Re: Transition from Telemark :(
Posted: Mon Nov 11, 2019 5:42 pm
Many thanks for the comments in this thread.
Woodserson and MSU Alum, together you’ve voiced my major concerns. I was hoping to hear from someone who has done something like I'm planning with the Hagan Off Limits — or something else with similar specs.
Woodserson, from your icon, I see someone ripping with speed and great form. I won’t be trying to follow you downhill! I really like your comment about high tips — especially for skinning in deep snow.
MSU Alum, I see that you ski in the Wasatch, and probably encounter lots of cold deep light power. Frankly, here on the wet coast, most of the time I’m on sweet spring corn, or a hard base with a couple of inches of fresh damp snow on top. Or sun cups. Or that crusty, grimy bumpy stuff under the trees in the spring. I do remember one midwinter day when we’d had a dump that was at least 18”. The best any of us could do (even on the fattest skis) was plow a trench that was over a foot deep. There was no support and the snow was heavy. After an exhausting couple of hours skinning up we we quit and headed for the pub. That’s rare.
Back when I arrived at Canada’s west coast (mid 90s), and didn’t know what I was doing but just wanted to be up on snow in the Coast Mountains, the local cross country guru sold me a pair of Tua 205s with NNN BC bindings and a pair of Alpina boots. Compared to the Bonna XC skis that I’d used in Manitoba (Canadian Prairie), I thought they were fantastic. But I wondered why I never could do tight telemark turns in the local hills. I did a lot of skiing (and a lot of falling) on the Tuas and I actually wore out those boots. I was inspired by Steve Barnett’s “Cross Country Downhill” and the telemark training videos by Dickie Hall and John Fuller.
Towards the end of that period I borrowed my daughter’s Karhu Catamount skis (they had the NNN BC binding). Those were only 157cm and the profile was 85-70-80. I loved the lightness and the shortness — and suddenly I could make short turns and venture out on much steeper slopes. That’s when I decided to abandon NNN BC and buy Scarpa T2s, a pair of K2 Telemark skis, and G3 telemark bindings. They’ve served me for over 15 years. Unfortunately, with my injured foot and lack of fitness (explained above), it is time for another change.
I’m also seeing sites that cater to people using short skis
https://www.outsideonline.com/1773711/a ... -hit-bumps
https://www.theshortskishop.com/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_X5LYEDRWFE
https://skiboards.com/
I have until mid January to decide what I’ll do about skis. In the meantime, I’m beginning to work on fitness.
Woodserson and MSU Alum, together you’ve voiced my major concerns. I was hoping to hear from someone who has done something like I'm planning with the Hagan Off Limits — or something else with similar specs.
Woodserson, from your icon, I see someone ripping with speed and great form. I won’t be trying to follow you downhill! I really like your comment about high tips — especially for skinning in deep snow.
MSU Alum, I see that you ski in the Wasatch, and probably encounter lots of cold deep light power. Frankly, here on the wet coast, most of the time I’m on sweet spring corn, or a hard base with a couple of inches of fresh damp snow on top. Or sun cups. Or that crusty, grimy bumpy stuff under the trees in the spring. I do remember one midwinter day when we’d had a dump that was at least 18”. The best any of us could do (even on the fattest skis) was plow a trench that was over a foot deep. There was no support and the snow was heavy. After an exhausting couple of hours skinning up we we quit and headed for the pub. That’s rare.
Back when I arrived at Canada’s west coast (mid 90s), and didn’t know what I was doing but just wanted to be up on snow in the Coast Mountains, the local cross country guru sold me a pair of Tua 205s with NNN BC bindings and a pair of Alpina boots. Compared to the Bonna XC skis that I’d used in Manitoba (Canadian Prairie), I thought they were fantastic. But I wondered why I never could do tight telemark turns in the local hills. I did a lot of skiing (and a lot of falling) on the Tuas and I actually wore out those boots. I was inspired by Steve Barnett’s “Cross Country Downhill” and the telemark training videos by Dickie Hall and John Fuller.
Towards the end of that period I borrowed my daughter’s Karhu Catamount skis (they had the NNN BC binding). Those were only 157cm and the profile was 85-70-80. I loved the lightness and the shortness — and suddenly I could make short turns and venture out on much steeper slopes. That’s when I decided to abandon NNN BC and buy Scarpa T2s, a pair of K2 Telemark skis, and G3 telemark bindings. They’ve served me for over 15 years. Unfortunately, with my injured foot and lack of fitness (explained above), it is time for another change.
I’m also seeing sites that cater to people using short skis
https://www.outsideonline.com/1773711/a ... -hit-bumps
https://www.theshortskishop.com/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_X5LYEDRWFE
https://skiboards.com/
I have until mid January to decide what I’ll do about skis. In the meantime, I’m beginning to work on fitness.