Tele --> AT

[JohnSKepler]

There are other reasons people might make the switch. I never cared about tele, didn't even really know about it. Skied when I was younger a half dozen times for a week at a time on overly-expensive vacations but always loved it. Finally moved out west as an older man with injuries from life. Was planning to ski all the time but blew my remaining ACL, you guessed it, skiing. My first ACL surgery was unsuccessful and I decided to forego a year long recovery and not get surgery, leaving me with no ACLs. I thought my skiing days were over because attaching my feet rigidly to a 6-foot board was just too unsafe. That's when I... 'discovered' tele. There are those that may disagree but my own assessment is that knee injury is a lot less likely with tele skiing. With twin titanium knee braces and 300 days or more in the gym each year, I've not had a problem.

It's taken me several years but my transition is nearly complete; meaning, I can go out and enjoy myself without embarrassing myself. That's why I went tele and I enjoy it more than I ever liked Alpine, plus my main interest is back-country and off-track which, to me, is far better served by telemark gear than by Alpine gear. The human foot is meant to bend.

On the flip side, a guy I ski with gave it a go after seeing me and he instantly fell in love with the turn. He lost all interest in Alpine skiing even though he'd just bought a brand new AT setup. He was a former snowboarder and skier and now only teles. Says he feels like a kid again.

The biggest question remains, for me, what pronouns should I adopt having transitioned???

[changed]

I have to say that the potential transition from Tele to alpine gear was precipitated by a particularly challenging day of tele skiing. I'm brand new, but I'm a perfectionist, and winding up face down in 3 feet of snow at the bottom-half of every run had me questioning everything.

As it goes, I went out the next day and it was the best skiing I've ever done. I got some great pointers from a much more experienced skier and put them into action, and they worked!

Logically, financially, etc... I should probably stick with Tele, maybe on a T2 or T4, until the end of this season, and see how I feel next year.

Now to just find a pair of T boots for less than $200...

[JohnSKepler]

Now to just find a pair of T boots for less than $200...

Picked up a very nice pair last year for $40. I found Facebook Marketplace to be, by far, the best Tele gear resource in Northern Utah.

[bauerb]

I learned to tele ski on nordic racing gear in the 80s. you can learn on anything. and plenty of cheap gear is out there, especially boots in sizes smaller than US 9.

[changed]

I learned to tele ski on nordic racing gear in the 80s. you can learn on anything. and plenty of cheap gear is out there, especially boots in sizes smaller than US 9.

Certainly seems the used market is dominated by people with hobbit feet

[Rodbelan]

This thread is almost exclusively talking about gear in relation to telemark turn learning...

I would say that the best investment is: a course! That's the way to learn! With a good instructor, learn the proper technique... It seems that there is a general biais: to learn telemark, you need more gear! I am no psychoanalyst, but it looks like a «displacement»...

You could definitely go a long way with what you already have (M78 + 3 pins + Alaska).

[Rodbelan]

There are other reasons people might make the switch. I never cared about tele, didn't even really know about it. Skied when I was younger a half dozen times for a week at a time on overly-expensive vacations but always loved it. Finally moved out west as an older man with injuries from life. Was planning to ski all the time but blew my remaining ACL, you guessed it, skiing. My first ACL surgery was unsuccessful and I decided to forego a year long recovery and not get surgery, leaving me with no ACLs. I thought my skiing days were over because attaching my feet rigidly to a 6-foot board was just too unsafe. That's when I... 'discovered' tele. There are those that may disagree but my own assessment is that knee injury is a lot less likely with tele skiing. With twin titanium knee braces and 300 days or more in the gym each year, I've not had a problem.

It's taken me several years but my transition is nearly complete; meaning, I can go out and enjoy myself without embarrassing myself. That's why I went tele and I enjoy it more than I ever liked Alpine, plus my main interest is back-country and off-track which, to me, is far better served by telemark gear than by Alpine gear. The human foot is meant to bend.

On the flip side, a guy I ski with gave it a go after seeing me and he instantly fell in love with the turn. He lost all interest in Alpine skiing even though he'd just bought a brand new AT setup. He was a former snowboarder and skier and now only teles. Says he feels like a kid again.

The biggest question remains, for me, what pronouns should I adopt having transitioned???

[bauerb]

so basically you are now doing Alpemark or Telepine. the terms are interchangeable

[phoenix]

Get a pair of plastic boots that fit; T2's or 3's or 4's or Excursions.... I'll repeat there's lots around on various used gear forums. $200 is a lot for that market, I see most selling for $75 to maybe $150; $100 is common. Marketplace, Craigslist, maybe ebay, etc. (and let's not forget the tele turn around here!). Boots can be mailed pretty much across the country for <$40.00.

I'd also suggest cables over 3 pins. Old Riva's are out there for cheap, Voile 3pin cables of course are a time tested option.Those simple older cables still tour pretty well, and add a lot of control.

[JohnSKepler]

Haha, I think that was the first time I ever skied on anything heavier than an Xplore boot, well, after I had to give up Alpine skiing. Starting in your mid-50's with bad knees wasn't the best idea but after getting crippled just after moving out here I wasn't going to just sit around all winter. (If you look carefully you can see the braces under my pants.) That first year I white-knuckled the whole time, just waiting for one of my knees to explode. It's been a long process not only learning, but also gaining confidence in the gear that my knees aren't as fragile as I fear they are, but I can't take any of the credit. If I ever get to be a good skier maybe I'll do a Donjoy commercial.

Dang if my beard hasn't gotten whiter since then!