Kids (11 and 14 year old) Touring Setup

[MMMSKI]

Any ideas on getting 2 kids (teens, tweens - 11 year old girl and 14 year old boy) into a touring setup? I'm thinking a Contour adapter for the 11 year old and a frame binding for the 14 year old...??? They have never toured but are big hikers, climbers, and athletic

[detrusor]

I just dived in and got the (the 8 and 10 year olds) 9/11 year olds dynafit setups. Real boots and bindings were huge for the uphill. Went with the demo/rental models to minimize redrilling. Worth the extra cost....if you want them to enjoy it


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[Jonathan S.]

Two of my ski buddies recently bought this for their kids:
https://www.sierra.com/scarpa-made-i...women~p~716ch/
The smallest AT boot on the market -- don't be fooled by other models that just relabel shells that are a full size bigger.
Plus it's almost free ... and it's a great boot in any size ... only one pair left, hurry!

Bindings, this goes down to 3:
https://skimo.co/hagan-pure-bindings
Version with longer adjustment track:
https://www.haganskimountaineering.c...cts/pure-8-max

This goes down to 2.5:
https://skimo.co/dynafit-st-rotation-7

(Now if only my own 10 yr old daughter would show interest in downhill skiing and not just nordic skiing, biking, and hiking, then I could put some of this advice to my own use!)

[MMMSKI]

Having the right equipment works! I've thought about that for a while...I wouldn't want to ski on a day maker (breaker) so why would a kid...Maybe once the snow hits, I'll try to find somewhere that they can at least demo for the day

[gregL]

I think the smallest tech AT boot on the market now is the Dalbello Lupo AX 110/105 W @ 21.5 (the Scarpa F1 21.5 is the same as their 22.0). What size are your kids' feet?

[BFD]

equipment is not that important. Just pick up some cheap used boots and some old fritschis. the 14 year old should be easy. I think at 11 my sons were still going with the women t3 tele boot and tele bindings. Just don't let them drop the knee.
here is how we rolled
http://thompsonpass.com/why-i-like-s...an-americus-8/

[XXX-er]

Does the DIN on these setups go low enough for the smaller person ?

there is a post somewhere on tgr about chopping down an FR+ for the smaller BSL I could probably find the link

[dcpnz]

Well in contrast to BFD I think equipment does matter for kids ski touring if you actually want them to enjoy it and be excited to go do it. Sure they can get by with clunky heavy boots, day wreckers and heavy skis because they don’t know any better but with a little bit more effort and minimally more $$ you can do so much better.

I got my kids on size 23 dynafit tlt5, dynafit superlight bindings, free old demo fleet skis and hand me down skins starting at age 8 1/2.

Boots came cheap from ebay, craigslist, ski swap. 23 dynafit fit similarly enough to her 22 lange alpines with laces and an extra insole to take up volume and walk and ski well for the weight.
Bindings - i bought new on super sale but they’ve moved from ski to ski as kids have grown and been a good investment. Release value starts at 4 which was slightly high at the time but not unreasonably so. There are lower RV bindings available now already linked above.
Skis and skins I sourced free but imho are the least important piece of the puzzle.

[gregL]

http://thompsonpass.com/why-i-like-s...an-americus-8/

Classic!

[MMMSKI]

I think equipment is important (to an extent)...I just wish that the kids could have one set up for resort and touring thus leaning towards a heavier frame binding...

[JPaul]

I think equipment is important (to an extent)...I just wish that the kids could have one set up for resort and touring thus leaning towards a heavier frame binding...

TLDR: For ease of keeping growing kids in boots and skis, can't beat the performance & price-performance of the Contour Ski adapters.

Worst case: give them a whirl for the 11-year old at least, they will sell quickly if you decide they aren't the right choice.

========Sorry about this mess, maybe something useful?========

This will be my 13-year old daughter's 4th season on a pair of Contour adapters (you mentioned them in your original post). She's a flyweight (<80 lbs), so we haven't considered pins yet, and the only frame bindings that could handle her are the Hagen Jrs, which don't change the mechanics much vs. an adapter and cost as much as my Shifts. Fritschi & Marker frame offerings were way to heavy + high lowest-DIN to consider, so Contours at half the price it was.

3 important points:
1. They have worked flawlessly in that time
2. She's used them with 3 (likely 4 this year) pairs of boots and 5 pairs of skis so far, and it only takes 5 min per boot change to get it all sorted.. Aside from avoiding annual re-mount costs for frames or pin bindings, she is able to draw from anywhere in her quiver to suit the conditions.* At her weight and height, it is feasible that we keep her on her even after this season, but consider the growth trajectory of your kids (Contour goes up to 305mm boot sole, and I *think* 125 lbs?)
3. She doesn't ski down with the additional height/WEIGHT of a frame binding -> she's on her favorite/familiar resort set-up

No fiddle-factor on these -> she is always proud of her super-quick transitions (more "snack & heckling slower people" time). Would love to get her into an ideal/safe pin-based set up, but she has some growing to do before she hits a 4 DIN setting. Even then, I can't stomach the cost of pin bindings knowing they will also limit her boot selection and #skis available at any time.

1 vote for the Contours!

* At her size/weight short/straight-cut skins provide more than enough traction and are easy to use w/multiple sets of skis

[MMMSKI]

@JPaul that was my original thought about the contours...that is the choice for the 11 year old (I Think)

[detrusor]

Does the DIN on these setups go low enough for the smaller person ?

there is a post somewhere on tgr about chopping down an FR+ for the smaller BSL I could probably find the link

I did that to 6 pair for my kids and friends. Easy peasy


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[XXX-er]

you need to modify an XL sized FR+ binding as I remember so the bar will be long enough to completely cut the slotted part off the bar ? Is the XL easy to find ?

[El Chupacabra]

IIRC, wasn't the Naxo easier to cut down to small sizes than the Fritschi?

[Jonathan S.]

IIRC, wasn't the Naxo easier to cut down to small sizes than the Fritschi?

I think that was the Pure?
Which is why I have something like 1 2/3 pairs of brand-new Pure bindings, for a plan to set up a touring rig for my daughter, which was never fulfilled.
(The plan that is, not my daughter.)
If anyone wants to experiment with this, I'd be happy to resell them for shipping costs plus whatever beer would cost if I drank beer.
(Or Lego for my daughter!)
Be forewarned though that the Pure with alpine downhill boots imparts massively negatively delta.

[buildakicker]

Glad to find this thread, as I was just looking at getting a touring setup going for my 9 and 10 year olds this morning (80lbs and 65lbs). I have an older pair of small fritschi explorers (din down to three) that adjust down to 245 mm boot.

I was thinking about how the width of the boot toe piece might affect the performance of the binding release? Any ideas there? Anyone else using the old explorer successfully with their younger kids? Also, the binding would seem to easily grow with them for a few years.

If nothing else, it looks like the contours might be just fine and allow them to have that security of the kid binding as long as there's not a lot of side hilling?

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[MMMSKI]

I think the contours would be fine for young kids

Glad to find this thread, as I was just looking at getting a touring setup going for my 9 and 10 year olds this morning (80lbs and 65lbs). I have an older pair of small fritschi explorers (din down to three) that adjust down to 245 mm boot.

I was thinking about how the width of the boot toe piece might affect the performance of the binding release? Any ideas there? Anyone else using the old explorer successfully with their younger kids? Also, the binding would seem to easily grow with them for a few years.

If nothing else, it looks like the contours might be just fine and allow them to have that security of the kid binding as long as there's not a lot of side hilling?

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[wasatchback]

Junior boots below size 22.5 (it depends on the manufacturer but sometimes 21.5 will have adult lugs) have Junior lugs. They are much smaller in width than a standard adult lug. This means they need bindings that are sized for those lugs. They need junior specific bindings. I don’t believe Those Fritschi bindings will work if your kids boots fall below size 22.5. It amazes me that they adjust down to 245mm.

[Tjaardbreeuwer]

Any ideas on getting 2 kids (teens, tweens - 11 year old girl and 14 year old boy) into a touring setup? I'm thinking a Contour adapter for the 11 year old and a frame binding for the 14 year old...??? They have never toured but are big hikers, climbers, and athletic

Lot’s of the replies here are for small kids with tiny feet and low DIN. At 11 and 14 they will be in normal adult boot size and DIN ranges.
if you want a frame binding, the Hagan Z02 weighs less than a Shift, and goes to 280mm BSL and DIN 7. For the older one the Tyrolia Ambition is lighter than most others(1920g), has easy transitions, where you leave the boot in binding(similar to Hagan/Fritschi), and has a good walking pivot(very close to the toe inserts) point.

But there are also Shifts 10 with DIN starting at 4 now.
Tons of crossover boots with tech fittings avaible now.

We tried Contour adapters once. It was horrible. Snow was icy, so she slipped, and every time she slipped and fell, the adapter kicked out of her binding. Then, she had to remove them from her boot, clip them back in the binding, clip back into the adapter ...
Even when we dialed up the bindings release Value, they still popped out. The issue is the ‘open’ adapter is much longer than the boot, so has way more torque.

[MMMSKI]

She is a very small 11 year old...the to be 14 year old will be easier to find equipment. I've looked at the Hagan

Lot’s of the replies here are for small kids with tiny feet and low DIN. At 11 and 14 they will be in normal adult boot size and DIN ranges.
if you want a frame binding, the Hagan Z02 weighs less than a Shift, and goes to 280mm BSL and DIN 7. For the older one the Tyrolia Ambition is lighter than most others(1920g), has easy transitions, where you leave the boot in binding(similar to Hagan/Fritschi), and has a good walking pivot(very close to the toe inserts) point.

But there are also Shifts 10 with DIN starting at 4 now.
Tons of crossover boots with tech fittings avaible now.

We tried Contour adapters once. It was horrible. Snow was icy, so she slipped, and every time she slipped and fell, the adapter kicked out of her binding. Then, she had to remove them from her boot, clip them back in the binding, clip back into the adapter ...
Even when we dialed up the bindings release Value, they still popped out. The issue is the ‘open’ adapter is much longer than the boot, so has way more torque.

[Tjaardbreeuwer]

She is a very small 11 year old...the to be 14 year old will be easier to find equipment. I've looked at the Hagan

What BSL, boot size, DIN value do you need?
Are you wanting to use the same set-up for resort skiing, or will they have separate gear?
The Hagan frame binding has worked well for my 9 year old. (22.5 boots, Din 4 I think). Step in can be hard, also because her boots seemed to glom a lot of snow on them. But for the rest, she could easily operate the mode switches and risers with her poles.

One thing I noticed for her, was that her regular K2 Pinnalce Jr 84 skis, were the same weight as some touring specific skis from Hagan and Dynafit.

[MMMSKI]

22.5 boots (last season) DIN 4ish (probably) In a ideal world they would have 2 setups. BUT they probably will only have one that they use in resort and short east coast tours.

What BSL, boot size, DIN value do you need?
Are you wanting to use the same set-up for resort skiing, or will they have separate gear?
The Hagan frame binding has worked well for my 9 year old. (22.5 boots, Din 4 I think). Step in can be hard, also because her boots seemed to glom a lot of snow on them. But for the rest, she could easily operate the mode switches and risers with her poles.

One thing I noticed for her, was that her regular K2 Pinnalce Jr 84 skis, were the same weight as some touring specific skis from Hagan and Dynafit.

[Tjaardbreeuwer]

22.5 boots (last season) DIN 4ish (probably) In a ideal world they would have 2 setups. BUT they probably will only have one that they use in resort and short east coast tours.

Well, in that case you have options. Adult boots come in 22.5. You might be able to find something really cheap too. There is also Cochise kids boot. 3 versions: 1 is plain alpine, 1 has walk mode, and one has tech fittings.

https://www.evo.com/outlet/alpine-touring-ski-boots/tecnica-cochise-team-dyn-kids?image=161238/636244/tecnica-cochise-team-dyn-alpine-touring-ski-boots-kids-2020-.jpg&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIy42r--a-6wIVDT2tBh13OgBiEAYYAiABEgJicvD_BwE

If DIN 4 is low enough, you could do Shift 10. Expensive, but they won’t outgrow them either, unlike skis and boots.
Or do the Hagan frame binding. Same weight as Shift. Not quite as nice walking, but must easier to use, and you don’t need tech fittings.
Or do the tech-toes in a system binding thing, to create a Cast style system with some cheap bindings.

https://www.tetongravity.com/forums/...ouring-binding

[mntlion]

not mine: PSA

https://www.ebay.ca/itm/Marker-Kingp...item48e2c64b27

demo, DIN10