring an extra set of bindings and boots.

So far the concensus seems to be on bring the tele gear and just giv'er hell. I'm going on the trip with only my girlfriend who is really patient. the days we've been out together when I've decided to really work on tele-turns she tries riding switch all day, so it slows her down a touch (not much though, she absolutly rips!).

also, the NTN stuff really does parallel really well, but the free heel thing messes with me a bit when the snow is deep, crusty, and chopped up.

Thanks all
-Tick

[workinforturns]

so, since you are on the subject. If you are going to ski your tele setup like alpine bindings you may as well just stay home.

here is my qualm with tele skiers
-you freeheelers' turns look more styly than skiers and snowboarders, but only if you ski it like a tele ski.

the worst looking turns on the mountain are tele skiers that ski their setup like alpine.
for your info-YOU LOOK STUPID DOING IT!

[telepow]

I think its obvious

[Tick]

so Workinforturns, based on your previous comment I'm guessing you were world cup ready your first day on skis? impressive, but I call bullshit.

As for the rest of us here in the real world, sometimes we have to practice at things to get good at them!

[madturtle]

My $.02...If you are going to learn to tele well you need to do it all the time. None of that "only on mediocre days cause I don't want to waste a powder day crashing and I can't ski the icy stuff or breakable crust on my tele gear." Keep at it and you'll learn.

But like nurbs said small mistakes will be magnified both by the new to you tele turns and (hopefully) the deep snow so you might want to whet your appetite for a nice slice of humble pie in the short term...

[gorms]

the tele turn is not difficult--i think it is the most natural feeling turn out there

tha tsaid --do whatever is more fun for you

[telepariah]

so, since you are on the subject. If you are going to ski your tele setup like alpine bindings you may as well just stay home.

here is my qualm with tele skiers
-you freeheelers' turns look more styly than skiers and snowboarders, but only if you ski it like a tele ski.

the worst looking turns on the mountain are tele skiers that ski their setup like alpine.
for your info-YOU LOOK STUPID DOING IT!

Then you've never seen anyone who can really ski 'em.

FYI, it is a ton o fun to be able to make any kind of turn at any moment. In soft snow I mostly tele, but if I need a quick turn in a tight spot, I will throw down an alpine turn whrerever I feel like it. On groomers it's anything goes, including monomarks, reversamarks, parallel turns, royal cristies... absolutely anything. You can't do that if you stay home or if you are that dark matter of the tele universe -- you know, the ones who say, "Oh, teles, cool. I would have brought mine today but... [insert lame excuse]."

Ski however you want in your tele bindings. People who flame you for it are just puking weak sauce.

[nurbs]

The funny thing is , theres alot of instructors that teach alpine technique on tele gear. I used to jump in alpine lessons on my tele gear also, and i feel they improved my overall skiing ability.

I like busting out GS turns on groomed snow once in a while on my teles, and when skiing higher consequence stuff alpine turns can save your a$$,

i will echo the above sentiment - ski the way you want and have fun, and if you worried about what people think that are watching, you may want to reconsider what your doing.

[koolaideprived]

I found that my first powder day increased my tele ability immensely. The learning curve was very steep and I wasn't eating it every run by the 2nd half of that first day. It's all about weighting, finding that balance point and then having the confidence to just throw down the turn. I skied teles exclusively for 2 years and after the first few weeks was able to keep up with all of my "sicky gnar" friends again.

However I just bought 2 sets of alpine sticks and bindings this winter but am laid up in bed all season so what can I say.

[2turntables]

so, since you are on the subject. If you are going to ski your tele setup like alpine bindings you may as well just stay home.

here is my qualm with tele skiers
-you freeheelers' turns look more styly than skiers and snowboarders, but only if you ski it like a tele ski.

the worst looking turns on the mountain are tele skiers that ski their setup like alpine.
for your info-YOU LOOK STUPID DOING IT!

I don't even do teleturns until I get into the good stuff (steeps, bumps, technical shots). It's a waste of time and energy to teleturn on every part of the mountain (unless a person is learning how to tele).
I'll ski like an alpine skier a lot too, just for fun. I'd be willing to put money down that I could out ski Workinforturns alpine style on my tele gear anyday in any terrain or conditions. I'd easily make him look stupid. The cool thing about a telemark ski is the ability to express yourself on the mountain by skiing so many different ways.
I'd say that getting as good at parallel turns as you are at tele turns is a huge assest.
Sometimes on drops, I'll make sure I ride out the landing in a parallel turn just to keep my knees away from any hidden shark fins under the snow. There's all kinds of reasons to ski both ways on tele equipment.

[hafilax]

If you're far enough along that you are committed to telemarking then bring the tele gear. It's what you're enjoying these days so jump in with both feet. If your primary motivation for tele is that you're bored and you think you'll be missing out on the high alpine terrain because you don't have the skills then bring the alpine gear and experience all that the west coast terrain has to offer.

[Johnny Deep]

It's all about the skiing. Everyone gets hung up on what to do and how to do it, but it's really fukked up when you get hung up about being hung up. SO don't get hung up. The rest will follow.

[workinforturns]

I'd be willing to put money down that I could out ski Workinforturns alpine style on my tele gear anyday in any terrain or conditions. I'd easily make him look stupid.

what mountains do you live by, because i would love to see you try

[Meadow Skipper]

With the NTN you may find it difficult to ski powder in tele because of tip dive. But if you dont mind skiing parralel on your tele gear i would not be worried.

+1. The goddam boots available this year are way too stiff in the bellows, but if you can flex them go for the tele turn.

[adrenalated]

[pinner] Telemarking is stupid [/pinner]

[MakersTeleMark]

I don't even do teleturns until I get into the good stuff (steeps, bumps, technical shots). It's a waste of time and energy to teleturn on every part of the mountain (unless a person is learning how to tele).
I'll ski like an alpine skier a lot too, just for fun. I'd be willing to put money down that I could out ski Workinforturns alpine style on my tele gear anyday in any terrain or conditions. I'd easily make him look stupid. The cool thing about a telemark ski is the ability to express yourself on the mountain by skiing so many different ways.
I'd say that getting as good at parallel turns as you are at tele turns is a huge assest.
Sometimes on drops, I'll make sure I ride out the landing in a parallel turn just to keep my knees away from any hidden shark fins under the snow. There's all kinds of reasons to ski both ways on tele equipment.

Can you ski pow switch on your tele's?

[khed]

If you're far enough along that you are committed to telemarking then bring the tele gear. It's what you're enjoying these days so jump in with both feet. If your primary motivation for tele is that you're bored and you think you'll be missing out on the high alpine terrain because you don't have the skills then bring the alpine gear and experience all that the west coast terrain has to offer.

correct

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