Telemark Talk / Telemark Tips Forum

Hey LoveJohnny,

You got me interested in those Alpina Alaska boots, but I haven't seen them around here (Ottawa). Do you know of any Canadian retailers who carry them? I could buy online from the US but returning them would be a pain if they don't fit right, and your comment below has me a bit worried about the sizing...

LoveJohnny wrote: Be sure to buy a point smaller than usual. They fit very large... Mine are WAY too big for me, even with 2 shims and a heel wedge... Still, there's nowhere I can't go with them and cableless 3 pins.

Freshpow,

I was lucky enough to find a brand new pair on Ebay for 100$. Of course they were the wrong size but at less than half the price, it was worth taking a chance...

I never saw those boots in any stores around. People are all buying NTN these days so there's no point for stores to carry Alaskas... The closest place I know where you could try them is Outdoor Gear Exchange in Burlington, VT. Just buy a point smaller and a few shims and you'll be ok... : )

I should be sponsored by Alpina... Alpina, can you hear me?

UH HUH,
We see the big Guides LJ..
What else ya got ? Come clean
with us now.. What are your preferred
boot for the Guides?
Guides are a bit soft at the lifts, depending,
but I see them at the resorts a lot..Great at times
for SC in a 185 , I would think..
are my eyes bad or do you have skins on those
waxless skis?

You might now be that far from these guys, LJ..

See, XCD. 109mm. I'm totally legal here, no chance of getting caught by the XCD police...
There is absolutely no way I could have broken a trail all the way to the top without skins into that stuff... (or without ruining the landscape for the next day... : )

I ski with the Alaskas all the time in the BC (Hi Alpina reps!) Seriously, shoelaces are all I need to have fun now. Several years ago I bought a pair of Bulldogz. I thought that after a few years on leathers and 3pc, I would be able to leave the cables behind. Well I was wrong. I couldn't do it. Even with super tights power straps around my boots, I just couldn't do it without cables. But I think my skiing just got better now... As I really can't think of any reason I would want cables now. XC boots w/shoelaces, no buckles, no leather, no plastic and no cables. And you know what? I never thought skiing could be that good.

So I think it's much more about having the proper technique than the gear itself. Stiffness, ankle support, buckles, plastics, bellow flex, it doesn't matter at all if you know how to do it right... But that takes some time...

It's just like that other very important thing, It's not the gear that matters, it's the way you handle it...

LoveJohnny wrote:See, XCD. 109mm. I'm totally legal here, no chance of getting caught by the XCD police...

IMG_0466.JPG

There is absolutely no way I could have broken a trail all the way to the top without skins into that stuff... (or without ruining the landscape for the next day... : )

I ski with the Alaskas all the time in the BC (Hi Alpina reps!) Seriously, shoelaces are all I need to have fun now. Several years ago I bought a pair of Bulldogz. I thought that after a few years on leathers and 3pc, I would be able to leave the cables behind. Well I was wrong. I couldn't do it. Even with super tights power straps around my boots, I just couldn't do it without cables. But I think my skiing just got better now... As I really can't think of any reason I would want cables now. XC boots w/shoelaces, no buckles, no leather, no plastic and no cables. And you know what? I never thought skiing could be that good.

So I think it's much more about having the proper technique than the gear itself. Stiffness, ankle support, buckles, plastics, bellow flex, it doesn't matter at all if you know how to do it right... But that takes some time...

It's just like that other very important thing, It's not the gear that matters, it's the way you handle it...

Uh huh..In the world of strict reason we have what are known as "counter examples"..
This should suffice..
Elegant, huh ??
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q9NSpfi0HjI

Skiing has been good, very good....Lots of powder and a couple of inches here and there adds up! Sunday was a riot of arcs, turns, explosions. Whips are losing potency but can still take any of us down....Skinnies deflect better than fatties....Examined Rossi BC 110's and Vectors...most agreed the Rossies "Looked" better, went up hill better....Telewheels the owner of the Vectors was not all that impressed with his new Switchbacks, saying pins with cables were better on the up....Both skied well on the downs as did E109's....e99's....Rossi BC90's.....Rebounds....and a snowboard....Had to have steeps to ride....speed lifting skis to the surface....My 2$ boots have made it the last three times....no glue out...Wicked ride today, total snowy blast...TM

The Vectors are a bit too fat for my taste... I don't think they would be very fun on leathers, even if they are quite light @ 6lbs...

105-110mm seems to be the limit I can drive with leathers... I once bought a pair of Ski Trab Polveres because they were about 10-15mm fatter than the Guides but about the same weight. But I couldn't ski them at all with leathers & pins...

Blend!

Telesven, I'll send one from today of Sven...TM