Telemark Talk / Telemark Tips Forum

I realize that I have a mismatch between skills, boots, skis and ski area conditions. I didn't start out to create that situation, it's just where I am at the moment, and the point of asking the questions here is to help sort out how much of a problem I've created for myself. Do I just gut it out and live with what I've got or is it worth buying some more gear? "Finding my way". Exactly.

The Excursions I bought (new) because they fit my BC ambition, they work great with my Altai Hoks and my feet love 'em. I bought the Havocs as a pkg with 3 buckle boots. The boots didn't work out (heel blisters). Sold those. Only reason not to sell the Havocs is that I cut a nice new set of skins to fit 'em. My last couple trips to the hill (after starting this thread) have gone a bit better. Managed some passable tele turns, a few well controlled tele hockey stops. Light at the end of the tunnel! Maybe I can make this mish mash work, after all. Or at least until clearly better gear shows up on CL.

You should be able to cut the same skins to fit some other skis, if cutting will even be necessary. I haven't looked recently, but there should be some good options out there on CL, or certainly on Ebay. I'll keep my eyes open for ya.

woodchuck wrote:... the point of asking the questions here is to help sort out how much of a problem I've created for myself. Do I just gut it out and live with what I've got or is it worth buying some more gear? "Finding my way". Exactly...

While you decide, remember the other investment in time, effort, and money you're making at the resort working on skills. If you do all of that and don't get as much fun or as much skill development as you should for that investment, it should be part of the calculation.

Like Phoenix said, lots of narrower waisted skis on eBay for small money that the Excursions would drive just fine and would be easier to get on edge on firm snow while you learn. Maybe the wide Havoc will be useful later in the BC soft snow, even with the excursions.

ends tomorrow, cheap shipping from SLC, already mounted with good bindings that will work well with Excusions. Good ski for skiing firm snow and learning tele.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Atomic-MX7-177 ... 1438.l2649

TM22s? There are some not too far away I could snag. Priced right.

How long are the TM22's? I had a pair - wasn't too fond of 'em. They were just OK, and maybe less than that on hardpack. They have a pretty wideturning radius, and don't give much feel of a carve in the turn. Saw some World Piste's and also some Super Stinx on the VT. CL today; I've had both and liked both. I think either would be a better ski for you than the Atomic's.

A couple of local "Already Tele'd" guys I know weighed in and panned the TM22s as well. Their opinion is I ought to save my money and just flail on the Havocs a little longer -- they are pretty confident I'm going to figure this out. They both liked the Havoc.

Woodchuck, can you get enough of an edge to skate with those skis and boots? If you can't I doubt you will get a good edge down while skiing. If you can, they might work.

I can't skate 'em, at least not easily.

I can get the Havocs to carve. However, I really have to think "big toe / little toe" to make it happen and keep my skis moving together. Its nothing like the alpine skiing I remember from a couple decades ago. Might not work so well on steeper runs.

There's a pair of candy cane super stinx with Voile hard wires close by I could investigate. Those are 70 under foot.

I wouldn't recommend the candy cane version of the Stinx. The earlier version was a vey nice ski, the candy cane's are not gonna be fun. The 70mm waist is fine, the flex on those was not.