Tele --> AT

[changed]

I know this is TeleTalk, but I've tried asking this elsewhere and been shunned like a leper...

I just got into skiing this year, with your guys' help, on a fat pair of XCD skis and leather boots. I'm enjoying it, but I also want to learn how to do parallel turns-- I just can't afford lift tickets to do this. I'm in a place with a lot of powder, and access to plenty of mellow terrain that doesn't require avalanche training.

If I was looking for a mellow touring setup, what sort of gear am I looking for? My limited knowledge tells me tech binding, tech boots, and a ski that is at least 100mm wide. Is it any more difficult than that?

Appreciate your insights ahead of time!

edit: I guess if there is also a way that I can learn parallel turns on my fat XCD skis without having to spend a bunch of money, I'd be down to do that too.

[Lhartley]

Definitely just start with what you have. It's all connected anyways. Stemming, then stem Christie, p-turns, then stem tele. A fairly natural progression. If you find you want an AT setup you can always use your tele setup, just put inserts in your tele Mounts then drill for AT Mounts and get some cheap dynafits. You can even p-turn nordic gear, and that's actually a decent place to learn is on the mellow groomed slopes a nordic centers. There's a video on here somewhere of some dude p-turning a light touring setup at a resort for like 15 minutes in beach shorts

[Oldbie]

There are much better skiers than me on here who may have better advice, but I've been taking my nnnbc setup with 83/62/70 dimension'ed skis (165s, so short for me) and mid-stiffness boots to my local rope tow hill---and all I do are alpine turns. I put Rottefela leashes on this week (had some dorky DIY fasteners and snowboard leashes previously) and put new flexors in the bindings---which, taken together, cost more than the used skis. It makes the modest vertical and angle a lot more challenging and fun, and for minimal/almost negligible cost. It's mini-golf skiing. For your consideration.

[The GCW]

Changed,
There is a number of directions You can choose to learn parallel turns.

I don’t know how You get up and down…

Tech bindings (like Dynafit Rotations which are not as light but have din settings) and boots (like Dynafit Hoji) is good or better, You’ll likely want full skins (like Black Diamond mohair MIX). Going this route, go light for skis (like Black Crows Camox FREE BIRD); You will never skin up and say You wished You had heavier equipment. I don’t believe at least 100 mm under waist is best. Up to 100 to me is better; the wider the ski the more difficult edge to edge…

Consider equipment that also works when You might get a lift ticket… & that AT stuff above works well. I use it in-bounds regularly but it’s not quite as good as Alpine equipment.

You may already have boots but I’ve used the Rottefella Xplore bindings with the Alfa Free boots on Asnes Falketind Explore skis in-bounds a number of times now, and find I can make parallel turns, primarily when I go too fast to slow down and regain control or terrain is too steep. (also with Rottefella NNNBC’s and other skis and boots but with less secure feeling but it can be done).

I ski Alpine, Alpine AT and bc Nordic. For parallel skiing I want (and need) to lock My heel in because I didn’t start out tele skiing. A telemark skier doesn’t need to do that but then telemark skiers may not be into parallel turns much or at all. Hope the honest tele-dudes dial all that in…. -I have tele friends who do parallel when stuff get real serious and other tele friends who drop a knee forever.

Your decisions might benefit by considering where You want to be in the future.

It’s a dilemma.

[stilltryin]

As has been said, no need to go AT to make parallel turns. I was out today on Voile V6 BC and Scarpa T3 (Voile 3-pin cable bindings) and my skis were parallel for all turns. Terrain was fairly mellow, got about 6-8 turns in a couple of different times. (My wife on similar gear did all tele turns.) I have never had my heels locked down, ever. I'm not a very good skier, so it can't be that hard! Okay, I did ski lift-served on tele gear for a few years, and I suppose that helped me get a bit comfortable with parallel turns, but I don't think it is necessary.
The V6 ski was a game changer for me for making turns in the backcountry -- seriously!
Good luck.
Of course, if you want to go AT, that's fine.

[changed]

Changed,
There is a number of directions You can choose to learn parallel turns.

I don’t know how You get up and down…

Tech bindings (like Dynafit Rotations which are not as light but have din settings) and boots (like Dynafit Hoji) is good or better, You’ll likely want full skins (like Black Diamond mohair MIX). Going this route, go light for skis (like Black Crows Camox FREE BIRD); You will never skin up and say You wished You had heavier equipment. I don’t believe at least 100 mm under waist is best. Up to 100 to me is better; the wider the ski the more difficult edge to edge…

Consider equipment that also works when You might get a lift ticket… & that AT stuff above works well. I use it in-bounds regularly but it’s not quite as good as Alpine equipment.

You may already have boots but I’ve used the Rottefella Xplore bindings with the Alfa Free boots on Asnes Falketind Explore skis in-bounds a number of times now, and find I can make parallel turns, primarily when I go too fast to slow down and regain control or terrain is too steep. (also with Rottefella NNNBC’s and other skis and boots but with less secure feeling but it can be done).

I ski Alpine, Alpine AT and bc Nordic. For parallel skiing I want (and need) to lock My heel in because I didn’t start out tele skiing. A telemark skier doesn’t need to do that but then telemark skiers may not be into parallel turns much or at all. Hope the honest tele-dudes dial all that in…. -I have tele friends who do parallel when stuff get real serious and other tele friends who drop a knee forever.

Your decisions might benefit by considering where You want to be in the future.

It’s a dilemma.

I've got Madshus Panorama 78's and Alpina Alaskas in a 3 pin binding. I started this way at the urging of people around me that are into Tele, and it was a cheap start for me-- I paid less than $400 for the entire setup, with skins.

I just feel like I'm making things unnecessarily difficult on myself by trying to learn Tele first, and on old-school technology. It's fun, don't get me wrong, but I'd like to do longer hikes and potentially do steeper terrain without feeling like I'm going to die on a bunny hill.

[DG99]

With nordic or telemark gear I very often do parallel turns because they’re easier but very often do telemark turns because they become necessary if the snow is deep or grabby or a sharp turn at slow speeds or on low slopes angles. And telemark turns are cool.

I used to telemark more at ski lifts but all that steep packed snow it’s much better just to do parallel turns, so I’m just alpine skiing at the ski lifts anymore. It’s just easier and the release mechanism is good.

All that to say you should be fine learning parallel turning on whatever nordic BC or telemark gear but you want to do it on packed snow or corn snow.

The AT set up you describe sounds very cool as you describe but more for fairly steep uphill/downhill routes. Yes, deep powder could use >100 mm waist.

For fairly low angle mellow touring deep powder with mixed and rolling terrain I’d suggest something like Voile V6 BC and some Scarpa T2 or TX telemark gear. Rather expensive and a bit heavy but would be awesome.

[changed]

As has been said, no need to go AT to make parallel turns. I was out today on Voile V6 BC and Scarpa T3 (Voile 3-pin cable bindings) and my skis were parallel for all turns. Terrain was fairly mellow, got about 6-8 turns in a couple of different times. (My wife on similar gear did all tele turns.) I have never had my heels locked down, ever. I'm not a very good skier, so it can't be that hard! Okay, I did ski lift-served on tele gear for a few years, and I suppose that helped me get a bit comfortable with parallel turns, but I don't think it is necessary.
The V6 ski was a game changer for me for making turns in the backcountry -- seriously!
Good luck.
Of course, if you want to go AT, that's fine.

I haven't seen those skis-- they make my Panorama 78's look like toothpicks.

Maybe all I need is a plastic boot? I'm also wondering if 192 was the best choice. I am 180, but maybe going shorter would've made turning easier...

[DG99]

I've got Madshus Panorama 78's and Alpina Alaskas in a 3 pin binding. I started this way at the urging of people around me that are into Tele, and it was a cheap start for me-- I paid less than $400 for the entire setup, with skins.

I just feel like I'm making things unnecessarily difficult on myself by trying to learn Tele first, and on old-school technology. It's fun, don't get me wrong, but I'd like to do longer hikes and potentially do steeper terrain without feeling like I'm going to die on a bunny hill.

Ack ! Yes that’s a bit tough. Definitely die on a bunny hill. That’s not super supportive gear, made more for backcountry trail skiing in my book, not off trail descents or linked turns or deep snow really except in very conducive conditions or great skill. Best in very shallow light powder or sweet corn snow or just skiing trails. It’s very nice gear though.

Panorama 78 isn’t TOO narrow and some Scarpa T4s would get you more out of them. 192 cm is quite long for linking turns.

[Salto]

P-turns on tele gear is totally natural and most of my turns (either on full heavy tele gear or BC gear). Unless its powder or steep or both, I don't drop the knee. For mellow terrain and powder though, you will want a fat ski. Plus 90-95mm at waist should work. Unless you gain a bit of speed, p-turns will keep your speed and momentum better than tele turns on mellow pow terrain.

Highly recommend the voile vector bc or v6 bc. Vector a bit better at uphill and do it all terrain. V6 a blast in pow.

Have fun!