lowangle al wrote:I don't think I came up with hard conclusions, more a generalization that wide and especially scaled skis aren't necessarily sluggish boat anchors.
I agree with you- and I certainly don't mean to give the impression that I think they are sluggish boat anchors- I don't. I just don't do myself any favors comparing downhill and xcountry skis.
I was also happy that the T4s could hang with my leather boots as far as touring speed.
I love the T4. It offers excellent touring flex and lightness for a Telemark boot. It remains my fav Telemark boot for backcountry touring- when distance is an important limiting factor. The T4 is certainly as light- and in certain cases lighter(!)- than many heavy-duty leather Telemark boots (it also more comfortable than a few heavy leather Telemark boots I have owned!) But again- it is certainly not as light and flexible as my leather XC boots- nor would I expect it to be.
The T4 is my boot for when "the tour serves the turn."
(I do love my heavy-duty leather Telemark boots as well- but I can push my skis even harder with the T4- especially the wide ones.)
My kick that day was acceptable but not great, I think I've had better kick with a waxed double camber ski on that trail.
There are skiing contexts where a double-cambered touring ski with a backcountry flex is the absolute best-performing ski. BUT- when climbing and turning are the pursuit- or the control point- downhill skis with downhill camber and flex- at least for me!
Gareth, I was out yesterday and came up with a trick that made touring with T4s better. I buckled the lower buckle over the plastic tongue like normal, but I put the upper buckle under the tongue. It allowed for better ROM for K&G and may help with your HWs. Give it a try.
Thanks for the tip Al. I am very impressed with the 3-pin hardwire- and, of course the T4.
My new Koms are the widest, most downhill-capable Nordic backcountry ski I have yet owned (they put skis like the Karhu/Madshus XCDs, and S-Bounds to shame- IMHO.) (Back in my days of big mtn ski-touring in the 90s- I skied on Alpine touring skis- with full-length climbing skins.)
I have much to learn and tweak- your tips are much appreciated.
Up to this point, the most girthy Nordic touring ski I have owned is the Karhu Guide. In the past I have taken my leather Tele boots with the Guide when I have significant XC skiing in the mix- I have taken the T4 when climbing and turning are the controlling factor. BUT- I have never been thrilled with the Guide as a downhill ski, to be honest- unless the snow is ideal- using a T4 doesn't make the Guide more torsionally rigid!
But- that was then- and this is now! My initial testing suggests that I need the extra support and leverage of the T4- over my leather Tele boots- in order to drive the Kom (the Kom is a lot more ski than the Guide- which is a good thing!)
Again- thanks for the tips- I have much to learn and much to tweak!
Gareth