Leather Boots --> Touring Set Up

[Singel]

Did a quick search, but couldn't find much.

I don't tour as often as I'd like, but when I do I typically borrow gear from father in law (leather boots, long narrow skis). We typically don't tour to do laps, but rather one long up and one long down. Although I suck at it, I've found I kind of enjoy flailing away in the soft leather boots and would like to continue to improve.

I'm wondering what is the widest I should go to when using leather boots and system bindings (or are there other binding types for leather - I'm a total jong on this). I'm hoping something in the 70 - 80mm waist? ie. Karhu XCD Guide

Any suggestions or input. Anything cheap for sale?

[GeezerSteve]

What binding system? Old Nordic norm 75mm 3-pin? NNN-BC? Something else?

I teled on lace-up leather tele boots for years. Did some pretty big tours on the floppies. Good memories, but, gawd, I don't miss leather boots.

XCD Guide is about a wide as I'd go with leather boots. But, these days, I wouldn't go with leather boots. Have you considered the plastic Garmont Excursion or Scarpa T4? Or a lighter synthetic boot like this?

Problems with leather boots: 1. They weigh a ton when they get wet. 2. They take forever to dry out. 3. Vintage big stiff leather tele boots skied okay but were blister machines when new, but when they broke in and became comfy they skied like shit.

I don't know if anyone currently makes big leather tele boots (e.g., Scarpa Snowpine and Extreme). But you can likely find some used ones. I've got a pair of US12 Scarpa Extremes, rebuilt. I would imagine that there are hundreds, maybe thousands, of old Snowpines and Extremes in basements and thrift stores.

[dauwhe]

Everything you want to know about this type of skiing can be found here: http://home.comcast.net/~pinnah/Dirt...r/dirtbag.html